The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-12-04
Street Slope So Steep and
Slippery the Fire APP
paratus Was Baked
AND WATER PRESSURE
WAS VERY SLIGHT
Firemen Had Ex' ing Trip
as Auto True ocheted
from ? ~ Fence

A s. Of 81 900 was incurred at
the resic ace of David Il. White on upper
Newton street in the north end early
this forenoon, when blaze which origi-
mated in the basement of the house gained
such headway that the fremen, handi
capped by inadequate water pressure at
one of the highest attitudes in the city,
were forced to cope with one OF the most
stubborn fires of its kind in several
months. The loss is partially covered by
insurance of $1,000 in the j. c. Griggs
agency,
A general alarm from box "a at the
corner of Brook and Farwell streets was
sounded at $40 o'clock by Jed. Leclair,
who was in the house when the fire was
discovered by George Leclair. The auto
fire truck, driven by James eulligan, was
the first to wheel out of the station, to
be followed by two pieces of horse-drawn
apparatus At the corner of North Main
and Brook streets, the auto truck, in
making the turn sideswiped the sign post
on the north curb and grazed the fence
which follows along Brook street for ii
few yards. Farther on one OF the rear
tires left the wheel and the remainder OF
the run was made under difficulties, A
thin coating of ice glazed the Newton
street hill, a circumstance which made
along that roadbed rather haz-
irdous. So precipitous is the hill from
Brook street to the scene of the fire, that
travel to its crest was scarcely feasible,
ind the three pieces of apparatus were
eft midway of the incline.
Beyond a doubt the fire started in
,ile OF shingles in the basement. Mrs.
White and other members of the family
we're in the kitchen when George Leclair
'pened the eellarway door, intending to
Iescend the stairs for wood. A gust of
moke came through the aperture as the
Ioor swung open and quick inyestiga
ion disclosed much fire below. While
ed. Leclair was hurrying to ring in the
larm, others sought to extingush the
ire, but even then the smoke was so
hick that it was impossible to enter the
asement.
With the arrival of the firemen two
mes of hose were laid from hydrant
ear the Elmwood avenue intersection
nd the meagre supply of water at hand
augmented by chemical apparatus, was
sed with good effect. Apparently the
re had not worked its way into the par
tions to any appreciable extent, but the
olume of smoke increased instead OF di-
and it was no easy matter to
ain an entrance to the basement. Smoke
la1 In. tba dvr.alltuft fThran
dders were used TO scale the house and
hen the firemen were not occupied with
,tting at the flames, they rendered
rvice in the way of salvaging furniture
nd wearing apparel Frequently the
aze found its way through the first
,or. but il was quickly smothered.
The aetual fire damage was relatively
nall although smoke effected the ruina
on of many articles of value and water
image viii bulk rather large in the
ckoning Of losses. Just how the fire
uld have broken out in the basement
hard to explain. the members Of the
mily say. as the cellar was used only
r storage purposes. Tho house was
4 heated by furnace.
Before the fremen came the occupants.
th the aid Of neighb0rs. had removed
@ more valuable pieces Of furniture and
the fire was slow in communicating
the partitions. II Is thought that tine
's would have been confined 10 a much
Rer figure bad the water pressure been
equate.
Wheeled vehicles at all kinds found
Wton street a hard road 20 travci un-
r present conditions Automobiles
cked 30 tie ire a. soon as the whistle
indcd. and the fire truck was not the
IL motor-driven vehicle that cncoun
ed obstacles in making the ascent.
An inventory n the damage done ~
ERE truck after the big machine was
oteI back % the station near noon re-
lied only e tudng jam IN the mud
srd. ndveq Culliean states that tie
had slowed down considerably az q
preached the eafner 40 Brook street
pas sbout e. make the turn when
hrels skidded on the -lIpery pave
nt. pne of the 8uuhie tire was leit
thr coruer and TIE seeoni sire vas rr-
fei un Nerfon street