Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1903-05-15
THE PUTNEY COLUMN.
ROBERTSON MILL BURNED.
oss is About $4,000 With $4,000 In.
surance-Fire May Have Been Set
nv A Tramp,

by Tramp.
.ra. "Owl Mill" one of the oldest pa
nav mills in this part of the country and
u.. of the principal business plants in
town, il a mass of ruins, q picture of
a,-ulaton. 1t was almost wholly de-
slraycd by fire sunday morning, an that
Is left OF the mill proper being a large
rIIc of bent and twisted iron. In its
g. -truction not only has Capt. VIM. Rob
,rtson. its owner, sustained a very heavy
los, but the business interests of the
town have received a severe blow Capt.
Robertson feeling that he is not war
tautcd in thinking of rebuilding. being
upwards of 50 years of age. The con-
dition of his business was such that
Capt. Robertson would not have sold
the mill for $4,000. 1t was insured for
SNo.0. through IL. E. Taylor x Sons
agency in Brattleboro.
Ii was thought at first that spontane-
og- combustion probably was the cause
of the fire, but there are indications that
il was set by a tramp. About o'clock
Sunday morning Joseph Rumrill, night
Waterman in the Stowell factory,
though he heard a noise in the upper part
of the factory, but he was unable to de-
ttrmine the source of the noise. Later,
while going his rounds on the third floor.
he smelled tobacco smoke. and on max
ing an investigation found a tramp on
the floor smoking. He asked the tramp
how he got in and the latter replied that
he came in through one of the ground
floor windows. Mr. Rumrill ordered the
tramp out of the building, but he re-
fused to go until he was threatened with
arrest. Then he started i'm the direction
bf the Robertson mill. The mill had been
shut down to allow some repairs to be
made. there was no fire under the boil
ers and all the employees were away
About S o'clock in the morning Daniel
Crowley. machine tender, who has been
employed by Mr.. Robertson % years.
went to the mill and in a few minutes
heard cracking sound overhead in
the west end. farthest from the en-
trance. On looking up he saw fire on
the second floor and Immediately gave an
alarm. Then he attempted to get a
stream of water on to the fire, but the
location was such that he was unable
to do SO. The fire department laid HOO
feet of hose from the water pump in the
Cole MILL there being no steam with
which to operate the steam pump. and by
hard work they were able to save the Of
fee building, although it took fire sew
eral times and on one side was badly
charred. If the office building had burn
ed, the store house, in which was over
$4,000 worth of paper, also probably would
have burned. The fire throws about 10
persons out of employment
The mill was devoted principally to the
manufacture of colored paper. Its daily
capacity was about 1000 pounds of batten
paper used for wrapping up cotton, and
from $500 to 5000 pounds of thin tissue pa
per. 1t was equipped with a 56-inch
machine, two engines and other ma
chinerY. The machine had six driers
two of which were put in a year ago.
Included in the property burned was
about $1,000 worth of paper ready for ship
ment $1,000 worth of coloring matter. an
acetylene gas plant put in last winter at
a cost of $500, and 5000 worth of nearly
new betting. The mill was put in first
class condition a year ago at an eX-
pense of $4,000. The prospect for bust
ness was unusually good.
The mill stood in what is called the
pit being down in the valley east of
the village, near huge cliff which rises
to a height of nearly 100 feet. About 100
years ago a saw mill stood there. At
forwards Capt. Robertson's father made
paper there by hand. In 1928 the old
mill was washed away by a freshet. A
new paper mill was erected which was
owned by Ephriam Holland of Walpole,
n. Fl. When Capt. Robertson was 20
years old he leased the mill and made
straw paper Afterwards he bought the
mill and ran it until it was worn out,
when he tore it down and built a new
one, which was the one burned.
There has been some talk of forming
a stock company to put up a new mill
and continue the business, but nothing
definite has been decided upon. The site
and water privilege certainly is too val
liable to lay idle. The dam, penstOck,
bleach. and probably the boilers, are not
damaged, and these with the excellent
business prospect ought to be utilized by
all means. Deepest sympathy is felt
with Capt. Robertson in his great loss.
The F. L. Pierce estate will be sold
by auction May % by w. S. Adams, trus-
tee.
The Baptist society is rehearsing for a
May day festival to be given in the town
hall.
Mrs. Mary Lee and children of Bel
lows Falls are visiting at Mrs. William
Houghton's.
The Methodist church will serve ice
cream and cake during the afternoon and
evening of Memorial day
Miss Pierce and Miss Kinney opened
their schools Monday They have been
closed a few days on account of illness.
Rev. f. l.. Metcaf. the new Methodist
pastor. was given a reception by his par
ishioners in Brookline Wednesday even
ing.
A. A. Wing of Mechanicsville. formerly
of Putney, spent the first of the week
with his son, George Wing, returning
Wednesday.
DR.. Esmond will give a paper in the
Congregational church Sunday evening
on 1.-The opportunity for life of service
in medicine"
The Cole Paper company's mill was
shut down last Friday for two weeks.
General repairs will be made while the
mill is closed.
The ladies' aid society of the Baptist
church will meet in the vestry next We'd
nesday. Supper will be served from
ia