The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-03-15
Westminster West Sustains
Serious Fire Loss
Early Today
BIG HOLE MADE IN
HEART OF VILLAGE
Congregational Parsonage and Barn,
Walter Harlow's House and Barn and
Mrs. Martha Miller's House and Barn
Reduced to Ashes.
Especial to The Reformer.) J

" Esol -N11Nol Eh WEoI, Marcn 10.
Property which could not be re-
placed for 900 was destroyed in the
heart of this village early this morn
ing by fire which reduced to ashes
three houses and three barns with a
large amount of personal property, in
cluding the public library in the Con-
gregational parsonage.
The fire started from some unknown
cause in the parsonage barn and spread
to. the parsonage and in the other di
rection to the house and barn of Wal
ter Harlow, farmer, and then to the
house and barn of Mrs. Martha Miller,
whose son, Frank, lives there and car
ries on the farm. All the buildings
were close together, and the absence
of heavy wind prevented other build
ing from catching fire.
1t was the most serious fire loss this
village has sustained within the men,
ory of present inhabitants, and the
amount Of insurance carried, aggre-
eating less than a third of the amount
which it would cost to put the prop
erty back, was so small that there is
little inducement for the owners to
rebuild.
Rev. Walter R. Curtis, the Congre-
gational minister, had as his guest
Rev. Arthur V. Woodwork of West
Brattleboro, who was to accompany
Rev. Mr.. Curtis to that village, where
Rev. Mr.. Curtis was to speak tonight.
He went to the barn about IL o clock
last night to look after his horse. Ev-
rything seemed to be all right then.
About , o'clock this morning Rev.
Mr. Curtis was awakened by crack
ling sound and looked out, discovering
that the barn was in flames. They had
progressed so far that it was useless
to try to save the barn, and prevented
any chance to see what started the
blaze.
Rev. Mr. Curtis gave notice of the
fire to Fred E. Neill, who was in
charge of the central office in Putney.
and Saxtons River lines and soon
large number of persons reached the
village, but there was no apparatus
aside from buckets with which to at
y
Hand apparatus in Putncy and Sax
tons River was made ready, but was
not sent for as there seemed to be no
need to send for it.
From the parsonage barn the flre
first reached the parsonage itself, a
large, two-story structure left to the
parish bv Homer Goodhue, who was
one of the town S leading citizens.
Practically none of the furniture was
saved. and the Ladies Aid society's 8
library of / 500 volumes, which was the
public library, was lost. Rev. Mr.. Cur
It's saved his horse, but lost pig.
! Spreading in the other direction
from the parsonage barn, the flames
reached the Harlow property. Mr..
Harlow saved his stock and much of
the household furniture. The house
was two stories high. Mr.. Harlow s
: daughter, Mrs. John Tucker of Brat
tleboro. and his son, Henry Harlow,
who was in Texas with Company |
and has been in Greenfield, Mass, both
) were home.
Mrs. Miller and son saved their Hol-
stein cattle and their horses, but not
!, much of the furniture was gotten out,
, there was so much smoke in the house.
This house also was two.story
! structure 1t was occupied for many
years by the late Rev. Henry A.
Goodhue, who was pastor of the Con
; gregational church many years, going
from here to Brattleboro, where he
died recently.
On one side of the parsonage lot is
, the residence of ]. Hunt Clark. 1t
did not catch fire, but there was fear
; that it would and it was closely
watched. Next beyond Mrs. Miller g
lot, about 40 rods away, is the home
of Arthur Harlow, and had there been
{ strong wind in that direction that
property probably would have gone
and perhaps with it the church. town
hall and schoolhouse across the street.
For miles around the sky was illumi
r mated by the fire, which was not under
) control until about 5 o clock. The fire
7 has left big hole in the residence
i properties on the main street and has
infiicted a severe blow upon this at
tractive village.