The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1909-09-24
HOUSE ON FOREST ST.
Quilted BY FLAMES
Blaze of Tuesday Caused Loss of
Over 81, 600.
NO HYDRANT NEAR THE SCENE
Dwelling Owned by G. w. Fuller and
Occupied by Families of o. F. Howe
and Charles Palmer Discovered To
Bs in Flames by J. E. Leach.

An alarm of fire from box AZ at the cor
ner of Oak and High streets rung in at
l.3O Tuesday morning called out the de-
nartment to a decidedly stubborn blaze on
Forest street in the George Fuller house
occupied by the families of .. F. Howe
and Charles Palmer. The building was
practically destroyed, the front being gut
ted and much of the upper framework
burned Mr.. and Mrs. Palmer, who occu-
MED the upstairs tenement, saved but
few articles of furniture and clothing, all
of which were badly damaged by fire and
water. With the exception of the kitchen
furnishings which were badly damaged,
Mr.. and Mrs. Howe lost all OF the fur
nishngs in their part of the house. While
the cause of the fire is not known 1t Is be.
lieyed to have been the carelessness OF
bows in building fires near the front piazza
or perhaps underneath the structure. The
fire originated beneath the piazza, which
was built at the front OF the house against
brick underpinning wall
.Julius f. Leach was coming out OF the
stable in the rear of G.. f. Selleck's home
on High street directly below the Fuller
house when his attention was arrested by a
loud cracking noise. CHANGING up the hill
side he discovered the blaze He made
record time to box AZ and turned in the
alarm. When Mr.. Leach discovered the
fire the entire piazza was enveloped in
flames and the window castings had taken
fire. The inmates of the house did not
know of the fire until they heard the
alarm and were badly hustered when they
found that their home was in a fair way
to be destroyed. =,
The fire department responded with
steamer No. 4, the chemical wagon and
several hose carts. The route taken by
the steamer was roundabout one from
Moin
Oak streets rather than that taken by the
crowd from Main through Elliot, Church,
Green. Bullock, High and Forest streets
It took IS minutes from the time of the
alarm to put an adequate stream of water
on the blaze, which by that time had
gained such Roadway that the home of
Frank w. Nichols adjoining was in danger
In fact, the work of a bucket brigade cap
tanned by George M. Clay and John, ):
Leonard was responsible doubtless for less
damage being done the Nichols house than
would have otherwise been the case.
The first line Of hose was laid from the
hydrant at the junction of High and Green
streets, about 1900 feet away from the
scene of the blaze, but without the assist
ance of the steamer this stream had not
enough pressure to be of any use. In the
meantime the steamer after its circuitous
route had come to a standstlll near the
corner of Oak and High streets ana seemed
to be awaiting developments. After sew.
eral minutes it was taken to the top OF
High street hill and as soon as steam was
up the machine was attached to the by
drant. In this way two serviceable streams
were secured but so long a time had
elapsed before they became available that
it was evident that the Fuller house was
doomed. Indeed the flames had come very
near spreading to F. W. Nichols's house.
With plenty of water the fremen had no
great difficulty in securing control of the
fire and by r. Is the flames had been prac-
tically extinguished. The ell of the build
ing still stands but the main frame is
mere shell of charred timbers.
Mr.. Howe carried $500 insurance on his
household goods but the Palmers had no
insurance, losing among other things val
liable violin William Bruce and Miss
Nettie Bovey, roomers at the house, lost
most of their belongings. Two gold
watches owned by the Palmers were found
in one of the rooms after the fire. Mr.
Fuller carries $500 on the house. The
Brattleboro board of trade sent Mr.. Palm
err and Mr.. Howe each check for $50
Wednesday.
The marrying of dead wife's sister is
still agitating the British people, and fierce
discussions are held on the subject; while