The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-01-22

sence Assistant Engineer w. a. Shum-
way took charge OF the situation, devot-
ing most of his time to the work on the
north side of MILESTONE brook, while
Chairman T.. w Gibson of the village
commissioners gave special attention to
the fre-fghting work from the south
side of the brook
The fire steamer was set at the Ninton
mill pond south of the brook and pumped
water from the pond, while two lines of
hose were laid from the hydrant or
Canal street. at the corner of the Abbott
building, across the street railroad track
and down the driveway past the Vinton
paper mill. All three of these lines of
hose played on the fire from the rear,
some of them being carried across the
brook.
Several streams of water were played
on the buildings from. the north side,
the hose being attached to hydrants on
Main and Flat streets. Altogether, more
than 5000 feet or a mile of hose was
was in use, besides some borrowed from
the village of West Brattleboro and
from f.. Crosby 4 Co. One line of hose
near the Finton pond burst, and it
looked as though it had been burned,
but there was no fire on that side of the
brook. The incident made some of the
tiremen recall the fact that they read i'll
the newspapers a few days ago of fire
in hose being caused by water passing
through it very rapidly under heavy
pressure.
Until after the fire was under control
and it was safe to discontinue the use
of the two streams from the Canal street
hydrant no street cars were allowed to
pass the point where the lines of, hose
crossed the street railroad. About ,
o'clock the water at that hydrant was
shut off and the hose removed from the
track so that the car bound for West
Brattleboro could proceed, as that car is
well patronized.
For some time in the early stages of
the fire it was noticed that the water
pressure was lamentably weak on the
north side of the burning structures, al
though the Scene of the fire was at the
lowest point in the village hydrant sys-
south of the brook. The reason for this
was that the Flat street section was get
ting pressure only from the Crowell res
ervoir on Chestnut hill.
Chairman Gibson of the village COM
missioners took in the situation and real
lied that the high pressure from Pleas
ant valley was not being used. BY us
ing the telephone he learned that c. &.
Crowell, proprietor of the water system,
was in Montpelier and that his foreman
was away. Chairman Gibson got in
touch with Merrill A. Stark, who has
worked on the water system. hf. trOW-
| ellis Office was visited and the records
were inspected, showing the location of a
| valve in Main street in front of Mr..
| Crowelrs Office, and this valve was
| opened. making available the high pres
sure from the Pleasant Valley system.
When this was done the streams of
water Immediately responded, giving
| heart TO the fremen and the owners OF
| nearby property. Under the added pres
sure streams could be thrown entirely
over the main building, and whereas the
first streams did not have power enough
behind them TO break out the windows
in the upper stories the windows quickly
gave way before the increased power
Firemen on the roof of the Sparks
laundry building next east of the jelly
building not only kept that roof thor.
oughly wet down, but they did effective
| work by throwing water on the burn,
ing roof of the Jelly building and into
the upper story of that structure. Fire
men in the rear climbed ladders TO the
top of an addition to the main building
and carried streams in through some q
the upper windows.
Across the street the Dewitt Grocery