The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1911-08-18
BrattLebOrO Local
FIRE IN OLD METHODIST CHURCH.
Department Given Stubborn Fight by
Blaze Last Friday Evening.

An alarm from box AZ NJ YOU CLOCK
Friday evening summoned the hre ue'
partment to one of the most stubborn
blazes il has had to fight for number
of months. The fire was IN the oid
Methodist church building, a brick
structure, on School street owned by I.
II. and Il. G.. Crown. II originated IN
the rooms occupied by Mrs. Maria Allen
and before il was gotten under control
had practically Quilted the upper story
and attic and ruined all of the furnish.
inps of Mrs. Allen and badly damaged
the effects of the other tenants. AS the
building stands very close to the Gale
property considerable apprehension was
felt for the safety of the latter and q
force of men kept several streams OF
water, on the Gale barn for nearly an
hour.
About 9.4O p. M, several neighborrs
noticed bright light in Mrs. Allen
kitchen and few minutes later she ar
rived home to find fire in progress, an
alarm was Immediately. given, and the
hook and ladder and chemical appara-
tus responded. Within 10 minutes from
the time the alarm was sounded the
flames were bursting through the Ioot
M the east end of the building. Falling
states made it extremely difficult for the
iremen to work but lines of hose were
carried into the second story windows
and up the front stairs to the second
floor. BY the time the flames had been
subdued in Mrs. Allen s tenement, the
rest of the second floor and the frst
floor were flooded from seven streams
of water. The fire, however, had gotten
into the partitions and was burning up
ward. As soon as il got into the attlc
il swept the entire length of the bnlld,
inc and practically ruined that part of
the house as all of the supporting TIM
hers of the roof were badly burned
The second floor suffered most from the
flames and the interior of the entire
east end of the house will have to be re-
paired. How the fire originated IS q
mystery. Mrs. Allen had had no flre III
her tenement for several days. When
she returned Friday evening TO hnd hei
kitchen ablaze she was at first OF the
opinion that the flames were comm .
from a wood.box but it was impossible
to investigate for nearly half an houl
afterwards, when the fire had beer
smothered. Then there was nothing 70
show lust where the blaze had started.
As soon as it became apparent tina,
the house would have to be Hooded 70
extinguish the flames the tenants be
gan removing their effects but practical
" all of the furnishings were either
ruined or badly damaged by water and
smoke. 1t was nearly an hour before
the about signal was sounded and the
| fremen were called out again about
| o clock a. m, Saturday to extinguish 3
blaze which had become rekindled II
| the attic by the wind. The house was
occupied by Mrs. Allen, Frank {. Hi
dreth, j. NJ. Stratton and Fred Miner
| Mrs. Allen carried 5000 insurance OF
her furnishings and Mr. Stratton haC
$500 insurance. Mr.. Hildreth carried
$500. Mr.. Miner was without insurance
The owners carried a policy of $4,000
The loss on the building will be in thu
neighborhood of the amount of the IN
surance. P. +. Crown will have tn
house repaired Immediately and it vii
be reoccupied by the tenants obliged t.
move out so hurriedly.