Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-11-11

had its burial ritual over the remains Of
the deceased comrade. Rev. Fraser Metz
ger OBLIGATED 1t tbs ssFylce aud among
| those present we're George Veasey OF Fitz.
william, n. H.. who lived for some tune
in Mr.. Howard's family; Ira Carpenter
and bis daughter, Lillian, OF Brooktield;
Mr.. and Mrs. William Wbeatley of South
Mortified. Six Grand Army men were
the bearers-John Manney, r. Fl. Ketch-
um, A. ID. Olmstead, r. n. Rising, Nor
imam Nichols and George Smith. Mr..
Howard as q veteran Of the Civil war, for
which be enlisted Aug. 20, 1852, was a
member OF Company F, 18th Vermont,
and was discharged July IA, 1863. His
regiment was In the defence OF Washing
ton and guarded the First corps teams on
the march to Gettysburg but did not par
ticipate in the battle, being sent is miles
around to Westminster. Md, the day Of
the hardest lighting. As its term OF en-.
listment was out, the regiment came
north from Gettysburg and escorted 500
prisoners to Baltimore.
Concerning the St. Johnsbury Fire.
The st. Johnsbury Republican, 10 its
last issue, gives full account OF the fire
OF the both ult, 10 which Mr.. and Mrs.
Stephen d. Cushman, little Bernice Cush-
man and Mr.. and Mrs. Herbert d. Tan
ner, former residents OF Rand -lph, lost
their lives. at was the most horrible
fatality in the history Of St. Johnsbury, !"
says the Republican. "Nine lives were
lost, II persons injured and more than a
score OF people made homeless.
ssThe fire was discovered at $40 q. m.
in the citizens block, in the basement Of
stoIiker q Sons restaurant. Fire ex-
tinguishers we're carried into the base
ment and the alarm at cnce rung, but
the flames spread like mad and when the
fire department arrived, the fret OF them
very few moments after the alarm, the
flames were bursting from the top OF the
building, and the shrieks OF frenzied in
mates on the fourth and ffth floors could
be heard mile away.
1.-THE scene OF the fire battles all de-
scription. The blood-curdling shrieks OF
the victims penned in the seethlng
furnace. mingled with the hoarse cries OF
the firemen In their attempt TO save them,
the agenized groans OF the spectators, the
roar Oh the flames and the crashing OF
falling timbers. Occasionally q faint
cheer would be heard as some thrilling
rescue was made. Ready hands cared for
the rescued and all were coon carried to
places of safety.
tThe bodies of the Cushman family
and of Mr.. and Mrs. Tanner we're found
near together. Mr.. and Mrs. Cushman
and daughter were huddled together and,
judging from the position OF the bodies
OF Mr.. Tanner and bis wife, they died in
each others arms The bodies OF the five
were burned beyond recognition. Mr..
Tanner was identified by bis watch and
the remains OF the pet dog that was the
companion of himself and wife,
alt is thought that several, il not all OF
the victims might have escaped death had
they not become panic-striken and re-
turned TO their rooms after having
reached the windows from which they
could have been saved. Some OF them
evidently went back to get valuables and
were lost 10 the flames. Mrs. Tanner
was seen I'll window before the fire had
gained great headway. and she might
have been saved had she not returned to
get a sum OF money and mattress which
she threw to people on the ground be-
low.
NAfb. lhuuefs VIZ p@NAcu ADA AAtHuA
A. Letourneau OF Graniteyiile four years
ago, left one child by that marriage, a
daughter Il years of age, who makes her
home with her father and grandmother in
Last summer she visited
her mother In st. Johnsbury and when the
,hild saw the account OF the fire in the
papers she recognized her mother in the
list of victims. Mrs. Tanner was EN-
ployed for several months as a cook in (
stoliker & Sons restaurant and later as
pastry cook at the Avenue house.
"As stated before, the FIRE originated in
he basement store room under the
sitchen OF Stoliker a Sons restaurant. |
How it originated is not known and
probably never will be. There are yari-
Jus specuIations as to spontaneous COM
,ustion, matches carried by rats, etc,
tic. There was no fire in the furnace
Dom and the furnace was in its usual
condition. The flames spread rapidly to
be empty elevator shaft about fifteen feet
rom the store room. They seemed to
kip the first two floors and in no time
be top floors we're in flames. The fire
scape was directly opposite the elevator
haft, and in this way the egress of many
gas cut or"