The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1921-02-19
5 FIREMEN INJURED
 IN HARD STRUGGLE

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 was poured into the building for number of hours later, in order that smouldering embers might be extin- guiShed. Probe Shows Matches. An investigation started this morn ing showed that the blaze started in the basement in either the boiler room or lunchroom. In the hallway on the second floor was found quantity of matches strewn over the floor, and in
 an adjoining room lay a box of matches. Chief A. D. JudSon would not say that the fire was incendiary, but admitted that the matches looked suspicious Other firemen who ar rived early on the scene, said that the flames appeared to start in several places at once. It is believed that the blaze had it's origin in the base ment and swept up to the second and the stairway.
 The high school as it stands today is complete wreck. All of the 15 rooms in the building were damaged by fire or water, and many va1ua- Die books and records were lost c. C.. Thompson, superintendent of schools said today that he hopes some of the records could be salvaged.
 H.; Every room on the second and third floors was gutted by the flames. Two pianos were destroyed on these floors, and all records, pa- pers and books were lost The first l
 fire, but was completely flooded by
 water. Holes were chopped in the floors to release the water which | measured over six feet deep in the | ing was standing except the walls | When the flagpole fell from the top i Of the building it pierced a heavy
 slate roof over the front porch and | norrowly missed several firemen. The building and surrounding trees l ana grounds were covered with | thick coating of ice this morning. Fire l escapes were also covered and pasSa ge l over these was almost i'm possible. Fire | lines were established to keep back | thee rowd which gathered to inspect 1 the ruins.
 l A meeting of the Board of Educa- | tlon was called this noon, and plans | were amed for holding school sessions
 in the Stratford- churches. Chief Jud- | son started a rigid examination to de- | termine the cause of the fire, and
 will pay particular attention to the
 finding of the matches on the second. 1 It is said that no one was in the building last night
 | Phone Line Heroine
 | Miss Marie Butcher, a Stratford tel ephone operator, was the heroine of | the blaze. The young lady summone- ed many fremen by telephone, and
 stuck to her post although the tele- phone building was in danger of be- | HIS ll1CO ny SpdihS "ulCh hSW lTOul theb urning High school. Bremen | were posted at nearby buildings to
 prevent a. spread of the flames.
 The High school building was a l three-story structure and was erected l in 1884. At the present time it was being used for both high and gram 1 mar school students. The High school classes were being operated on | half time, due to the overcrowde d
 conditions of the schools.
 At the Stratford school board ] meeting this noon it was decided to | resume regular school sessions on l Wednesday. All of the assembly
 and parish halls in the town, the | Masonic temple and the town hall | have been donated for use, and it is
 expected that these will provide am- pie room for the 600 pupils who
 were attending the high school.
 All of the students who attended
 sessions in the high school building will report in the Stratford theatre at o'clock Monday, morning, wher they will receive instructions as to
 where they will be placed on We'd nesday.