UntitledBarn Burns
At Stonykill.
CHELSEA — The second
major fire in the area in less
than two weeks destroyed a
large barn on the Stonykill
Farm early this morning.
Seventy-five firemen a n d
eight p i e c e s of equipment
from the Chelsea, Rombout,
Hughsonville and New Hack-
ensack fire departments were
at the scene for more than
five hours, finally returning to
quarters at 5 o'clock.
Herbert Muller Jr., Chelsea
fire chief, termed the origin
of the blaze "suspicious" and
requested the Dutchess
County Sheriff's Department
to investigate.
On Dec. 26, a fire, also
d e e m e d suspicious, heavily
damaged the unoccupied man-
sion on the Popula Estate.
Muller's father, Herbert Sr.,
supervisor of the Town of
Fishkill who retired last week
as the superintendent of the
farm, estimated the damage
at about $50,000.
Destroyed was a
60 x 200 -foot wooden barn in
which 500 bales of hay and
two pieces of farm machinery
had been stored. Nothing was
saved.
The farm currently is oper-
ated by Carl Ehlers, who has
been associated with its oper-
ation since 1949. The farm is
under the control of the State
Department of Social Services
and is used by the State Agri-
cultural and Technical College
at Farmingdale.
There had been two barns
on the property, both built by
students 30 years ago.