New Britain herald., 1918-01-07
FAMILY DRIVEN OUT
 BY RAGING FLAMES E. Birmingham Schurr, Wife and
 Two Children in Danger BERLIN HOME DESTROYED

Prevent Heavy Damage in Adjoin- ing ToWn-SarcaStic Remarks from Spectators Washed Down With Hot Coffee.
 Again the neighboring town of
 Berlin, without a fire fighting equip
 ment of it's own and said by some of its residents to be without a first se- lectman who cares to spend any money to this end has been visited by
 a devastating fire and again the New Britain fire department, responding to the call of a neighboring community in danger os destruction, has gone to r it's rescue. Fire, which broke out in the home of fI. Birmingham Schurr, curator at the New Britain Institute
 Museum, on Worthington Ridge, at 12:45 o'clock this morning totally de-
 stroyed the building and was prevent
 ed from spreading to adjoining prop
 erty only by the efficient work of four
 local fremen in charge of Captain Eugene F. Barnes of the Hook & Lad
 der company. The loss, which is
 roughly estimated at between $5,OOO
 and $6,000, would undoubtedly have
 been much greater had not the New
 Britain department answered the call
 of a comm unity in distress and threat
 Aned with partial destruction.
 Occupants Barely Escape
 The place occupied by MT. Schurr
 and his family was located on the west side of Worthington Ridge and 10
 Berlin Congregational church. It
 was known as the old Riley place, was
 owned by Bryan H. Atwater of Berlin and before it was taken over
 by Mr. Schurr was conducted as a tea shop by Mrs. w. w. Bracket. The
 house was one of the old landmarks of
 Berlin and was one of the oldest
 structures on the street. The origin
 of the fire is somewhat of a mystery, but it is believed that it stared from a defective flue. Before the blaze was discovered it had gained considerable
 of a headway and the entire front of the house was a mass of flames, while
 other sections of the house were
 filled With suffocating smoke when
 MT. Schurr and his family were
 awakened at 12:45 o'clock MT. Schurr,
 Mrs. SChurr and their two small chil- dren were barely able to wrap some clothing about themselves and escape into the night, leaving all of their personal effects to the flames. The family took refuge in the house of a neighbo across the street. Within a very few minutes after the fire was discovered it was apparent that the house was doomed and the heat was
 so intense, the smoke so dense and the fire was spreading with such
 "a apidity that volunteers were unable to save any of the belongings of the Schurr family with the exception of a few chairs and a table. The house was valued at about 5000 and the personal effects of the occupants, in cluding some rare and valuable curios of MT. Schurr which cannot be re- 1 placed, are valued in excess of 1,Ooo.
 No Water Supply.
 A large crowd of Berlinites quick ! 1y gathered about the burning house, l but were helpless to do anything to prevent the onruSh of the flames. As 1 far as can be learned, First Select | man Willard I. filling, who resides in 1 the KenSington district some distance 1 away, was not on the scene at all and i it is not known whether he was nOti- 1 fled of the fire. At 1:10 a. m. Dr. Walter J. Robbins, who lives across i the street from the Schurr home, l called up Chief R. M. Dame of the local fire department on the phone l and apprised him of conditions. Dr. l Robbins said that he had no author l ity to summons aid, but felt that un- 1 less help was sent immediately, other
 residences might catch fire. In the l meantime Olin I. Oldershaw who l lives adjacent to the Congregational
 church and next to the burning house, | essayed to get the chief on the phone, ! but was unable to get the wire, as Dr. Robbins was talking. He there
 fore summoned Building Inspector
 Arthur N Rutherford on the phone 1 called for assistance and assured him
 that the townspeople would guaran- ! tee the payment of any expenses in 1 cured. Inasmuch as he has never 1 received any official notification not to
 respond to a, call for help from Der
 lin, the chief immediately got busy. l He learned that there was no avail l able water supply on Berlin street, so 1 instead of sending down the big pumping engine, he detailed Captain 1 Barnes. Driver Edward Woods and 1 Fireman George Scheyd and John 1 Egan to go to the fire in his own car, 1 equipped with hand fire extinguishers Hay-fIIcd Barn Saved.
 , The construction of the old Riley ] place is similar to all houses of a generation or two ago. The front part
 of the building was used as the liv- | ing quarters. 1t had an ell part at 1 tached to the rear and connected ] With this ell was a shed Near to this
 shed was large barn, filled with hay. When the hremcn arrived the 1 dwelling house was practically de- 1 Stroyed and the fire was already rag