The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-07-30
When Lightning Bombarded
the Village Early This
Morning
LARGE TENEMy s.
AND BARN ) JRNED
Three Families ; Ade Home
less, Two : s .ses and a
Pig Perished

Torrential showers central over Barre
and vicinity early to-day were accompa-
MED by thunder and lightning, and while
the downpour had no other effect than to
water gardens parched by two weeks
drouth, the lightning did considerable
damage in South Barre, where four
tenement house and barn owned by
j. F. Spencer were destroyed. The fam
lilies of Mr.. Spencer, Walter Comstock
and Edward Rollins escaped to the street
while the barn was burning, and sue
ceeded in saving part of their house
hold goods. The property loss will ag-
gregate $1,000, which is partially in
sured.
Mr.. Spencers property was insured to
the extent of $4,000. of which 81 500 in
the McAllister g. Kent agency, was on
the dwelling and 81 300 and $500, in the
G. H. Pape agency, on the house and
barn, respectively. Mr.. Comstock car
ried $500 on his household effects.
One of the four tenements in the
structure was not occupied.
Intense excitement which reigned in
the village of South Barre soon after the
bolt registered a hit around o'clock
spread to parts of this city, where in
habitants, looking toward the south,
thought the fire was in the city limits.
The fire departments of Barre and Will
Jamestown received appeals for help, and
both responded. For a time it seemed as
though other dwellings adjoining the
Spencer property must be destroyed, but
nearly every known device for repelling
the flames was used, and by dint of
much exertion the fire was confined to
the premises where it started. Several
times the house owned by William Du-
charme, situated just south of Spencer's,
was afire, and the property of Mrs. j. NJ.
Ward, to the north of the blazing build
ings, was endangered also. A row of
trees on the south side of the Ward
offered an effective barrier to
The flames.
Although distance of 25 feet separat-
ID the barn from the tenement house,
he fire spread rapidly to the main build
ng Mr.. Spencer's principal loss in the
,arn was an automobile and two horses,
me the property of Mr.. 'Comstock, who
Llso lost pig and the other owned by
dr. Rollins, were burned early in the
ire.
II is believed that Mrs. j. NJ. Ward
vas the first to notice where the light
ling had struck. She arose at partic-
Ilarly loud crash and saw smoke billow-
ng from the barn when she glanced
through the window of her sleeping
oom. Others were spreading the alarm
v the time she reached the yard, among
hem being Supt. G. j. Seager of the
own schools, who was sleeping on the
orch of his home when the laundering
egan. Early among those who vacated
he tenement was Mr.. Comstock, who
lade vain attempt to save the animals
/ the barn.
Two or three times South Barre called
he local fire station for help, but an
ldermanic order forbidding the fremen
, take the auto truck out of the city
mits caused some hesitancy. Mayor
lysson and Chief Gladding conferred,
owever, as the appeals became more in
stent, with the result that the truck
as used to transport a detail of regu-
RS and callmen to the village. Will
amstown did not send its pumping ap-
.ratus, but several valuable assistants
irried to South Barre and remained ac-
We until daybreak. When the Barre
-emen arrived, the barn was in ruins
Id the rear of the house was afame.
lief Gladding despatched the truck back
Barre as a precautionary measure and
en- aided in directing the work of saw
g surrounding property. In his opin-
a the house could have been saved at
e moment of the arrival of the Barre
ntingent had one good stream of water
en- available.
Two small streams of water coming
,m sillcocks connecting with the city
lins were of much service in wetting
wn the threatened buildings, and this
,rk was supplemented by water from
spring at the rear of the Ward prop
v. Rugs and blankets we're saturated
tn water and hung over roofs and
ing the sides of two houses, and when
n flaming brand brought down on
,ftop there was someone present TO
.inguish it, Providential showers at
ervsls during the morning also less
d the danger of a larger FIRE. Most Of
visiting firemen, a majority of whom
re- on the grounds soon after ] O'Clock.
not leave until four hours later. and
that time the flames had died down,
the possibility Of their spreading to
er property was negligible.
{ was one Of the most violent and
longed electrical storms in some
rs. continuing from midnight until
sr 3 O'Clock Rain fell in torrents az
rs and once or twice stiff breeze
y. although when the fire was At its
-ht the morning was calm and the FIRE