New Britain herald., 1920-02-21
$lO,OOO LOSS WHEN
 FIRE RAZES HOUSE
Early Morning Blaze Destroys
 Old Talmadge Place.
OCCUPANTS NARROW ESCAPE
Red stone Hill Building Was Original Iy Owned By Grandfather of the Eamou TaImadcC Sisters. Movie StarS-Othcr News of Interest.

EamOu Talmadec Sisters. Movie
 StarS-Othcr News Of Interest
 The olL TalmadSe place also known as the Messenger homo mestead, situated at the corner of West Main and Bohemia streets on Red Stone hill, was totally destroyed by fire which started in an attic at about , - O clock yesterday afternoon. The loss is estimated at about $1O.o0O..
 The blaze was discovered by Noah DcanC. who saw the smoke and flames from his house nearby. He notified the telephone exchange and then rans to the scene of the fire. .Raf faclo Carpenter who with his wife and six children. occupied the sec ond floor of the house. was asleep. Mir. Deane aroused him and he fled to the street. ScHntilN clothed. The neighbors aided in remo owing the fur niture from the blazing house and most of the furnishings were saved from the first floor, occupied by Mrs. IfuStavc tnterspan. owner of the property.
 When the automobile chemical truck from the fire department ar rived, the flames were creeping up one side of the house from the sec O1lu StpIN lo ilt IOol. liltit 10 obl one hytlrant in the ncighborhood and when a line of hose was attached the water pressure was found to be in sufficient to force the stream Of water to the windows of the second floor. A smaller nozzle was attached and an- other line Of hose used, but the force of the water would not even break Il window in the house. MeanW hllG the flames were enveloping the build ing and it was evident that the house was doomed. A truck from the W. J. Cahll company carrying hose and supplies. stalled in the snow before it reached the scene and sleigh from the bakery company arrived with extra hose but the extra lines were useless on account of the low water pressure. The 1iremen con- tinued to light the flames with the means within their power but at 3 o'clock the house was a mass Of smoking ruins.
 The house was recently purchased by Mrs. UrnterspHn who has occupied it for only d short time. The furnl- turc on the first floor Was not GOV cred by insurance but the Carpenter family on the seccrfd floor h%d their household effects insured. The house was also insured. The origin of the bazo is uncertain but it Is believed 10 have been caused by an overheated stove.
 The house was considered as one of the finest in Plainvillc. It was built more than 10 years ago by John Tal- madge grandfather of Norma and Constance Talmadge. and these stars of the movie world were frequent NiS- itors at the place in their childhood and school days. The place was also occupied about a quarter Of q century ago by Mir. and Mrs. Hugh Trumbull and family. It passed into the hands of Fred Messenger. ;L popular sports man. who died d few years ago. Snce his death the place has changed hands d number of times.
 Bremen Meet Difficulties. The usual post mortems were in tlul-eG in last evening after the fire. Severe criticism of the conditions and llundicapS under which the nremen were forced to work were in order and were made th>> most of by critics. |, was pointed out that in the west section of the town there is d four inch water main which iS not COn- duCiNc to high pressure at the hN- trantS.
 The speech male hy Chief Edward ! P Prior of the fire department at d welcome home celebration for the i service men was also recalled in con ] nection with the fire. Chief Prior ill ! this speech advocated the purchase ot ! NdeuI;tte apparatus for the depart mcnt and included in the list or neceS- { s;tres an engine pump. It is said that i if such d pump had been available 1 for Use Yesterday the low pressure ! difficulty could have been surmounted ! and the house saved. such apparatus,
 il is said. would cost ubout $3.oVu. II ! ocean" evident last evening that the i chief has a large number of Hdher- . rnts in his H,iVocarN of adequate pro tection against the danger of fire. II i was rema rhed that only ,t few such 1 fires would be needed to ava ken the | toWnspeoplc to the need Of proper ;tp- | parutl1s to fight fires and that tn, : damage resulting from fires before ! the apparatus is secured will probably i ngyregate many times the cost o1 l equipment.
 Silver Wedding Anniversary. Mr. and Mrs. Charles A. Bunnel . celebrated the 9th anniverSarI O ; their wedding last evening at their : home on IIamlin street. with ;In in ; formal dinner party tu which few i relatives and friends were invited i Th" couple received d number o1 1 pretty gifts and their wedding pres i ents received d quarter of a century ago were on display during the eve. . ming. Mrs. Bunnel was altircd il the gown which she wore at hel
 Wedding and which was also he !