Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-11-17
NINETY HOGS BURNED
In the Perry Plggery in West Brattle-
bOrO Tuesday Night.

Building and Contents Destroyed as the
Result OF the Explosion Of Lantern
--.Hogs Refused 60 Leave Their Pens
but 10 Were Dragged Out.
Ninety hogs we're roasted in the fire
which destroyed the piggery OF Perry
Brothers at West Bratteboro Tuesday
evening. The building, 10S feet long, was
on the old Deerfield stock farm now owned
bv David T. Perry, Francis e. Perry and
Ernest Perry of this town and DIR. Joseph
G. Perry of Shelburne Falls, Mass, about
1 Ia mile west of West Brattleboro village,
and it was managed by Ernest Perry, who
carries on the farm.
Mr.. Perry went to the piggery about
o'clock to give the hogs bedding of straw
which was kept in an l. near the middle
of the building and he hung his lantern on
a large cistern. After pitching some straw
into the aisle which ran lengthwise OF the
building and into which the pens opened
from both sides, he started down the aisle
with a forkful of the bedding He saw
fash of light, and turning around he found
that the lantern had exploded.
The oil from the lantern was strewn
over the bedding in the aisle and it i'm
mediately ignted, the flames rising to the
termilk stood near, and with these Mr..
Perry as he supposed, subdued the flames
A few minutes later, however, fire broke
out near the caves and spread with such
rapiditY that it soon got beyond control.
Mr.. Perry then ran out and called TO the
| hired man, but the latter had just driven
away. His call was heard by Harold and
Archie Perry, sons of David 7. Perry,
who owns the adjoining farm, and they
| ran TO his assistance. After calling to the
hired man Mr.. Perry went back and open
ed all the pens, giving the hogs an oppor-
tunity to leave the building. Polly. reg
istered, prize-winning SOW which has al
ways exhibited a marked degree Of intelli-
gence, walked quietly out, but all the other
hogs refused to bulge,
One hog after another was dragged out
until 10 were removed from the building.
! These, with the exception of Polly, made
a determined effort to return to their pens,
| and it took the united efforts of all but Mr..
| Perry TO keep them from doing so. Mr..
! Perry was endeavoring to save two pigs
when he was Obliged to give up, the flames
burning his face and hands. Harold and
| Archie Perry smashed down a door in the
middle of the building and removed three
hogs, but one of them ran around to the
end door and returned TO be burned to
death.
Eighty-eght hogs and pigs were burned
TO death, and OF the 10 which were gotten
out two were probably fatally burned. One
of those which were burned was registered
boar from the Hood farm. He was one of
the most valuable animals in the lot, and
his registration papers were received only
last week. 1t has been the practice Of the
Perry Brothers 10 keep the little pigs in
the large barn, so that all those in the pig
gerry were Of good size. The cries of the
burning pigs were actually unnerving, but
il is thought that many of the animals
we're smothered before the flames reached
| them.
Perry Brothers bought the piggery less
than year ago of John Sargent of West
| Brattleboro and moved it at once to their
farm. Their pigs were mostly Berkshires.
They had fewer pigs than usual at this
time of the year, 40 having been butchered
within a month and a number of others
having been sold TO farmers. Another lot
would have been sent 70 Greenfield within
q short time.
The building, stock and implements
we're insured for $1,000 through the agency
of A. w. Childs & Co., $500 on the build
ing and 500 on the stock and implements.
| The loss will be much more than that
amount as the building alone was put up
at cost of $500 when material was much
cheaper than 1t is now. Perry Brothers
have not yet decided whether they will re-
build.