The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-08-20
Buildings Q 5Mrs. Josephine
Roberts = on Thomas
Str 1T Burned
BARN WAS STRUCK
BY LIGHTNING
Firemen Work Under Diff
culties-Insurance of $4,000
on Buildings, Etc.

A fire entailing loss of nearly $4,000
occurred this morning when lightning
struck small barn on the premises of
Mrs Josephine Robertson on Thomas
street. Because of insufficient water
pressure the destruction Of the barn was
quickly followed by that of the house,
large two-story building All of the
furniture was saved, although the barn
and house were completely destroyed.
Mrs. Robertson carried insurance of ST.
600 on the furnishings and $1,000 on the
buildings, in the j. w. Dillon agency
Recently the woman refused an offer of
$4,000 for the property, which includes
several acres of land.
All the city's fire fighting apparatus
was called into play, although the pre-.
cipitous side hill leading to the Robert
son property presented difficulties which
were hard to surmount in moving the
trucks to the scene of the blaze. The
alarm was sounded shortly before
o'clock, but in the meantime occupants
of the house on Gallow avenue, tenanted
by Zepherine Gokey, had noticed the
blaze and the young son of Mr.. and Mrs
l.. G. Rizzi of Comolli street had dis
cerned thin column OF smoke curling
skyward from the barn. The lad tele.
phoned to the fire station, but at the
moment the call was received. the auto
truck and handful of regulars were
a still alarm turned in from
Granite street. The blaze there started
from crossed wires and was quickly ex-
No sooner had the fremen
the truck about and started for
Thomas street. A few moments later
general alarm was sounded from box lab
at the corner of Blackwell and Center
streets.
To negotiate the steep ascent leading
toward the presidential fats on the hill
vest of the city, the auto truck, soon to
De followed by the horse drawn sppar-
titus, was headed up Blackwell street
md thence along the brow of the hill to
Thomas street. A double hitch was re-
luired to haul chemical combination No.
up the hill, the horses returning aft
rward for the hook and ladder truck
When the firemen arrived the alarm
ad spread rather generally in the neigh
orhood of Thomas street. Mrs. Rob
rtson was preparing breakfast and Will
am Robertson, who called at the house,
ad entered the yard several moments
efore the occupants were aware that
he barn was ablaze. Mrs Sargent,
tho lived with Mrs. Robertson, was
lso unaware of the outbreak and no
ne among the tenants of the place
card the crash. Even occupants of the
okey house were not certain that light
ing struck the barn.
The roof of the stable building was
irning fiercely when the first detail OF
-emen arrived. Apparently the lightning
DIT had entered q small cupola which
owned the structure and ignited
iantity of hay III the loft. Scarcely
even feet separated the barn from
e house and before long it was seen
at the house was doomed Two lines
hose were laid from a hydrant at the
est of the Blackwell street hill. but a
essure of only 80 pounds was registered
the hydrant, according to Supt. F. o.
e of the water department, and the
essure was appreciably lessened before
e water had been forced through a
ousand feet of hose The result was
feeble stream which scarcely reached
: caves of the house and progress of
Effective in combating the progress of
, flames in the barn.
The chemical outst and hand chemical
re used effectively for a time, but
en- the supply gave out, the firemen
orted to buckets and did what they
Id to keep the blaze from communi-
ing with the main building. The roof
; scaled with ladders and wet blankets
we'd for a time to protect the exposed
; of the house. Although a heavy
was falling at first, the moisture did
le to head the progress of the flames
the barn burned rapidly. A train
chicken houses attached to the barn
quickly consumed and number Of
Iable birds were lost.
{ $3.50 o'clock il was plain that moth.
could save the house and Chief Glad
! directed his men TO hurry the work
sslvaging the furnishings. The fire
ing gained hold on the west side of
house, and penetrated the shingles.
: columns of smoke billowing
! the windows indicated that the at
vas sblsze. Firemen equipped with
ger smoke helmets had fought rsth-
aliantly on the roof. but they were
PEELED 70 seek safety and thereafter
II the departments energy was d.
ID TO the work of saving the house
goods. There was ample time to
We the furnishings and the fremen
] BY bystanders. proceeded cautious
Among the last of the furnishings
E removed were the piano and the
Isn range. While this phase Of the
ems work was in progress Mrs
rtson became hystsrieal and ocuid
Be persuaded 20 leave the house
then the faucs were creeping
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