The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-08-18
SAVED THE WATER.
Firemen Turned OFF the Hose and Doused
Stray Blazes with Buckets.

Firemen called to cope with a stub
born hay fire in the horse stalls at the
Granite City driving park on Saturday
evening were compelled to make a hole
in the high fence which encloses the
park when they found the main entrance
off Aver street effectively barred by a
gate that refused to yield when the regu-
lars attempted to force their way
through, Damage to the southwesterly
tier OF stalls, including the loss of hay
unloaded there only recently, win hard
ly exceed $3.50. The hay is owned by
stage between Barre and Topsham, and
the burned buildings are the property OF
the Barre Granite railroad, which re-
Gently purchased the park.
A woman living on Aver street seems
TO have been the first to discover the
fire. She called up station one by tele
phone about the time E. NJ. Tobin, sec
ond assistant engineer of the depart
ment, who had also noticed the flames,
was notifying Chief C. B. Gladding.
Within a few moments the auto truck
and the horse drawn chemical outfit with
the regulars aboard, were speeding up
Aver street Because of the infiammable
nature of the sheds contents, it was
at once deemed necessary to secure more
aid. To that end the chief directed that
general alarm be sounded From box
Al a general call brought the city's re-
serve fire force and the hook and ladder
truck. For some reason, the big whistle
at the gas plant failed 10 boom out its
customary alarm, although the bell in
the tower at the station changed inces-
sanity for several moments.
To put the fire under control was the
work of but few minutes. Two streams
of water were played on the blaze from
either side of the fence and third was
ready for an emergency. The flames
started at the east end of the stalls
and made for the west end near the
main gate. Only three stalls were
ruined. although fire pendtrated down
the line for a distance of several yards.
Until o'clock Sunday morning, a squad
of men remained at the park, handling
over the hay and extinguishing here
and there sparks that might at any mo-
ment have burst into flames again. With
the danger of further property loss
averted. the fremen cut off most of
the water service from the mains and
continued to smother incipient blaZes
with the aid of buckets and hand sprays.
This was done with a view to saving
as much water as possible, as the city
has been put to the necessity OF scrimp-
ing its use of water from the three
main sources. Chief Glsdding stated yes |
terday that the pressure continued high |
rs long as the two streams from the /
hydrants were used, although he resort !
ed to the buckets and sprays the mo-
ment it became possible.
How the fire had its origin is not def |
nitely known. Mr. Hood, the man who |
bargained for the railroad eompany's |
hay in the park, had just put the last
load in the stalls at o'clock. With |
his men he had been working in the |
track enclosure all day harvesting hay.
The fremen are satisfied that the blaze
started through someone smoking around
he stalls. The ruined sections are To-
,ated directly in the rear of the grand
stand and with a high wind sweeping
n the right direction serious fire might
nave ensued As it was. however, the
light was still and sparks which might
otherwise have spread to the houses
llong Aver street or to other building
yroups in the park, simply went sky
ward. only to expire in mid air. While
he fire was in progress, Aver street
vas lined with hundreds of spectators,
,ut within the park the crowd was small,
wing to the excellent precautions pre-
.iouslv taken to keep the place closed.
,Ir. Hoods loss on the hay is not COW
red by insurance, although it is un-
erstood that the railroad company has
blanket policy protecting all property
N the site of its future freight yard.
;heds along the edge of the park have
everal times been the scene of small 4
Tres in the past,