The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-08-18
FIRE DESTROYS SMITH
 HOME IN STAMFORD
 ESTIMATED LOSS S5.OOO
Stratford Department Not Called to the Fire With the Result That House
 Is Burned to Ground.
Special to The Farmer>


 Stratford, Aug. 1s-Another example of the fact that it does not pay to summon the Bridgeport fire depart nent to fire in Stratford when the Stratford- department is ready to go to the fire was shown early yesterday morning when the home of w B. Smith, the plumber, on Thompson avenue, Hol1ister Heights, was totally destroyed by fire at a loss of $5, GOO. The local department was not sent for until after the Bridgeport department had been summoned and the house levelled to the ground. If the local department had been summoned at the time the fire was discovered the chances are that the building would have been saved The fire was discovered about 2:30 o'clock yesterday morning and the man who discovered it telephoned for the Bridgeport apparatus. Chief Mooney responded with the chemical and other apparatus but because they were unfamiliar with the territory they laid in 1.500 feet of hose from a dis tant hydrant when there was hy- drant only a couple of hundred feet away from the burning building which l could have been utilized.
 Tn the time it took the Bridgeport department to come way out from Middle street, Bridgeport to the scene, 1 the Stratford department could easily have reached the fire, twice over, if it had only been notified. As it was the lacal department was not made aware of the fact that the house was on fire until after the Bridgeport de- pertinent had arrived on the scene. How the fire started is not known. No one was in the house at the time the blaze was discovered and it wast stated by the authorities today that the fire looks very much like one of incendiary origin. The practice of sending to Bridge port instead of to Stratford for aid when there is fire is becoming a general one with the residents of the 1 western end of the town. This is the | second time within a. few weeks that the result of such action has provedll disastrous It was only a short time 1 ago, it will be remembered, that Bridgeport was notified when Logan's barn on Surf avenue was on fire. The barn burned to the ground and it | was not until Chief Mooney arrived on the scene that the 1oc@ depart 1 ment was called to the fire With a l few more similar examples the people | of the town will probably realize that 1 the best policy when there is a fire within the town limits, is to first mo- tify the local department.
 PORTER4SCHILL
 Earl Porter, son of George Porter of Church street was married to Miss Nell Estel1e Schin of New York at {
 
 Friday. Friends in town were pleased [ to hear of the nuptia1s and the groom |. who is well known in town has been sent numerous congratula tory letters The young people are at present on E their honeymoon and on returning will reside at No. 1116 Church street. They will be at home after September 1st.
 A LONG SWIM.
 Several young men from Stratford participated in a long distance swim at Milford yesterday afternoon swim ming from point west of Dr. G. F. Lewis cottage at Laurel beach out in to the Sound and up the Sound to Charles Island, covering distance of more than two miles in about 55 minutes. The swim was made just at the turn of the tide when there was little or no current to assist the swim mers Those who swan over to the Island were Fred Lewis, Henry Wells, Fred Garry, Tom Conine and Vincent Sexton.
 SUPPER PARTY.
 MT and Mrs. George Roberts (nee Elsie Helen Anderson) who were mar ried recently, were given supper party at the home of the brides par ents on Fairview avenue one evening recently. The affair was a most en- joyable one and gave the friends of the young bridal couple an opportunity to congratulate them upon their en- try into the marital state.