The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-01-05
FAMILY NARROWLY
ESCAPES DEATH
Home of Melvin E. Dalrym-
pie Consumed by Fire
Early This Morning
MRS. DALRYMPLE IS
TAKEN DOWN LADDER

Children Escape in Night Clothing -
| Practically None of Contents Saved
Fire Thought to Have Started from
Chimney.
| Melvin E. Dalrymple and his family,
consisting of his wife, three daughters
and one son, narrowly escaped death
in fire which completely DESTROYED
their home in Centerville and its CON
tents about 4 clock this morning. The
fact that the noise of the flames, which
were eating their way to the upper
stories, aroused his daughter. Helen.
aged 10 years, doubtless saved the lives
of the entire family. The building de-
stroyed was built originally for a cream
cry on Guilford street near the
covered bridge and had rooms for the
use Of the family Of the manager of
the creamery. Mr.. Dalrymple bought
1t IN the spring of 1916, and the quar-
ters used for creamery purposes were
converted into additional rooms for
household purposes. Mr.. Dalrvmple
had insurance of $500 on the building
through the George NJ. CLAY agency and
small insurance on the contents. Hardly
thing was saved from the house. The
fire is believed to have originated from
the chimney.
Mr.. Dalrymple arose shortly before
4 clock, and, after building fire in
the kitchen range went to the barn at
the rear of the house to feed his horses
as he intended to make an early start
for Marlboro
! About 4.30 o'clock his Youngest
daughter, Helen, was awakened. she
said, by noise and thought that her
mother had not gone to bed. In a few
minutes she realized that the room was
: flaIAof smoke and she screamed. One of
her sisters called to her to 90 hack to.
bed, but she continued her screams nm
til she had aroused her family and at
tracted the attention of her father in
the barn.
Ihe children slept on the upper floor
OF what was really three-storv build-
ing on one side and two stories on the
opposite side, where the front door was
located. Mr.. and Mrs. Dalrvmple silent
on the middle floor over the deem base
ment
The children managed to get out.
Helen, wearing only her nightdress. n
icoat and rubbers, ran through the GOV.
cred bridge to the home of Justin Dix
Mr.. Dix had just arisen and was at
tracted by the noise at his front door
He took the child in and rushed from
the house to the fire, which he could
see shooting up through the roof near
the chimney. On the way he met Miss
Florence and just behind her Miss Ruth
Dalrymple. Neither had on any cloth
ing except their night clothing and
wrap they had managed to snatch up.
they called to him that their mother
was still in the house
Mr.. Dix rushed to the front door but
was driven back by the flames. which
were breaking through the floor. Mr.
Dairymple had gotten into the house
in response to the calls of his daughter
Helen, and had reached his wife
Charles Dalrymple, II, who had gotten
our, placed ladder against the window
OF the room in which his mother was
and Mr.. Dalrymple got her out of the
window and down the ladder. He re-
turned to the room to get some yalua-
pies, but was driven out by the smoke
ana names, and as the ladder had been
moved he jumped to the ground.
Ne1ghbors were beginning to arrive.
among them Fred Weatherhead @
Whitney Prouty and Rex Coane. who
followed closely Mr.. Dix, but there was
practically nothing they could do. It
was impossible to enter the house and
what little was saved was by reaching
IN through windows.
A telephone message was sent 70 fire.
headquarters being received there at
4.45 clock, but no apparatus was sent.
The fire was beyond reach of any nv.
drant service and was out of the vii.
lage fire limits.
At the rear of the creamery building
and attached to it was large ice
house, built for use in connection with
the use of the building as a creamery.
Mr.. Dalrymple and others had BEEN
two days filling that storehouse with
ice and to that fact those who. were
there this morning attribute the saw.
ing OF the barn at the rear. Mr.. Dal.
rymple carries on teaming and last
month he bought the Guilford Springs
ice business of H. P Yearly.
The building burned fercely. In Is
minutes after Mr.. Dix and other
ne1ghbors reached the scene the front
door had burned down and fallen in
and the whole interior of the house
appeared to be a mass of flames. At
noon today, in spite of the heavy rain.
the ruins were burning brightly.
Mr.. Dalrymple made arrangements
this morning to occupy for the tims
being a cottage house near his former
home, owned by Oscar F. Benson. The
family are at present in the home Of
Russell Fl. Briggs of Guilford street.
As is usual after fire outside of tho