The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1907-07-19
BARNS ON PRATT
FARM DESTROYED
Were Struck by Lightning During the
Shower of Wednesday Afternoon
Loss Amounts to About $4,000
Covered by Insurance.

Lightning struck the large barn on
the d. S. Pratt farm on Western ave-
nue. during the severe shower of We'd
nesday afternoon and caused a fire loss
of about $4,000. The main barn,
corn barn and an adjoining shed were
burned to the ground and it was only
by hard work that two other barns
were saved. The buildings were fully
covered by insurance. The loss includ-
ed about 80 tons of hay, many farming
implements and one calf. The barn
was struck about $50, the bolt entering
the ridge.pole and setting the wood
work afire Immediately. Carpenters
who were at work on j. X. Ryder S
house across the street saw 1t strike
and Immediately ran to the scene to
assist in releasing the horses and re
moving what could be taken from the
building. Onslow Thompson, son of f.
A. Thompson, saw the lightning come
down from his house at the corner or
Western avenue and Spruce street and
ran up the avenue far enough to see
that the barn was afre. He then re-
turned and tried to telephone in an
alarm but could not do so. Finally
an alarm from box 45 was pulled IN
bv Frank Edwards and Harold Web
ster, two boys.
The village fire horses were in the
engine house when the alarm rang but
for some reason they did not get out
with the chemical until after the town
horses had been driven from the stone
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house and started with the steamer.
The nearest place to get water was the
reservoir near F. A. Thompson s house,
fully 1000 feet from the fire, and this
was soon pumped dry short line OF
hose was then attached to the adJoln'
ing hydrant and water allowed to run
into the reservoir while the steamer
pumped.
The flames spread with great rapid
itv and it was impossible to do any
thing toward saving the main barn.
By 4.35 it was entirely consumed, and
in spite of the efforts of the tiremen
the flames had spread to the corn barn
in the rear. This was soon destroyed
and the fire then jumped to the shed
which ran at right angles. For time
it looked as if this and the other two
barns which extended toward the
house would be consumed and to check
the progress of the blaze an attempt
was made to dynamite one OF the
barns. This failed, however, because
the explosive was not confined sutfl-
GENTLY. About o'clock a second
steamer was sent from the engine
house and placed on the brook a short
distance west of the Pratt farm.
Meanwhile, however, the firemen had
succeeded in checking the flames at the
west end of the shed, which was re-
markable considering that only one
stream of small pressure was available.
In the main barn when the fire
started were three horses, two pigs,
ram and a calf and all but the calf
were removed safely. The other stock
was in the pasture.
While engaged in fighting the fire
Lewis Harris sustained severe cash
in his left wrist either from broken
glass or falling slate. A small artery
was severed and Mr.. Harris was taken
in c. R. Crosby's automobile to the
office of DR.. Miller where the wound
was dressed. Onslow Thompson step
ped on a rusty nail while assisting in
removing the contents of one of the
barns, the nail penetrating his foot
for nearly an inch. He has been con-
fined to his home since the accident.
The state laboratory of hygiene at Bur.
linpton has received some samples of
cheese from Sudbury which has been
causing trouble among several families
there. People who have eaten the cheese
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