Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-07-20
The Great Portland Confla@tion.---
Description Of the Scene b an eye
Witness.

We learn from a gentlelan, who |
TT V e d from Po It a II d
and was an eye witness of tie confa-
grafton from its commences nt, the
following particulars: The re COM
menced about half past four d We'd
nesday afternoon in a small cooper
shop On Commercial street, in the
rear of Browns large sugar house.
After burning the foundry AID small
shops in its vicinity, it destrqed the
planning mill of Littlefeld & Wilson,
U ph a m s -four establishment and
Browns sugar house. Crosshg Fore
street it took in its path severl wood
en- buildings, and the large store
house belonging to Browns sugar
house. 1t then continued down Com
mercial street, destroying lichard
sons foundry and iron shop md sew
eraI wooden buildings, up through
Fore street extending down both
sides Of the street. Itran up Centre
and Cotton streets to Cros street,
from Cross street it took Wnslow's
machine shop, following on b,th sides
of Union street up to Middle street,
extending down Middle and Fore
streets to Exchange street 1t de-
voured everything in its path from
Union to Exchange streets. 1t swept
both sides of Exchange and Lime
streets, taking in its progress Woods
large hotel, taking in Willow and
Dur SUreeUo, nUorly avuu, on til
south side Of Middle street, to India
street. 1t crossed Middle street at
Cross, running down the latter street
and sweeping away everything to
Montjoy'S hill. Still on in norther-
ly direction it went through from
Middle street to Cumberland street,
destroying everything on that street
to Montoy's hill. 1t also extended
down many other streets running at
right angles with Cumberland street
to the north.
The above is a general outline OF the
path taken by the devouring element
as furnished by onr informer. He es-
Inmates that it was over mile in
length and about One-iourth Of a mile
mile in width The whole area now
presents to the eye nothing but one
vast forest of chimneys, the fury OF
the flames famed by the strong south
erly wind being so great thai every
thing combustible was swallowed W
in its path.
In the vicinity of the spot where
the fire originated there were nothing
but dry wooden buildings, which fur
niShed the best possible food for the
flames, and the water, Of which, un
fortunately, there was a scarcity, haC
no effect whatever upon it.
The fire was not got under contFo
, until about 4 o'clock, on the 9TH inst
and at Il o'clock, the time Of tn
departure OF this gentleman, numbe
Of buildings were still burning,
Very little was done III aid OF th
sufferers, so general was the loss
4 Unusually little confusion occurre,
| during the fire, as nearly all VIII
, were in its probable path had after tn
first two hours time to pack thei
furniture and get out of its way.
The suffering of those thus turne,
f out of doors is increased by the fac
{ that for a long time houses have nc
been in proportion with the popul3
ton Of the city, and hundreds of fan
lilies cannot by any possibility b
= sheltered. Nearly all the provislo
stores were destroyed, and this rea
ders it very difficult to procure tn
necessaries of life, 50 that it is abs(
;, lutely necessary that they should b
sent from other places. Thousand
e Of persons, male and female, al
h thrown out of employment, many
e whom lost their tools, and it is feare
- that in many instances their emplo,
ers have lost all their property, an
may not be able to pay them VIII;
lie may have been due to them.
s. The scene when the fire was at i
ID hight was one Of fearful terror. II
Of flames, famed by the high win
p; leaped madly from building to bull
ing, sometimes overlapping low bull
I'll ings and seized upon some high o.
no beyond them, and then, as if jealol
nd that their desolating work should n
to be complete, surging backward al
,o sweeping away, as in a moment, tho
Q which they had before overleape
70 The air was filled with live Goals, a.
~ shingles and other fragments, Ii
as devastating torches, were borne {
at ward to blocks beyond the prese
Of boundaries of the conhagration, al
thus hurried on its ravages wi
fearful rapidity. The occupants
'Se houses in its line of progress, St
rs. ing that their residences were 81
'ed to be devoured, moved their fur
,,ay ture to places beyond which they
$50 lieyed it could reach only to have
ent move it again, and in many instant
to find it at last consumed by
90 flames. Such was the extent of
~, fire that the firemen were alm'
''' powerless. While they were gala
I'd ly fighting it in one direction it HI
49, almost undisputed sway in othe
- The fremen doubtless did all ii
~ could, but they were powerlesS beft
'. such tornado of fire and flame. I
'P 20 people behaved we'll, laboring W
no+ every energy to aid the fremen, or
nf rescue the goods Of those whose rt
" dences lay in the course of the Fl
Buildings were torn down and bio
up far in advance Of the fire, but
no. flames would overleap the chas
thus made and go on with increas
force to further conquests.
Our informant did not hear {
estimate Of the amount Of insural
,ok upon the property destroyed. It '
Irc quite large, but fears are entertain