Evening journal., 1914-02-26
HORSES, COWS,
SHEEP DIE in
DUPONT FIRE
Tramp, Who May Have Acct
deRtaIIy Started Blaze, May
Be Dead in Ruins
GOVERNOR CARRIES
FIREMEN TO SCENE

Fire of mysterious origin ON the es-
tate of Alfred J. DUPONT al Blue Ball,
early this morning gave the Brandywine
and Water Witch Fire Companies a hard
struggle for several hour and only "a
favorable shifting of the wind was an
that aided the iiremen IN saving the ten
ant house occupied hv Nicholas Connolly
and family. For three hours the iiremen
battlcd with the flames which destroyed
a stone barn. wood she'd wagon shed
and "a coal house. I'm addition TO the de-.
stroyed buildings twenty-iour sheep,
twenty five COWS and sixteen horses that
were I'M the barn were burned 10 death.
These, together with an the farm implc-
ments. wagons and crops destroyed will
cause a loss close ON 10 $4,000. which
is said TO be insured.
While no cause can be assigned for
the fire. the building being without heat
OF any kind, it is thought that a tramp
might have set fire to the building while
seeking shelter. This opinion was shared
by many today and a thorough search of
the ruins will be made.
II was rumored today that a man had
been burned 20 death IN the building
and a number OF people gathered at the
farm today and rumOrs that a body OF
a man had been found were heard. This
was merely a mmor, nevertheless. \
search is being made of the ruins for the
body.
The fire, which was most stubborn,
I was prevented from spreading TO the
tenant house by a shifting of the
wind. after the hremen had torn on
part of a roof connecting the burn
ing building 10 the the tenant house
The hremen were handicapped by
lack of water. and while the Brandy
wine and Water Witch companies
had an ample supply OF hose and the
Water Witch pumping engine wa.
on the scene. no water cocld be OBJ
tanned from the Porter Reservoir
owing 10 tho reservoir being frozen
The fromen tried several times q
break the Ice on The reservoir, bu
their efforts we're frultless.
The first news OF the fire came q
the BrandyWinc fircmen by a residcn
OF the Ninth ward who awolSe the
iremen about ] o'clock by kicking on
+ the engine house doors The fircmeI
were looking out Of the windows al
the fire. when an alarm was sounded
from Box i5f al Washington street
and Concord avenue. This alarm
had been struck by a police officer
who thought the new Shortlidg,
School. at Boulevard and Concord
avenue, was aiirc The district en-.
gines responded but when they ar
rived at the box they learned the fir,
was at Blue BAN. and they returned
20 quarters. In tho meantime. how.
ever. Herbert Wimblo, a driver foi
the Haddock-NiXon Taxi Company
discovered the burning barn as h,
was passing Wimblc had been Z,
Talleyville. and was on the return
trip. He alightcd from his machin,
and after much trouble, succeeded N
awakening Connolly and the othei
occupants of the house The famil,
of Thomas r. Woldin. who live op
posite Connolly. were awakened D.,
the noise Of Wimblo knocking an,
they summoned the Water Witch anr
} Brandywine Fire Companies by tele
nEone. Mrs Connolly was an, an,
after some difficulty She was re
moved TO a neighbours house nearby
In addition 10 Mr. and Mrs. Connell,
and their daughter. Mary. there weri
a number of farm hands i'm the housl
asleep. These we're William Young
Patrick Heiian, Patrick Hughes an,
CONTINUED on Page Twol.