The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1921-02-26
ERNEST THOMAS
HOME IS BURNED
West GuilfOrd Fire Causes
Loss Estimated at
About $500
MAIN BARN AND
STOCK ARE SAVED
Chimney Burned Out in Morning, but
Danger Is Thought TO BE Over When
Fire Breaks Out in Afternoon -
House Insured for $500.

Fire which resulted from the burn
ing out of a chimney destroyed the
home of Ernest Thomas and family in
West Guilford between , and 4 O'Clock
yesterday afternoon, burning the house
and ell, a shed and horse barn adjoin-
ing, and Il hog house which stood near
tie horse barn. The main barn. where
the cattle were kept, was not burned,
and another hog house was saved these
two buildings being some distance from
the Others Most of the furniture was
burned, also some of the contents of
/ the shed and horse barn. but no live
stock was lost
The house, which was Il two-story
structure, was the first house at the ton
ot the hill after passing the West Gull
iord church on the way to Brattleboro
II was built 81 years ago and was known
| formerly as the Amos Ihurber place
Mr. Thomas has occupied it 10 years or
more. Mr.. Thomas was overcome by
smoke and was taken in a sleigh to
lie home of his father-in law, Walter
/ l,helDs, and a physician was summoned.
lie Is DONG Wen, but viii have to be
quiet a few days
There was 81 800 insurance on the
| house and $50 on the furniture, through
George NJ. Claws insurance agency i'm
Brattieboro. To replace the property
probably would cost from 5000 to
$1,000. 1t is thought that $500 is a
fair estimate of the loss.
The burning out of a chimney is re-
sFonsible for the loss. 4 chimney FIRE
started in the morning and Mrs Thomas
telephoned to the home of X. II. Thomas
The nearest neiahbor, for assistance. The
cleaned, and so far as could be seen
everything was all right when those
who came to help went away.
About O'Clock Mrs. Thomas heard
a cracking sound and discovered smoke
IN the upper part of the house. She
called to George I.ynde, who was driv-
/ ing past with a load, and telephoned
AGAIN to r. H. Thomas. When the lat.
ter arrived, slate were falling off the
roof and the whole upper part of the
| house was on fire
Other help soon arrived and some OF
the furniture was removed from the
! lower rooms. but they were not carried
lar enough away and the intense heat
ig;nited and destroyed some of them.
Ernest Thomas was on his way home
from Brattleboro with his work team
when the fire started. and reached home
i'm time TO see the upper part OF the
house i'm flames He rushed III and
saved what he could, but soon became
overcome and exhausted.
The hogs and poultry were taken out
of the hog house and the cattle IN the
main barn. of which there were 80 or
more head, were turned into the barn
yard as a measure of safety. Wet
blankets were placed over the end OF the
barn. which was about 80 feet away. A
mare was taken ont of the barn and
bifched to n fence. Soon she began to
make things lively and II was discovered
that a bedquilt thrown over her was
smouldering
Mr.. Thomas's gasoline engine was
saved. Seven or eight tons of phosphate
which had Just been stored in the horse
barn were destroyed.
II Is thought that the heat from the
chimney fire started blaze in par-
tition. which was not apparent when
the chimney fire was extingulshed.