The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-07-24
When re-bug Set Fire TO
Montpelier Building
KANE HOUSE ON BARRE ST.
Pedestrians Discovered the Fire at Ills
Last Night and the Flames Were
Not Under Complete Control
Until 1.3o A. M.

a fre-bug II suspected Of having vet
fire to three-tenement building on
Barre street in Montpelier late last
night, endangering the lives Of three
families and causing property loss Of
$4,000 the building being partially gut
ted and the contents being ruined ex-
cept for part Of the furniture on the
FIRST floor The house was occupied BY
three families, William starkey, John
Connolly, and A. S. Coodale.
The fire was discovered BY J. f.
Chenette and Moses McGovern who
were walking along Barre street at
about 1915 and who stopped on the
corner Of Charles street to talk. While
they we're standing there they saw tho
flames shoot up from the ell Of the
big house, and they ran and turned in
an alarm.
Before the FIRE department got to the
house the flames had made great head
way and the fremen found difficult
task on their hands. -Four streams Of
water were turned on the building and
it was not until half past one o'clock
that the flames were squelched com
pletely. Then it was found that the ell
portion and the upper part Of the house
were gutted. So much water had been
turned on that the contents Of the house
which had not been reached by the flames
were more Or less damaged. The water
also started the plastering all over the
house, too, making the work Of repair
81 the grsater.
Suspicion that the IRE was set is
borne out BY circumstances. 1t is said
that the flames were first discovered in
the Ell Of the house and they had prob
ably started on the outside. II is also
said that two fellows we're seen running
away from the house shortly before the
alarm was sounded. Furthermore,
there was no FIRE in stoves In the house
from which the flames could have start
sd
Those who arrived an the scene first
turned their efforts toward getting out
he furniture in the. lower tenement oc-
,upied BY John Connolly's family and
Mrs. Mary Malone, They saved part Of
his. Mrs Malone carried 5000 on the
soods ii the Vermont Mutual company.
The goods Of John starkey and A. S.
5oodale on the second and third floors,
were badly damaged Mr..
starkey carried no insurance, while Mr..
soodale had $500. These two families
lad rather narrow escapes, being fore.
a to flee in their night-eiothing. MRS.
Soodale, with her four months old
hid, attempted to jump from the SEQ
nd-story balcony but was prevented By
er husband and then was led down the
tairway.
Two fremen, A. p. Gilbert and n. A.
holman, who were holding one nozzle
a the attic had narrow escapes from
injury when the roof fell in on them.
heir line Of hose burst and while they
Fere waiting for the water to come on
gain the roof sunk in, hurling both to
he floor but not injuring them.
Arthur Whitcomb, one Of the neigh
ors, said that he looked out Of his
findow when the alarm rang and saw
he whole backside Of the Kane house
ursting into flames, while two men
rere running toward the railroad tracks.
'wo minutes before that he had looked
1T and there wasn't q sign of fire.
The house Is three-stories high and
yas former owned by Patrick Kane.
{ IS nov seld by trustees, A. D. Far
,ell and Fred Thomas Of Montpelier
eing the trustees The location of the
onse Is close to several other wooden
uildings, and ii there had been any
ind last night it Is probable that q
srious eonhagration could hardly have
cen averted. There are also several
ranite plants in quite close proximity
lat Of +. j. Robar and new one in
rocess Of construction being quite
ear
The Kane house was insured for So
DO III the Fitchbnrg Mutual Fire Insur
nee company Of Fitehburg, Mass.