Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1866-07-11
sRAr FIRE AT PORTLAND, ME.

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a little below the foot of High street,
Portland on Wednesday afternoon. The
alarm was not givin for nearly half an
hour and it was another half hour before
the fire department, consisting Of five or
six steam engines, got fairly at work II
Meanwhile the fire had obtained such
Roadway as to be entirely beyond control.
It quickly spread to Upham's Touring
mill, and in succession to J. B. Brown s.
Sons's sugar house and all its surroundings
and to Il P. Richardson & Co.'S stove
founderies. all Of which buildinga large
number of wooden buildings up as far as
the old varnum House, on Pleasant st.,
one third the way up Center street, half
way up Cotton street completely up
Cross street, Union street, Temple street
Plum street and Exchange street.
1t swept down on the northcrly side of
Forest street to India on the east, while
on the west it moved along diagonally
across Middle street, and down to Cum
berland, taking the Elm House, but
sparing the First Parish church. then
from Chestnut to North street it made q
clean sweep on the southerly side Of Cum
.f-.F| - H . =
berland street to Congress street, and
everything else to Forest street as far
cast as India street. Congress street
from Chestnut street TO the observatory
is cleaned on both sides. Not building
is standing on Exchange street. Federal
street is entirely destroyed also Cumber-
land street from Pearl street to the hill on
both sides ALSO Union, Plum, Temple.
Lime and Silver stress, entire, and
franklin from Five to Oxford.
The fire thus swept completely through
the city, from the foot Of High street 20
North on Munjoy, destroying everything
in its track 50 completely that the lines
of the srcets can hardly be traced, and
a spac of one and half miles long by o
quarter of a mile wide appears like a for
est of chimneys, with fragments of walls
attached to them. ....f. ....sa 81.
All the banks are gone, all but three
of the printing Offices, all the jewelers. and
wholesale dry goods stores, telegraph and
insurance Offices. stationers stores, nearly
all the other business places. y.
The custom house being fire. proof, es-
capped, though greatly damaged, and the
court records in the upper story were
probably destroyed. The SPLENDID city
and county building on Congress st.which
was erected or 6 years ago at cost of
100000, and which was nearly freproof
was considered safe, and was piled full of
furniture by the ncighboring residents,
and then swept away with all lbs contents.
The wind was blowing gale from the
south, and tremendous sheet Of fame
swept along before it, destroying every.
thing in its passage. The utmost exer-
tons Of the fireman, aided by the steam
ers and hand engines from other places,
could only succeed in preventing it from
spreading in new directions Many
neutrality-suspicious. 50--were blown up to
check the flames. The inhabitants could
scarcely do more than fee with their fam
lilies to the upper upper part Of the city,
saving such goods as they could carry.
although every vehicle in the city was
employed to advantage in moving goods.
AT one time 1t was estimated that at
least eight acres ofbuildings were on fire.
The fire attained its height between s and
8 o'clock Wednesday evening. and from
that hour to a o'clock Thursday morning
ragged with undiminished force, when il
began to flag, and atz a m. had scnsibly
diminished in violence. 1t continued
burning, however. in many places, Thurs.
day afternoon. sn1al trr 1i}
One of the buildings burnt was the Ma.
tural History society rooms, on Congress
street with its valuable scientific stores
Five churches at least are burnt, inclu
ding the Baptist on Federal street. three
on Congress street aud the Roman Cath
Ollie bishops house with the church ad
joining. The Second Unitarian former.
merly Rev. Horato Stebbins was saved
as was also the United States Hotel. Tn,
hotels destroyed are the Elm. the Sturte
want. Kingsbury. International (owned b,
!, I. o. j. Smith, and Woods marble un
finished hotel. OF the buildings burnt
many were costly residences. while Their