Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-11-06
FRIDAY NIGHTS
FIRE At WINDSOR
LOOKS SUSPICIOUS
Possible Solution Of Blaze Which
Destroyed Jasper Gray's Fine
Barn Appears to Be That It
Was Of Incendiary Origin -
Estimated Loss on Barn and
Contents, $4,000 with $500 In
Surance

South Windsor, Me-, Nov. 5.-<Special).
AS might be expected, the burning at
about u.ao Friday night of the big barn
owned by Jasper S. Gray. located on
the Ridge road, and by a fire the cause
Of which 10 as yet unexplained. has caus-
ed no small amount Of conjecture in this
usually quiet village. Had 1t been d
dwelling that was destroyed it would
have been nothing to be remarked upon,
but as the building was one in which
there was no fire and had been no fire, II
would hardly be possible to draw but ono
conclusion and that it must have been
set.
The building, which was known as the
new barn. was one Of the finest in this
vicinity. 1t was built by Mr.. Gray about
u years ago and was a modern struc-
ture in every way. 1t stood 40x60 fee;
on the ground, was 20-foot posted and
under it was q cellar of split stone. II
was not one of those ram-shackle barns
into which tramps are apt to find their
way for a nights rest and so far as can
be ascertained none had been there. So
there can be but little reason for enter
tanning a belief that the fire was due to
tramps. Mr.-Gray has no suspicion as
to who might have been the author OF
the fire. but in view of existing circum
stances a reasonable solution seems to be
that it was Of incendiary origin.
1t was learned, however, from Mr..
Gray, that while no tramps had gained
access to the. barn that others had from
time to time, and for the purposes OF
theft Mr. Gray, who keeps a large gen.
eral store at Windsor Four Corners. So
called keeps some Of his stock in the
barn and has occasionally missed some
Of these goods. which gave rise to the
belief that the barn had been entered.
In speaking Of the matter Saturday night
he said that among articles which had
been taken were a box of tobacco, u
horse blanket. a bag of cement and va
rious other smaller articles.
The annoyance was such that his
nephew, Jasper Mosher. had slept in
the barn for several nights with the
possible hope that something might
transpire that would give a clue to the
Identity of the suspected thieves and
had slept there on the night Of the fire.
Mr.. Mosher, however. knew but lit
tie Of the fire. He was sleeping at the
northwest end of the barn and when
awakened he saw the fire near the
other end. and had no time to spare in
getting out of the building and giving
the alarm. Luckily Mr.. Gray has at the
farm a good water supply. which con-
sists Of deep we'll and over 1t a wind
mill and tank. and 1t was due to this
and the help of people In the neigh
borhood that the other farm buildings
were saved. although nothing could be
done toward saving the barn in which
the fire originated.
In the other barn which stands near
the house was the livestock consisting
of eight cows. seven or eight horses
and colts. and these were taken to a
place of safety. The barn itself was
eventually saved. though it caught fire
many times. as did the other buildings.
The barn that was burned was filled
it might be said. with evcrvthinr. in
cluded in which were 40 tons of hay,
ITS bushels Of oats just threshed, 81
stacks of beans, nine tons of lime, Is
bushels Of potatoes. quantity OF
straw and a lot of farming tools. Mr.
Gray estimated the loss on the barn
and contents to be $4,000. with an in
surance of 500.