Semi-weekly Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1897-1901, 1901-09-10
SUNDAY MORNING's FIRE
SUSPICIOUS EXPLOSIONS.

Barn OF Thos j X nights harmed ON Vest
srn Avenue. With Two Horses Bsiong-
Ing 10 Judge II II Neutrality-suspicious.
Theories and Some Remarkable Cir
cumstRnces.
a fire alarm was rung in from Box
As at :27 O'Clock Sunday morning.
The department MADE the quickest
response ever made since it's establish
meut. In just two minutes, at :29,
the chemical engine dashed oLt
of the engine house with No 3 steamer
following close after and overtaking it
before the scene of the fire was
reached ut Thos j knights barn on
Western avenue. As there we're no
electric lights on at that time OF
night, it was dark as pitch little
ways from where the fire was and the
fact Impeded the tiremen considerably.
The barn was burned to the ground,
with its contents. including farming
tools, considerable hay and two young
colts belonging to Judge II ii Wheeler
that we're kept in the barn. So
rapid was tue spread of the flames
that before the department arrived
the ell of the house had taken fire,
but this was quickly extirguished by
use Of the chen ical while the vigorous
work of the steamer prevented the
further spread of the flames. The
property was insured for $1,000 IN the
Vermont Mutual through the JENNIE
Agency, IND Mr. Jenue estimates that
the less may be half the amount.
There was no Insurance on the
horses.
The cause of the fire is a matter of
speculation. One theory is that it
was the work of tramps lodging in
an addition built on the vest size
which contained little Ray which
might have been ignit d from their
ply s. 1t was the theory CT the
detective who worked on tie case of
the fires that followed in rapid sue.
cessiou few years ago, that instead
OF belrg deliberately incendiary they
were started in this way by pc pie
turned out of the brewery at mid
night more or less drunk and stopping
their way home. He based the idea
occurred about that time of night
and in the salley which patrons
would naturally take. The weakness
| OF lNlS lUeOTS is buhI lOT stNtih
years since there have been practi.
cally 10 fires Of this kind.
Tire only other theory that seems
to fit is that the fire vas incendiary.
1t certaiuly started in the neighbor-
hood of the addition to which an
incendiary could easily get entrsn ce.
The first men On the scene were
Carl Hollander and j + Maun. They
smashed 10 a window but the dense
smoke pouring out drove them away
and prevented their dong any
fghtlte. 1t is curious fact that
the atmospheric conditions we're
such that moruirg that the smell of
the smoke reacneu as far as GuilforC
Centre and Halifax. Mann anc
Hollander heard two loud explosions
which were attributed to dynamite
sticks which Mr. Knight formerly
nsed more or less in his work but hi
says that he mad not used it for tsC
or three years and is positive there
were more in the barn or addition.
The place had been bargRined t.
lLiyeryman G + Gilman and th'
papers were to have been made GU
yesterday, tut tho trade is probabl.
off because Of the fire.
Mrs Knight was made insane b,
the shock and her condition in tina
resvect vas quite alarming SGrda.
but is m are hopeful low.