The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-07-12
RESCUED FROM
SUFFOCATION
AT Fire on Smith Stock Farm
Early Today
SERIOUS LOSS SUSTAINED
Edward Hollands Escape Was Cut Of
by Flames on One Side and Locked
Door on the Other--Seyeral Build
ings Saved by City Firemen.

There we're few narrow escapes from
death By fire in the destruction Of the
house and adjoining barn on the Smith
Stock farm, south Of South Barre VIII
lage, early this morning, when loss APP
preaching $1,000 was sustained. Edward
Holland, who was sleeping in the second
story Of the house. was rescued by G. II.
Gordon. who broke in door and pulled
Holland out. William Alexander and
Angus McAulay, who also occupied quar-
ters in the upper story, managed to
crawl out on their hands and knees be-
fore the flames had cut of the exit.
When Holland started out the same
way, be found mis- progress barred By
flames and smoke, while the door on the
other side was locked. Mr.. Gordon, who
takes charge Of the farm, rushed up
stairs and smashed in the door, then
leading Holland out to clear air. II Hol-
land had been kept imprisoned there a
few minutes longer, he would have been
suiiocated by the smoke There were
twelve people in the house altogether,
and many Of them did not nave time to
put on their clothing and being thus left
with nothing bnt what they had on, as
the Are licked up nearly everything in
the house
The nor, end Of the house was par
tially saved by the timely arrival Of fire.
men from this city, who were summoned
at about 1920 o'clock nv lucky
chance. d hydrant with attachment to
the Bolster reservoir had been located
in front Of the Smith house when the
reservoir was built some years ago. and
the water service from it prevented the
destruction Of the DR.. r. H Bancroft
house T5 feet north Of the Smith house,
a. corn barn between the two was
ablaze when the city iiremen arrived.
ft is probable that several laree barns
across the road would have been burned
also.
Leaving three men ID the central sta
tion, Chief Gladding took along three
fremen. Nelson. Harris and Morris, and
they made 4 fast run ia a double team
from fEltlef'e stahlN carrying Aeepn
leb4ths ii hose Although TIE distance
eas fhree miles and there haa been n
5eisy Ia taiephuhine bseal,3e nf some
diihcuty over the Vermont telephone
Line, their arrival was most timely They
took two strenms of water from the hy-
3rant anil stopped The progress Of the
fire toward the Bancroft house and then
saved the north portion Of the Smith
house. The carriage shed on the south
side Of the Smith house had been de-
4troyed before the firemen arrived to-
gether with ail It's contents, including
several carriages wagons and farm i'm.
piements. There was $500 insurance on
the carriages, ETC.. and slS00 on the
house, in the Vermont Mutual Fire In.
surance company
The Barre firemsn returned to this
city at $50 o'clock Those who wit
messed taeir work are loud in their ap-
probation. saying that Chief Gladding
and his men did the right thing at the
right minute, having complete mastery
Of the fire within a reasonable time
The cause OF the fire has not been
asoertained The people retired at ll:l5,
and the flames were discovered few
minutes before midnight 1t is possible
that spontaneous combustion was the
cause. No other reason can be given.
The Smith house was of brick and the
carriage barn was attached TO t. The
occupants Of the house lost practically
everything, although some articles were
saved from the north end