Earl Ashton This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Welcome to Kathie Marriott Manangan Number One Realty Office In Park City Utah

   parkcityproperty.com/testimoni - [Cached]

   Published on: 2/25/2006   Last Visited: 2/5/2008

   Earl Ashton , Vice President, Investment Consultant Merrill Lynch

2. 2. Welcome to Kathie Marriott Manangan Number One Realty Office In Park City Utah

   www.parkcityproperty.com/testi - [Cached]

   Published on: 2/25/2006   Last Visited: 2/5/2008

   Earl Ashton , Vice President, Investment Consultant Merrill Lynch

3. 3. Press Enterprise, Inc

   www.pressenterpriseonline.com/ - [Cached]

   Published on: 1/29/2005   Last Visited: 1/31/2005

   , Renovations to Earle Ashton's $700,000 dream retirement home on a hilltop overlooking Irish Valley were nearly complete Jan. 18 when a wind-stoked, early morning fire leveled all but the foundation and chimney.
   ...
   On Friday, the 48-year-old Ashton took owners of the two contracting firms out to breakfast before treating them to a shopping spree at Lowe's in Buckhorn to replace their equipment on Ashton's tab.
   
   About 10 shopping-cart loads later, Ashton's bill came to about $9,000.
   
   Ashton, a Merrill Lynch stock trader from New Brunswick, N.J., said replacing the gear was the least he could do for the best crew of workers he's ever hired. He said he's also built homes in New Jersey and Utah.
   ...
   "I feel like I'm playing supermarket sweep," joked Ashton, who seemed to pay little attention to price tags. Ashton said he also owns Lowe's stock.
   
   "In order to rebuild, these guys need tools," Ashton added. "I just want to get these guys back in business."
   
   Ashton said the home was insured. The contractors will get back to work building a new home in the same spot as soon as Ashton settles an insurance claim.
   
   "I want to rebuild, nail by nail, the way it was," Ashton said.
   
   And the contractors are looking forward to returning Ashton's favor.
   ...
   Ashton planned to move to this Northumberland County community full time with the idea of commuting to work in New Jersey.
   
   He envisioned throwing parties on the deck of his in-ground pool and admiring the spectacular view from an estimated 2,000 feet up a hill.
   
   Ashton boasted about the colorful autumn view.
   
   Gazing down to the east of the property, smoke rises from the Susquehanna nuclear power plant near Berwick. And that's a 45-mile drive from Ashton's. If you look carefully, you can even see the plant's smoke stacks.
   
   To the north, the smoke rises from PPL's Washingtonville plant, some 30 miles away.
   
   Ashton found all this by accident about two years ago when a friend from Buffalo, N.Y., the best man at Ashton's wedding, agreed to meet Ashton at a midway point between Buffalo and New Jersey to minimize driving time.
   
   They settled on the Limestoneville exit off Interstate 80 of all places.
   
   After meeting, they traveled toward Sunbury, a town Ashton was familiar with. They took a detour through back roads off Route 61, and Ashton ultimately discovered a "for sale" sign that led him to his retirement spot. Some folks around here know it as "the glass house." One side of the house was all windows.
   
   Plus, "People here are nice and real," Ashton said. The community reminded him of where he grew up in New Jersey.
   
   "I said, 'I can live here. This is gorgeous,'" said Ashton, who has three adult children with wife Kathy.
   
   '85 percent' done
   
   Ashton said he paid about $240,000 for the brick ranch home here built in 1964 by a car dealer.
   ...
   "We were picking out paint colors," Ashton lamented.
   
   Ashton found the perfect $4,000 oak door. Square wall corners were rounded. He had new plumbing and electric systems installed.
   
   Ashton installed a uniform door lock system.
   
   The house had a front portico held up by two large wooden beams that were transplanted from the home's original construction.
   
   'Cruel day'
   
   Ashton was driving a friend to Philadelphia's airport on Jan. 18 when he got the cell phone call about the fire.
   
   He turned around and hurried north to assess the damage.
   
   Firefighters got the call at 6:02 a.m. The house was gutted by 6:20 a.m., Ashton said.
   
   The person who dialed 9-1-1 for help noticed the fire from a half-mile away.
   
   The fire was fueled by winds estimated at 40 mph. Before fighting the fire, firefighters had to travel snowy, icy hills in freezing temperatures to reach Ashton's secluded property.
   
   Once they arrived, they found a fire burning so hot it warped steel floor beams.
   
   "It was a cruel day," Ashton said. "As bad as it hurts, I could have been moved in already."
   
   Ashton said he stayed over at the house on occasion while it was being built, but luckily not the night of the fire.
   
   Tpr. Leon Brown, a fire marshal from the state police barracks in Stonington, investigated the fire but could not determine a cause due to the "severity of the damage."
   
   Brown would not comment further on the fire, saying he's still investigating a cause.
   
   "I'm at a loss," Ashton said.