Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1900-03-08
STUBBORN BLAZE
Granite Block Had a Narrow
Escape Last Night.
TWO FIREMEN INJURED
Mrs. Merchant and Children
Taken Down on
Ladders.

Fire broke out in the Granite bloc
! over the Granite Savings Sank at $50
last night. and but for the heroic
work Of the fire department the whole
building with that adjoining would he,
a mass of cllarrcd ruins today. As it
was, the damage to the building and
to the occupants is probably near
/ $4,000. The losers being The Granite
Savings Bank * Trust Co, who own
| the southerly half Of the building, A.
! y. Morse the owner Of the other half,
| Frank McWhortcr, u. Il. Rishee, Or.
NJ L. Chandler T. l.. Snow, Mrs.
James Mackie, Frank Merchant and
4. +, Clark. All but A., H. Morse
were insured,
Al $50 A. f. Clark and John S.
Han were sitting in the formers
studio on the second floor, when they
first smclled smoke and went to the
door They were unable 20 enter the
hall on account of the heatand smoke.
They returned and climbed out
through the sllYlight and over the
roof OF he adjoining building, thence
to the ground Mr. Hall ran for the
fire alarm box at the opera house cor
ner. He and f. 4. Drown sounded
the alarm No. %.
Meantime in the apsStinents of
Frank Merchant there was a scene Of
wild eXcitement These rooms also
are ON the second floor. Mr.. Mer
chants father was calling there and
they were playing cards. Mrs. Mcr
chant heard a noise ut the hall door,
and upon opening if was met with Il
Sutl0catng cloud of smoke. An at
tempt was made to get down stairs
and the elder Mr.. Merchant was sue
coSslul in doing so, but Mr., and Mrs.
Merchant, with their two children,
were left above the fire with no way
of escape, and the flames gaining ter
riic headWay beneath them.
They ran to the front windows and
shouted, but Just then the welcome
sound Of the fire alarm was heard, |
and Immediately following it came
the IKE ladoics to the rescue.
Hose Co. ) was the first ON hand,
the Hook aud Ladder Go, next, No. |
after that and then came No, > from |
North Barre. Ladders were raised to |
the windows and the two children |
were brought safely to the ground in
the arms Of Alex Bruce and W. d. |
Mcdonald. Mrs Merchant bravely
came down the ladder without assis-
tance and Mr. Merchant followed.
The bows swung into line and went
to work both skilfully and foarlessly
SO that in a short lime they had the
fire under control and great catas-
trophc was avertcd.
one serious accident took place and
IT was n narrow escape from death for
two brave iircmen who were in the
midst Of the fire and smoke lighting
with their comrades like TroianS to
overcome the blaze.
VIII l.. Stowe of No. ., was on the
top floor when he stepped upon the
heavy glass light in the hall. The
glass had been subjected to great heat
and being wet cracked, and Mr.. Stowe
went crashing through to the floor be-
low landing on W. II. Shcpards neck.
Both went down to the floor together.
Mr.. Shepard was not seriously injured
but his escape was wonder, for had
any of the pieces of heavy glass struck
aim on the head, they would have
rushed his skull,
Mr. Stowe was picked up by Chief
n. y. Phelps aud others who found
lim insensiblN and bleeding from
several wounds.
lie was carried to browns drug
store, where he was attended by DR..
Chandler. His left shoulder was dis
ocated, the back side of his head
sas cut and his left hand contained
m ugly gasI, about three inches long.
lie is getting along as comfortably as
,olld be expected today.
The cause of the fire Is Il mystery,
,ut the location Of its origin was
inite evidently the wood closet of
he hallwavin the rear " ID. II. Bis