New Britain herald., 1917-01-13
MILK THROWN ONTO
 FLAMES IN BERLIN
Disastrous Fire at Henry Hollis-
 ter Place on Turnpike
WOMEN IN BUCKET BRIGADE
Fair Sex Assist Men in Quelling Fire Until New Britain Bremen Arrive After Record Run-Livestock Res

Until New Britain Bremen Arrive
 After Record Run-Livestock Res
 Fire, supposed to have been caused by the explosion of lantern used in thawing out frozen pipes about a steam engine and boiler, destroyed the large stock barns on the historic Hen- ry Hollister farm in Berlin today at an estimated loss of $1O,00O, seriously menaced other buildings and was checked only after aid had been sum- moned from this city. The amateur fire brigade. equipped with milk cans, wash boilers and other make-shift ap- paratus was greatly handicapped by limited supply of water and brisk breeze. The main barn, landmark for more than a quarter of century as well as widely known for many years as the home of the late Henry Hollis ters famous herd of registered Jersey cattle, was'a mass of flames and doomed before organized fighting of the flames had hardly begun.
 The house was on fire on, many spots. trees in the yard were burning briskly and the roof of another nearby barn was in flames when assistance came from New Britain in Chief Robert M. Dame, his chauffeur Ed ward J. Woods, and Fireman Edward Carlson of Engine Co. Mo- l. Chief Dame took charge of the fight, organ 1zed nearly hundred fighters into a bucket brigade and, after half an hours fight, managed to save the house and other apparently doomed buildings. All that now remains of the big stock barn this afternoon is a mass of charred and smouldering embers
 Col. Jarvis Leads Fight.
 In the fight the contents of several eXtinguishers brought in Chief Dame's car, several from the estate of Col, Charles M. Jarvis, milk from the farm dairy and limited supply of water from house and barn pumps were used. Until the arrival ofrCnfSY Dame, Colonel Jarvis, representative from Berlin in the legislature and widely known in the manufacturing and po- litical circles of the state, was in charge.
 Alexander Bruce is owner of the property, having bought it about two years ago from the Hollister estate. Until his removal to Berlin he was for years head farmer for Commodore Morton F.\Plant at the palatial estate at Eastern Point, one of the show places of New England
 The bitter cold weather of the past few days had caused the pipes to freeze in one corner of the barn about a steam boiler and engine used in the cutting the corn, running churns, etc. According to the statement of those employed at the farm, there had been no fire in the boiler today because of the frozen pipes. This morning MT, Bruce started to try and thaw out the pipes, using a lantern in the work and leaving it hanging near the boiler while he went to the home of near by neighbor.
 Risks Life For Animals.
 As he was returning he saw the en- tire side of the barn near the boiler burst into flames. The discovery was made by Mrs. Bruce in the house at about the same time. The alarm was given, MT. Bruce lending his first ef- forts to getting out the live stock, a pair of horses, about twenty COWS and six hogs. He was scorched before the
 
 time the flames had communicated to the hayloft and the building was furnace. Help was being summoned from nearby farm houses. Colonel Jarvis was one of the first on the scene and turned his efforts to direct ing the work of saving the house and other barns.
 Word was sent to Captain Eugene r. Barnes at fire headquarters with a request for. aid. Chairman Babcock of tn esafety board, following unsuc- cessful efforts to locate Mayor George A. Qulgley, gave permission for Chief Dame to go to the scene in his car, taking several eNtinguishers and Fire men Woods and Carlson. It had been learned that there was no water supply for one of the motor pumps, should it be sent. With Chauffeur Woods at the wheel, the trip Of be- tween five and six miles was made} in less than eight minutes.
 Women Firefghters.
 The arrival was in the nick of time just as the framework of the stock barn collapsed, sending showers of sparks high in the air and causing the roof of the house and end of another barn to burst into flames. Water, | milk, brooms and shovels were Eed l against the flames. Women aided the | men in the amateur water brigade | Historic trees, even older landma rks l than the barn, were burning brishly l between the barn and house. Several | of the neighbors, to whom the trees l were old acquaintances, used blankets and other material to protect the | trunks and lower branches
 Bremen Carlson and Woods used the contents of the extinguishers with | deadly effect in the fight to save the l barn nearest to the one burned The l heat was so intense from the burning (Continued on Second Page.)