The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-08-28
A NIGHT OF TERROR.

From the Portland Daily advertiser
One of the most terrible experiences of
that night Of confagration and woe i'm this
city, the night OF the 18th of July last, was
that endured by q. X. Harmon, ESQ.,. the
gentlemanly Claim Agent. Shut up i'm the
massive U y. Post-Ofice and Custom House
building there was noway of escape. Dur
Ing the long night he was obliged to remain.
Egress on Exchange Street was impossible.
Thefiames were leaping out from the hich
Fox Block, and the heat cleaving off LARGE
rocks from the massive walls of the build
ing. The sidewalks and the street were
literally red with heat-a perfect sea of
name rolled up from the lower part of Ex-
cnange Street on the front, while ON Lime
Street the intense heat from the Sturdivant
House and the new Printing House of the
Advertiser, just finishing, both wooden build
ings, perfectly enveloping the U. S. build
ing i'm sheets of fame.
Yhe only hope was in the endurance of
the building, it being fire-proof. and
yet the wood work in the upper portion of
1t was in flames, and sitting smoke filled
every room even to the cellar. 1t does not
appear that Mr.. Harmon was discouraged:
on the other hand, he manfully lent ali his
energies in efforts to subdue the flames in
the upper story, and coolly meditated as a
last resort to endeavOr to run the gauntlet
of fire encased in naail-bags. This is the cour-
age and GOODNESS of which heroes aremade.
and which have turned the tide of battle on
many bloody field. He attributes his sal
vation to a kind Providence. 1t was really
little less than a miracle, as any one NAV
see by glanang at the disfgured massive
walls OF the U. s. building, which must
have undergone little less than red-hot
heat. Mr.. Harmon favors us with the fol-
L IF
In his own language
ciaAgn9ia q PORTLAND, July both, 1866.
TO the Editor of the Advertiser.
Your kind request for me to write out for
publication the history Of my entrance an I'd
clearance at our Custom House on the MIC hit
OF the great fire, has been duly consider ed.
but fear can hardly do so without app ear
Ing egotistical. II enclose you slip from a
letter OF a. correspondent of the Boston
Traveller, to which friend has called nv
attention, cand which appeared therein with
out my knowledge, which gives very cor
rect account of the affair." M
VIII add, however, that the first hour of
our imprisonment we had little hopes of
ever getting outaliye; thebuil iingwas com
pletely enveloped in flames raore than two
hours, and the walls of the surrounding
buildings falling and crashing around us
in an awful manner. We knew our only
safety was to Keep the fire from getting in
side the building. We could not find the
well, which we knew was ip. the cellar some
where; finally We flowed the water into a
privy bowl and dipped it into buckets.
The glass In the Nindoy VS. fell out as soon
as it became heated, and the fire and sharks
came driving In around the crevices Of the
shutters amongst the aails and mail-baes
In dangerous manney.
The beat and smOk were becoming ex-
tremely oppressive. Collector Washburn's
private room wa4 tfe first on fire, the iron
shutter having barr open. I- :.
Judge Clif6.sl's room on the north side
was the next ON IRE, as the shutter could
not be closed ct all, but one bucket of
water at the right time was enough to ex-
tingush them. Having had previous ex-
perience, we knew that IAN ounce of pre-
ventive was worth a pound of cure. -
retained my presence of mind during
the Whole time, although thoroughly alarm
ed for the safety of ourselves and the build
ing. nAbout a cord of law books piled
against a rear window where there was no
shutter, made us much trouble, the flames
blowing into the building badly, We had
more trouble with this heap Of laao than any
other place, except the northeast room i'm
third story, which finally got the mastery of
us. ytrny aeDi fdB0sa-lfs4 naa5, 81 } ft
1 had decided that if we did have to leave
the building and run for life, to draw large
mail%bags over our heads; by cutting holes
to see through we concluded we could go
through considerable fire, but near daylight
we deliberately walked out of the Postmas-
ter's, window, thankful to that kind Provi-
dence who does not suffer evena sparrow to
fall to the ground without his notice.
My two comrades, whom had never seen
before, proved to be David Scribner and Jo-
seph w, Bartlett, of old Newbmyport God
bless her for her prompt and munificent as
sistance to our hOuseless citizens. q
-ibsa Respectfully yours,
brow adt 9RB oW u. IL. HARMON.