The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1917-11-12
Third FIRE IN
REDDINC SCHOOL
PLANT SATURDAY
Especial to The Farmer.)

Redding, Nov. 12.-In the fire which
destroyed last Saturday afternoon the
large horse barn of D. S. Sanford on
the Sanford school premises at Red
ding Ridge five horses persisted and
there were additional losses compr1s-
ing about 20 tons of hay, 400 bushels
of potatoes, 200 bushels of oats, half
a dozen horse vehicles of ver1ous
styles, one of them being a new rub
Der tired surrey, and a Tot OF har-
nesses and other farm equipment.
The total loss is estimated at $4,000,
with an insurance of less than half
that sum. 1t was the third fire which
has come to the Sanford school plant
in the last five years, all of them OF
an origin not positively determined
but all believed to be accideita1.
Saturdays fire was first discovered
a few minutes past 2 o'clock when
the pupils were emerging from the
main building after dinner. Dense
smoke was then pouring from a cor
ner of the upper part of the barn
where hay was stored. MIR. Gustaf-
son, the farm foreman, fastened to
the stables at the rear with the in
tent of getting out the horses, but
before he could liberate any, one of
them was driven back by the flame
and smoke which swept down through
the chutes above the managers, and
had to abandon the animals to their
fate. In one of the stalls, however,
was a sturdy mule which broke it's
head fastenings unaidedS and escaped
to safety, although in a badly singed
condition. It's ears were nearly burned
off and most of it's body scorched and
blackened, but neverth eless it went to
cropping gsass at the front of the
Episcopal church and subsequently
repulsed four or five men who benev-
olently tried to subdue it with the OBJ
ject Of giving first aid to the injured.
Two of the animals burned to death
were a pair of three year old colts
valued at $500. Half an hour before
the fire appeared a valuable work team
had been taken out. for service in the
field. At that time there was no sign
of fire.
In good time after the alarm was
given the Ridge fire department was
on the scene with four chemical en-
gtnes. The barn and its contents
were doomed, but the men and ap-
aratus did useful service in prevent
ing an extension of the flames. The
building most endangered was the
school gymnasium, a large wood struc-
ling of slight construction located
few rods from the barn. The wind
showered it with cinIders and the heat
| shtvered most of its window panes,
but in spite of these perils and it's
tarred roof the building was saved
| by the speedy quenching of the fire
spurts that constantly developed. The
residence Of Mrs. Charles Bradley
! across the street was also imperilled.
She was also in the house at the time
and wishes to express gratitude for
the efficient preventive measures of
the fire department and its helpers.
About five years ago Mr.. Sanford
lost by fire good sized building
mostly of new construction, used as
class-rooms for the school. Two years
ago another fire destroyed his cow
barn located near the building just
burned. In each case the insurance
was considerably less than the loss.
While the origin of Saturdays fire
remains unknown the best guess is
that it arose from carelessness on the