The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-09-01
CHIEF EDDIE INJURED
BY STREAM OF WATER
Cause of the Fire Is a Mys-
terry, the Flames Breaking
Out at 1:30 O'clock in the
Roiler-R0om - 1t Is Not
Known Whether or Not
the Plant Will Be Rebuilt

Northfield Sept. 1.-The large granite
manufacturing plant Of the Brusa Gran
ite Co. here was destroyed by fire early
this morning and the plant of Phillips
& Slack, located nearby, was in danger
OF destruction for some time. The loss
on the BIusa plant is estimated at S35,
900. with insurance OF $4,000, and 40
stonecutters are thrown out Of employ
ment. Chief lex Eaule OF the Northfeld
fire department is detained at his home,
having been injured when struck in the
face by large stream of water from a
hose.
The cause of the fire is not known.
One reason assigned is spontaneous com
bustion of waste in the boiler-room and
another is defective wiring. There was
no fire in the boiler. as that equipment
il not used except to heat the plant in
winter. 1t was about 1870 o'clock that
the fire was discovered, the flames ap-
parently having started in the vicinity
Of the boler-room; but even then the
buildings seemed doomed, as the flames
had made marked headway. The Brusa
plant was located about 300 feet south
of the Central Vermont passenger sta
tion and was fianked on one side by the
Phillips & Slack plant and on the other
bv the river. while there are several res
licences in the immediate vicinity, max
ing a hazardous place for a fire of such
nature to break out. The fremen sue
ceeded in saving the surrounding prop
erty. although tne Phillips & Slack stone
shed was somewhat scorched from the
intense heat.
Three Carloads Of Finished Work Lost.
But practically all the buildings of
the Brusa plant were completely de-
stroyed. together with valuable machin-
cry and quantity of granite work in
finished and partially finished stages.
There were three carloads OF finished
work inside the she'd all boxed and ready
for shipment: and that property was
lost, as well as much granite that was
in the various stages Of completion But
a few timbers of the main plant re-
mained standing this forenoon, while the
shop and the engine and boil
or section were burned fat and the Office
building was damaged to great ex-
tent.
The main building was $50 feet long
and 50 feet wide and was well equipped
with granite manufacturing machinery.
II was the former Burns plant and was
operated by company composed Of the
following men Andrew Bernasconi, John
Brusa. Peter and Harry /. Brusa, all
of Northfeld 1t is not known wheth-
or the plant viii be rebuilt. The insur-
ance was carried ia the agency of H. W.
Orser & Co Of Northfeld.
Chief Eddie's Injuries.
Chief Eddie was resting as comfort
ably as could be expected at his home
TODAY. and no last bad results were cx-
pected from his contact with a heavy
stream of water. II is said that there
were not firemen enough at the nozzle OF
one of the streams Of water which were
being directed on the burning stoneshed
and that the force Of the stream caused
the hose 70 get away from them. Chief
Eddie was standing rot far away and he
was struck in the face and knocked un-
He was picked up and car
-ied 10 his home and given every atteu-
ton. To-day he was troubled with blood
,omiug from his eyes. but il Is not
thought that his injury will be perma-