Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1916-04-19
THE fire DEMON RACES
Several Homes Visited BY Dread
Guest Past Seven Days.
TWO LIVES ARE LOST.
Bennett Home East OF Town Destroyed
and Man and Wife SUccumb to
Injuries Other Fires.

The home Of Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas
Bennett, living five miles east of Ian
caster on the Rewey road, was COM
pIetely destroyed by fire early last Fri
day morning and much worse, both
parties sUccUmbed later to injuries re-
ceived fighting the blaze.
The BENEFITS lived alone in four
room house on their farm of eighty
acres, the three children being away
from home. About 4 o'clock, Mrs.
Bennett was awakened by what she
thought to be an automobile passing,
but which proved to be the reflection
from the flames in the adjoining bed
room. She awakened her husband,
and together they rushed into the spare
bedroom adjoining their own room
on the upper floor to find it ablaze
near the bed Mr.. and Mrs. Bennett
labOred franticaIIy to extingUish the
blaze. using anything at hand, but
finally were forced to flee from the
house. Mr.. Bennett dragging his wife
I'LL a fainting condition. Riley Graney,
a neighbOr, who was doing chores,
saw the blaze. and came at once, but
little could be done.
Percy Eastman, who lives on the
adjoining farm. came over in his car
and removed Mrs. Bennett where she
was Immediately placed in bed. She
was quite badly burned on the neck
and shoulders and apparently had
breathed some of the flames.
Dr.. J. c. DOOlittle was notified at
once of the sad affair and arrived at
about , o'clock in the morning. Both
Mr. and Mrs. Bennett were given
every possible attention, but without
avail. Mrs. Bennett was unable to
rally from the shock of her injuries,
and the smoke and flames breathed in
to her lungs. She passed away Sun
day morning at 6 o'clock and the hus-
band Who was at first thought not ser
iOusly injured. joined his wife i'm the
great beyond at midnight of the same
day
The house and contents were COM
pIeteIy destroyed. an old trunk being
the only thing saved. The loss is
above $1,000. Mrs. Ira POlIer Of
PlattevilIe. the eldest daughter, Verna,
who is employed by the Platteville
Telephone cOmany, and Ora who works
for Mr. Mathews. several miles fur
ther east. were notified at once of
the terrible happening.
The funeral services were held yes
terday afternoon at the Aupperle
church. and interment was made at
Aupperle cemetery. The bereaved
children have the sympathy of all in
their sad affection.
Another Small Blaze.
Firemen were called Friday after
noon to the residence Of J. p. CroOt on
South Madison street, where a corn
crib had caught fire and was burning
down Mr. CrOot had been cleaning
the yard i'm the morning and it is sup
posed that the flames from the rub
bish, crept along the fence and set fire
To the building. The firemen used
buckets and prevented damage to the
barn. nearby. but the small building
worth about SIS. was completely de
stroyed.
Carl At Home Threatened.
Mrs. Carl Alt. who telephoned the
alarm on the CrOot fire last Friday,
awakened Sunday morning about six
o'clock to smell smoke in their home
on south Madison street. She awaken !
ed Mr. Alt who Immediately investigat-
ed and found the kitchen cIOuded
with smoke and the basement so full
that he was unable 70 enter.
"A call for help was sent in at once
and while owing to the time and the
day there was some delay, citizens I
came, followed shortly by the fire de-
partment. The blaze was discovered I
iii the kitchen chimney being prOba-
bly, due to SCOT which had smOldered /
for some time, as there was no fire
i'm the stove over night This was
extinguished with water and Pyrene, (
the latter being used very effectively. I
All the household goods were car
ried out and these had to be placed .
back again.
The floors were burned in places
and some water damage done, the
whole being very slight
While the house and furniture are
fully insured, Mr.. and Mrs. Alt feel
very glad that things did not go far
Their