The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-08-14

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE. --TLe following are the
full particulars Of the fireof yesterday morning:
"At twenty minutes past o'clock yesterday
morning officers Tolman and Gribben discov-
cred fire in the stable of William Baldwin,
connected with his dwelling house, on Pleas
ant street near the corner of Fore and Centre
street. The alarm was quickly given, but be-
fore assistance arrived the stable and the car
riage house adjoining were wrapped in flames.
There were some carriages and loose hay in
the buildings, which made the combustion
more rapid. These were quickly destroyed
and the flames spread to the rear wing of Mr.
Baldwins house which was of wood This
was occupied by Mrs. Highland, widow who
barely escaped with her life. The family that
occupied the brick ell of the house were driy-
en- out with their furniture, but tLeii home
was saved. Behind the stables, and filling the
space between it and Co6b's Court, were
number of wooden dwellings, occupied by Irish
families. The flames from the burning stable
communicated with two, owned by Mr..
Thomas Gill, and occupied by families named
Sullivan, Connolly, Lee, Mrs. Kilmartin,
Michael Cloonap, Michael Kyne, and Paul
Kervan. So far as we can learn these families
saved little ifany of their household effects
The building occupied by Mr.. Gill himself,
which fronted on Centre street, was also de-
stroyed Mr.. Gill lost most of his furniture
and saved but little of the stock in his store.
A family named Silver occupied part of the
house, and probably lost nearly everything
MI John Flaherty owned the dwelling next
above Mr.. ellis, on Centre street. This was
completely ruined, but the other houses in the
block, owned by Mr.. O Nealey and Mr.. Haley
were less injured. The furniture was removed
from all these.
Around on Cobb's Court two houses were
entirely consumed, and another considerably
damaged One of these was owned by Mrs.
Larkin and occupied by herself and Patrick
Conroy, Mrs. Flaherty and Mrs. Connolly.
Little was saved. A wake over a dead child
was being held in the house when the fire
broke out. The corpse was carried out,but the
living inmates were so much excited that they
did mot attempt to save any property. One
old lady refused to 60 when the rest did, and a
rumor prevailed that she was burned to death,
but this was not SO. Mrs. ONeils house ad-
joining was also destroyed. Mrs. Flaherty
and Mrs. Nelson occupied the house in con-
junction with Mrs. O'Neil, and they say the
flames were upon them so quickly that they
saved but very little. A large two story house
also owned by Mrs. O'Neil was on fine several
times, but it was saved without material in
jury. Had this building gone, the large school
house would have been endangered and the
fire might have extended much further than
it did.
The remains of a woman were found in the
ruins, burned to crisp. The face head and
limbs were burned to coal and the trunk pre-
sented most horrid sight. Identification was
impossible, but it is said to be the body of
Mrs. Welsh, an aged woman who lived in one
of the houses 1t is said that she went back
into the burning building to save some prop
erty, and was cut off by the flames. The want
of water greatly retarded the operations of the
fire department. The engines were obliged
to change position once or twice from this
cause, and the flames meantime made great
progress. The three story brick dwelling on
Pleasant street, known as the Varnum house,
took fire at one of these intervals, but it was
extiuguished. The fremen worked bravely,
and the fire was well managed. Fortunately
there was little wind until sunrise. Had
there been, the roofs of some of the neigh
boring buildings, as dry as Under, must have
ignited
Mr.. Baldwin had an insurance of $1,000 on
all his buildings. Mrs. O'Neal's were insured
for $500. Mr.. Gill had $500 on the stock in
his store and $1,000 on the house he occupied
and $500 on the houses which stood in the
rear Mrs. Larkin, we are told was insured,
but how much we were unable to ascertain.
There was report that several horses were
burned, but we are assured that this is not the
fact. The fire was unquestionably the work OF
an incendiary." The above is the Advertiser
account of the confiagration.
Another Fsre.-Yesterday morning about
halfpast nine the alarm from Box So called the
firemen from Cobb's Court, the scene of the
fire early in the morning, TO Beach street to q
two-story wooden house with ell, owned by
Sylvester Roach, who was away at sea, and
occupied by his wife. Mrs. Roach was engaged
in ironing and had just stepped out of doors a
few minutes when she turned and saw the
house in flames. 1t probably caught from a
defect in the chimney. The furniture was
| all removed. The house was insured in the
Fireman's Fund Insurance Company of San
Francisco, at the agency Of Twombly s. Tuck
er in this city, for $1,000. Valued at $1,000
l Still A7a0ther.-The alarm at ten minutes Of
six last evening was occasioned by tbs discoy.
cry of o fire in the attic of the middle barracl
of the second row in vacant lot near Beac l
street. The fire department was promptly on
hand, but the fire was extlnguished without
the aid of the engines, though pile of wood
was well under way in the attic. A break was
discovered in the wall and few feet from the
floor there was an appearance indicating that
| paper had been applied and set on fire. Deputy
Marshal Bolton investigated the case, and his
suspicious being aroused he sent officers Phil
brook and Haskell to arrest a woman named
Margaret Gribben, an occupant of the barrack
1t is known that this woman had recently re-
moved her property from the building and
there was strong suspicion that she had set il
on fire. She was iu a state of intoxication
when arrested, and the truth Of the charges
against her can only be determined by ju.
dic!al Investigation. a }ssa s