Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1918-01-04
TWO $4,000 FIRES
OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN
One in West Brattleboro and the
Other in This Village
Martin House Occupied by z. H. Met
calf Destroyed-Upper Story of Twin
State Building Damaged.

| owned DN r TdHh H. MAI ln anu OCCu-
pied by Il. II. Metcalf, county fish and
game warden, and family, was practi-
callv destroyed in West Brattlcboro.
The loss is estimated in the neighbor-
hood of $4,000. The Metcalf family,
with the assistance of neighbors, saved
considerable wearing apparel, but the
household goods were nearly all de-
voured by the flames.
There were two houses close togeth-
err, one occupied by Mr.. Martin, who
owned both, and the other by Mr.. Met
calf. These were joined by a barn or
shed and it was from this structure
that smoke was first seen to issue from
beneath the door. 1t soon poured out
in clouds and the blaze spread quickly
to the house in which the Metcalf
family lived.
While the hand engine was being
hurried to the scene from the West
Brattleboro fire station neighbors
turned out in large numbers and af-
forded all the assistance they possibly
could. BY their efforts the household
goods of the Martin family were almost
entirely removed.
The fire started about 11.30 O'Clock
and help was Immediately called from
the village, one hose wagon and
steamer being sent. Until these ar
rived the firemen managed to control
the fire with the use of the hand en-
CINE.
1t was difficult to fight the flames as
water froze quickly and those who got
wet suffered intensely from frozen
clothing. Women of the neighborhood
were quick to grasp the situation and
were soon in evidence dispensing piping
hot coffee, doughnuts and cheese to
everyone who appeared. These women
served the refreshments while icicles
formed on their hats and clothing.
The section occupied by the Martins
was slightly damaged by water, but he
rolc work prevented the fire from
spreading in that direction. The build
ing is on the north side of the street.
opposite the end of the street car line.
This property formerly was known as
the HazcltOn Rice place and until re-
Gently it was owned by O. w. Smith,
who sold it to Mr.. Martin. 1t was COW
cred by $500 insurance.
While the blaze practically was con.
fined to the house occupied by Mr.. Met
calf, considerable damage was done to
the adjoining house. 1t was nee
essary to break out windows and tear
up the plumbing, the latter causing wa
ter to flow freely through some of the
rooms. The electric wires also were re-
moved lahd in doing this much Of the
pla9tcrng was torn away.
In the evening it was thought that
the fire had broken out anew and 4
church bell alarm was given, but a
thorough investigation failed to locate
| any evidences of any further fire.
| lltt,ss,,
in the upper floor of the two.storv brick
building ON Arch street, lust off Main
street. occupied on the ground floor bv
i. IL. Stellman & Son as machine shop.
! The upper floor was furnished for a pool.
billiard, bowling and general amusement
parlors and before the fire had been eX-
tlnguished damage to the amount of
$1,000 was done, that in the machine shop
beng confined to water. The Island Park
Co. owned the furnishings on the second
floor, but the place was closed The
Twin State Gas & Electric Co. owns the
building.
When the blaze was discovered Mr.
Stellman was eating dinner in Hoadlev's
restaurant, which is directly in front and
his attention was called to it by the chef
there. He Immediately telephoned to the
fire station and then used pony eXtin-
guishers where he could see the fire eat
ing its way between the first and second
floors.
Several lines of hose were laid and
deuge of water was turned into the place
which found way quickly to the machine
shop below All of the machinery was
thoroughly wet down and many patterns
| hanging close to the ceiling were dam
aged, but plenty OF elbow grease and
hard labor will prevent a very heavy loss
there. 1t is question merely of cleaning
up the place and contents, although to an
outsider the task looks to be heavy
one Mr.. Stellman could not set any esti-
mate of what this work will cost. He is
covered by an insurance of $1,000.
Upstairs the fire was confined mostly
to one corner of the main floor, where the
desk was located, and it looks as if il
might have started in large bundle of
documents which were stored there.
For a time it created big smudge, and
smoke poured out of the windows in vol
umes, which attracted a crowd
The wood work on the upper floor was
badly burned, although none of the part-
tons were eaten through by flames. w.
ii. Richardson, manager of the Twin
State Gas 4 Electric Co., stated that aft
Crnoon that $1,000 would about cover the
damage to the building and that this was
covered by insurance.
Early that afternoon fremen were
called to - South Main street, where a
chimney burned out in the house occupied
by Miss Flora Bennett 1t did not spread
to any of the partitions and the damage
was slight. The fire truck responded to
telephone call
This completed the proverbial series
of three fires in a row, but for good
measure the chimney at Rev. T.. Q. S.
Osgood IS home on High street caugit
fire soon after the truck returned from
South Main street, and telephone call
was responded to. No damage was
done.