Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-10-26
HOUSE
BURNS; LIFE LOST
Guests Escape in Night Cloth
ing--Fire Loss Is About
$50, 900.

monetary uHHlupt OF S-''l' wis hpllt N''l' 3
morning by a fire which swept throus /
the Mortified house, a four-story wooden
structure, and damaged the upper pare /
of Judkins-HuntleY building just adioir-
ing. That the entire east side of the
village square was not wiped out was dus
to the heroic efforts Of the Mortified fire ,
department, which worked from three
o'clock until nine before the fire wa
checked.
About a score OF persons were In the
hotel building and there were many thril-
ling rescues as the firemcn climbed to toe
windows and brought imprisoned people
| to tho ground and several were more or
less seriously hurt in reaching safety.
The fire was discovered at three o'clock
by James ~ McMann, a clothing dca'cr
here. who resides in the hotel His room
was on the third floor. lie was awakened
! Ivy the cracking of flames and on looking
out of the window he found that part of
the building which was used as dining
room and kitchen to be mass of flames
He hastily gathered some of his clothing
and then rushed downstairs, giving the
alarm as he won't. The fire alarm was
soon rung in and the department respond
ed promptly.
by that time the rear Of the hotel wa1
a roaring furnace, and the nremen laid
21o0 fee, of hose and used eight streams
against the great odds. The fire, as al
ready stated. had made big start, AL
the nature of the hotel construction made
the building highly innammable. Tho
fire spread through the entire structure
most rapidly.
CHUNG TO WINDOW BY FINGERS,
While some Of the firemen were direct
ing the streams of water others put lai
dcrs against the building to rescue thoae
imprisoned within. Several who had
been unable to make their way down the
, staircase were carried down the ladders,
not having time either to save any Of
their property. Cora Henry who was AZ
employe of the hotel, was overcome by
the smoke and was carried from her room
in the fourth story. Lawrence Burns WHO
!, lived in the hotel, had a most trying ex
perence as he was forced to hang by hla
: fingers from the window sill of his room
on the fourth floor while the firemcn wel"
, hosting "A ladder In addition, his torture
was accentuated by the fact that the
window slid down and was resting on his
fingers as he chung desperately to tn.
small board. Mr.. Burns is a heavily built
, man. weighing in the vicinity of 80
! pounds.
George S. Bennett, who was occupyinS
a room with Sergeant r. T.. McNath, IL.
structor of the Vermont National Guard.
hurt one heel severely as he made MI;
way down fire escape. Others were
more or less bruised in getting out.
!, MRS. BENJAMIN'S BODY FOUND.
. II was not until daylight came that
, the body Of Mrs. benjamin was found.
. She was 20 years of age Her home
: was in Mortified. but she had been living
- in the hotel for the past six months
Her room was on the third floor, and
the body was discovered on the first
"a floor, having fallen with the ruins of the
, upper part of the structure. The remain.
=, were badly burned. especially about the
u head and shoulders
d. THOSE WHO WERE SAVED
= The guests of the hotel from out o.
n town, taken from the register to.
5 day, were: f. \. Cleveland of HeminSs.
h ford, Ia, Mr.. and Mrs. c. a. CLEVELAND
; of Ormstown, la, (the party being il
this vicinity with purpose of buyint
e farm; Frank Colvn of Pawlet. @. T.
Putnam of Boston: q. Blake of Fitch
burg, Mass, ana c. e. Kempter o.
Wilkes-Harrc, Pa. Nearly all lost mos
of their clothing and effects. Mr. Blake
" when seen this morning, told Of gettins
u out with his coat, vest, ovorcoat, pajama,
l. and trousers but had to leave his orde
L. sheets and So i'm money.
Dc Local people who were stopping in tn
rr hotel We're Lawrence Burns James A
III McMann, w. j. Roberts, manager of tn
y Atlantic X Pacific Tea company. Charlie
l" Pate, +. \ Rogers, l.. Bisseau, Scrgean
We h. T.. McMath and George $. Bennett
IN Two other rceulars in the hotel, Charlie
III Morehousc and Ray Bellows, were out o
OF town, the former being in Barre an,
re the latter in St Adams While all suf
OF fcred Losses Of their clothing Mr.. Nc
as Mann lost the most of all the boardcrs be