Norwich bulletin., 1922-05-13
PUTNAM


Hundreds of acres. some estimates be-
ing as high as a thousand. were black
eped wastes in the town of Thompson
Friday after the destructive forest fires
| that broke out during Thursday and
faged ever the countryside in spite of
the efforts of a big force Of fre-fghters
that included railroad work trainmen
brought out from as far away as Bos-
ton.
The property damage is heavy, though
no buildings of Importance were de-
stroyed, and there was no loss of life.
Putnam people learned with interest
Friday of a forest fire that swept over
part Of the town of Douglas during
Thursday afternoon and night and
burned some cottages at the famous
camp ground.
Two destructive forest fires, one prob
ably started hv sparks from railroad
engine, visited the town of Thompson
| Thursday afternoon. and before they
were finally put out close to the mid
night hour, they had covered many hun
dreds Of acres of valuable timber land,
and made Claud Wiberg homeless, his
shack on the Corttis place being entire
! ly consumed together with the con-
tents.
Between $50 and $50 acres Of wooded
| land were burned over at North Gross
venordale, damaging trees from the
place of Commissioner e. H. Corttjs to
the state highway to Webster. The
Corttis home and building were endan-
gered during the progress of the fire,
but by efforts on the part Of men num-
boring 500 to 400, the place was SAL ed.
| A large quantity of railroad ties, owned
by A. ]. Lathrop of Danielson, tracts OF
timber, including one Of pine that Mr..
Corttis refused $2,400 for some months
ago, and timber owned by Truman. Rob
bins, were consumed, eurtailing losses
running into the thousands.
During the fire, Webster and the
Grosvenordale Company sent fremen
and apparatus to fight the flames and
| train with a large crew Of men, who
did good work in checking the progress
Of the fire and finally putting it out.
Late in the afternoon Thursday, an
other fire started about mile and g
half north Of Sunset Hill on the edge OF
the Wilsonville'- district and burned
south with great speed, the north wine
tanning the flames The fire travelled
southerly to near Davis Crossing, burn
ing over between $50 and 400 acres O.
land.
As the fire sped on its way the prop
erty of Calvin Spinney was threatened
and was saved only by tremendous ef
fort by 200 volunteer fire fighters. L
was feared for a time that nothing
could save the places of Lowell Davis
A. NJ. Covell Frank Knight and th'
beautiful Gladding estate. The fire hat
such Roadway and was burning 81
fiercely that conquering it was despairet
of for a time but the men kept hare
at work and finally succeeded in no
onl ysaving all the houses endangered
but in checking the fire entirely.
There is conflicting opinion as to tn
reason for the starting of this latte
fire. Some think a spark from the fir
! adjacent to the Corttis place may hav
, been the cause but others think it wa
! started from some other cause, a match
cigarette, or the like.
t Following a IOng established custom
: Putnam lodge of Elks has arranged 70
/ its annual ladies' night entertainment
/ scheduled for next Tuesday evening
This event will bring together a larg
number of the members Of the lodgg
5 their wives and sweethearts-and not
f few mothers Of the members.
VI Union hall has been engaged for tn
\ | dancing that is to be one of the fea
/ lures of the evening and music viii b
by Satr!ano's orchestra of Hartford, a
, organization not yet heard in this cit!
a The banquet that is to be part of til
| evenings pleasure is to be given in Elk
: home The committee in charge Of II
II arrangements is made up Of Attorne
Archibald Macdonald. J. W. Lynel