Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1921-10-19

Barn on Beebe Road Burned.
One of the most serious fires visit
ing farm buildings in this section for
some time occurred Saturday after
noon, when the barn and contents on
the Rufus Brown place were entirely
destroyed, causing loss of several
thousand dollars.
The fire not only destroyed the
barns, but all Of the contents which
included the seasons crops. The
amount of hay in the buildings fur
nished fuel for the fire all the after
noon and during the night, and was
estimated from rs to 100 tons, four
hundred bushels of grain, all threshed
! was also destroyed. Live stock in
the barn at the time and burned in
! cluded eight calves, one hog and some
hens. Mr.. Brown had just laid In
stock of three tons of bran, which
was also lost.
The saving of the dwelling house
was due to the aid of the Newport
| fire truck, which was rushed to the
scene by chief Green.
| The buildings were of old style,
but were in good repair, convenient
and with up to date equipment. These
changes and improvements had been
made by Mr.. Brown since he occupied
the farm. The house was Joined by
woodshed and horse barn and was
only separated from the long string of
buildings that were destroyed by two
foot space, and much credit is due
the Newport fire company, railroad
section men and others, for the heroic
work that they did in cutting off the
flames. The wind being favorable,
greatly assisted in the work.
The buildings while all attached
together included hog barn, 80 by
large barn 80 by "A. A new stable
had been built on to the back side
of the buildings, which was 20 by 90
feet. Connected with the buildings were
two silos containing the years crop
| of corn. The largest one remained
standing, but the other toppled over
and it is believed the ensilage is not
badly damaged.
The loss will be heavy, over and
above insurance, as only $4,000 was
carried on all the buildings, including
house and furniturel This set of
buildings with several others in that
section had been wired for electric
lights the past summer and were wait
| ing the currant from the Newport
Electric Light Co., which was only
connected about three days before the
fire. How the fire started is a ques-
ton and may never be known. The
only persons in the barn when the
| fire broke out was three small chill
Dire of Mr.. Browns and Forest Drew
of Newport, who was changing the
location of one light in the barn floor.
1t is claimed tina Through trouble with
a socket located in the shed joining
the house caused the fuse, sending
! the current to the barn to be blown
out. Mr.. Drew, who visited the
buildings in that section Saturday to
make minor repairs, called at the
Brown farm and replaced the socket
in the forenoon. After taking dinner
at neighbours he returned to the
Brown residence to change the location
of one light in the barn floor. Mr..
Brown wanted it moved nearer the
barn entrance where it would send
more light into the yard when the
doors were open, it being first located
nearer the rear of the barn floor.
Before Mr.. Drew began operations
he pulled he switch which cut the
currant from the buildings for his own
safety, while engaged in the work.
| in barn floor and on the hayloft and
their outcrys was the first to attract
the attention of Mr.. Drew, when upon
turning round he saw the fire in the
hay and rushed to get the children
from the barn, one being at the foot
! of the ladder whre the fire was
| first seen. One other child was on
the loft and another on scaffold.
! When the call for assistance came
to Newport, the fire truck and detail
of firemen were at the home of N.
| H. Wilson on Glen road, where they
were guarding the Wilson buildings
from a swamp fire which was rag
ing nearby. 1t was just before noon
when the truck responded to the call
to go to the Wilson farm, owing to
the danger that the buildings were in,
from a raging fire that was sweeping
the swamp in the direction of the Will
son farm. Shortly following South
bound freight; fires broke out on each
side of the Boston and Maine railroad
track in the section of Coventry
swamps, which famed by brisk
breeze quickly spread over several
acres of swamp land. The tall dry
swamp grass furnished good material
for its spread and the flames leaped
nearly so feet in the air as they
swept forward to the river which for
tunately was between the fire and
highway, upon which the Wilson
buildings were located. AS the main
fire came to the rivers edge it's fury
died down and it did not jump ac1o ss.
1t is claimed that the fire originated
from hot clinkers thrown out from
the engine of the passing freight.