The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1822-06-18
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PORTLAND, TUESDAY, JUNE 10, 1929.
FIRE.

On Saturday, about o'clock, r. NJ this tow n
was alarmed by cry Of fire-commencing in
the joiner's shop Of Mr.. Friend Loring, in Maine
Street, nearly opposite Hon. Matthew Cobb's.-
1t has been supposed by some that the fire was
communicated to shavings under Mr.. Loring'
building by the blowing of rocks in the neighbor-
hood. Others suppose, and, probably with truth,
il was occasioned by the smoking of segars by
BOYS in the neighborhood, many Of whom carry a
lens for the purpose of displaying this act OF ju
venie buckisn.
We understand, too, that several boys were
seen near Mr.. Lorlng's burning powder in a
small brass gun. This may have occasioned the
fire.
1t is fact, too, that the place where the fire
was first discovered was about Is feet distant
from the place ofblowing, on the windward side;
and that it had broken out from the under part
of the building, and no appearance of fire was
discovered until the interior of the building was
enveloped in flames. The fire spread with such
rapidity from Mr.. Iroring's shop, which contain
ed much combu.ti5le matter that every effort
was vain to extinguish it, and to prevent its
spreading to the adjoining buildings. 50 dry
were the houses and shops, that when cnder
atighted upon the roof, it instantly ignited, and
the wind being pretty fresh, the blaze spread
almost with the rapidity of lightning Not
withstandinG all the eXertions of the citizens,
many Of which were arduous and well directed,
the devourinr clement consumed more buildings,
we believe, than have been lost at any lire in
this town since the revolution.
The following detail of the particulars we be-
lieye to be correct:
From Mr. Loring's shopit Immediately COM
municated to the Dwellng-FIouse owned and
hu Mr n,,in hu from thpuca
to the house and stable owned by Mr. James
Deerng, and occupied by Mr.. Josiah Clark,
butcher; from thence it communicated to the
house and biacksmith's shop, owned by Mr..
Daniel Green. and occupied by Mr.. Weber
Noble. The fire then received trifing check
at the brick house formerly owned by MIR. Smith
Cobb-but at the time owned by Mcssrs. Dan'-
Green of this town, and Sam'l. Hadlock, OF
Mount Desert, and occupied by Messrs. Smith
Cobb, Ephraim Twolnbly, Increase Bonnet, and
Widow Twomby. By this time the Goals OF fire
were forced by the wind in such quantities, that
the brick walls afforded but a feeble barrier
against this destructive element. Sooo it was
seen bursting out In various parts of the roof Of
the house and stables owned and occupied by
Mr. Benjamin Dodge, at the head of Green
Street-which at the time threatened the UNI
versal conAarration Of the buildings on the N.
w. side OF Maine-Street-but number Of no.
bic spirited citizens planted themselves on the
roof Of the brick store owned by fIr. Rufus
Horton, and improved BY Messrs. Elliot Libby
and Oliver Everett, as stores, and Joshua Dunn.
dwelling house, north side Of Green-Street,
and by continually dashing the water on to
the roof and upon the wooden building adjoining,
that Notwithstanding it was repeatedly on fire,
they succeeded in extinEuishing it at the
hazard Of suffocation by the smoke, and heat
forced by the wind from the buildings opposite.
From Mr.. Dodge's buildings il instantly extend
cd 10 the house and two barns owned and i'm
proved by Mr.. Daniel Green, on the same side
OF the Street--thence it soon reached the house
and stable improved by the widow Of the late
Robert Huston; thence to the house owned by
Mr.. Avian eastman, and occupied b Mr.. John
Mattochs-thence to the hsuse and stable own
ed BY the widow Of the late Salmon Chase, Esq.
and improved by Capt. Ansel Lewis, ir. and
Mr.. Charles Kimball. Before thew had time to
remove all the furniture, il communicated to the
large and councillors house formerly improved
as tavern, but at the time owned and irnprov-
ed by Mr. Joseph Good, Jr.-thence if extend
ed to the house owned by William Pullen, ESQ.
Of Harlem, and occupied BY Rev. Timothy
Wolcott, Mr. Clernen1 Pennel, y. an1 Hiss