Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1921-02-11
DUST EXPLOSION CAUSES $4,000 FIRE
BRISTOL BOX FACTORY DESTROYED
Firemen Succeed in Keeping Flames
from Dry KilnS and Lumber

Spontaneous combustion of wood
dust from sand wheels caused a fire
that destroyed the Bristol factory and
main office of the Vermont Box Com
pany early last evening. The loss was
estimated by Ford M. Thomas, CO.
partner with his brother Thorpe in the
ownership of the firm, as $4,000. The
factory will be rebuilt Immediately.
The fire was caused by a double ex-
plosion of the dust in both the north
and south ends of the building. In a
few moments the entire structure, a
one story wooden building l50 by 100
feet, was a mass of flames. The local
fire department fought the flames for
an hour and half and posted detail
to watch during the night. There was
neither wind nor snow to hamper their
efforts. Mr.. Ford Thomas himself,
when found by the Register reporter,
was wet to the skin, his cap fringed
with icicles. as the result of his own
active participation in the battle with
the destroyer of his factory. The dry
kilns and lumber yard were the first
objectives of the department From
the very beginning the main building
had been doomed, so quickly did the
flames spread along the dust covered
rafters and ceiling, but by ceaseless
energy they were confined to the manu-
featuring department.
The ninety workers of the plant had
gone home at 5'o'clock and one half
hour later when Harrison Lufkin, night
,,,o oL+,,o,, oda bie -O,rde ha tot;cad
nothing to indicate the destruction
that was to shortly follow. P R. Hill,
manager of the company's garage
adjoining the burned building, was at
work when the first explosion occurred.
When he went to investigate he found
the knob of the door leading to the
factory almost too hot to permit his
touching it. AS he opened the door
his face seemed to be scorched by the
terrific heat of the air within. Before
he could step across the threshold the
second explosion blew out one Of the
large frame windows and the inrush
of cool air from outside famed the ter
rifle heat within to the kindling point
Nand Immediately enveloped the length
and width Of the factory in flames.
The fire alarm signal did not follow
the beginning of the fire for several
minutes. In fact pieces of the appara-
tus had been hauled out of the barns
as soon as the flames reddened the sky
to await the alarm for the men Chief
F. H. Palmer ordered out every avail
able piece of apparatus, and the entire
length of hose, more than 25O0 feet,
was used to pour Z streams into the
fire.
Seven years ago last night the Drake
Farr Block on Main street was des-
troyed by fire in a temperature that
registered is degrees below zero. Eigh-
teen years ago the Bert Cane novelty
wood working plant that had occupied
the same site of the Thomas plant was
wiped out by fire and the building des-
troved last evening had been erected
on its ruins The same company lost
factory in similar way in New Ha-
ven ten wears ago.
The Vermont Box Company has
manufactured the cases of the Gillette
Safety Razor Company of Boston,
Mass, since the beginning of their sale.
The two other Thomas factories will be
sufficient to take care of all orders
and it is expected that many OF the
hands thrown out of work in Bristol
will find employment in the New Ha-
ven and other Bristol plants