Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-11-12

the first hours of the confagration its progress
was watched by thousands of spectators who
thronged the streets between fremont and
Washington, and gathered in great crowds on
the Common and wherever there was view
Of It. A large proportion OF these were la
dies, and as the hour of eleven passed most
of these retired to their homes, and the streets
were for short time clearer than they had
been. But soon from every direction came a
great and excited company Of men, whose in
terest In the event of the night no idle or
speculative curiosity, but the sharp, matter
of fact considerations of property, business
! and profit. They came from every direction
in rapid moving throngs and after them came
a large force of drays and one-horse teams to
90 their bidding. There was no room III the
| narrow streets for loiterers now. The fire
was already setting its wizard teeth upon the
| rear walls of the stores on the east side OF
/ Washington street, and on both sides doors
were barst open and hundreds of sta!wsrt
| arms bent to the work Of relieving these ef-
Establishments of their most valuable contents.
! Every sort OF vehicle that could be ob aimed
was brought into use, aud the ponderous drays
| were allowed 10 move freely all alons the
street, over the hose lines and among the
! gnrs, for the sake Of rcscuing such property
! rs it was possible to save. Many OF the deaf
/ crs on the upper side CT Washington stree;
! took Ike precautions. Rough looking cX
! press wagons were driven away from the
! bookstores full of the choicest works OF stand
| ord literature in sunptuous buildings, thrown
in helter-s kelter. Oiher teams carried away
! the contents Of carpet stores and the various
| retail establishments Mcssrs. Week. Pot
| ter were notably active in clearing out their
| establishment. This being continued for two
| hours. while the fire was raging most terribly,
! causing the principal streets, so brilliantly IL
Illuminated, to have the appearance OF lite and
hustle usually presented at midday.
Passing along tie streets where the water
| ran from the dripping hose in torrents under
foot, while the fire cleaned with a horrid
glare overhead. and wd shouts filled the air,
the stores on both sides of Washington street
| were ssen to be full of men hurrying to and
fro, in obedience to the direction of proprlc-
tors, and arranging the contents tor sudden
and immediate removal The fire kept on
and began to break through the rear wall OF
the stores between Franklin street and the
Old South. BY 3 O'Clock both buildings on
the corner of Franklin street were envelopcd
in flames. and all the efforts OF the fremen
were bent toward saving the Marlboro Hotel,
which several times caught fire. 1t came
through with rush into the clothing estab-
lishnlent Of Jacobs < Deanc and the magnif
cent store OF Macullar, Williams & Parker.
At this time il appeared by no means certain
that the iremen would be able to shield the
upper side of Washington street, and the peo-
pie who inhabit Montgomery place, Province
street and court aud vicinity prepared for an
early and hasty departure. Many Of them
took out their goods and placed them in the
Old Granary burying ground, and on the
Common. Ga the other extreme of the field
OF the fire similar operation was going on.
, The hundreds OF people who still inhabit the
dwelling houses that are left below Pearl
street on the Fort Hill territory were forced
to convey their goods and chattels to the open
space in that vicinity. which at dayb:eak vas
almost completely covered with y1gran. fur
; nitnre.
At an carly hour III the morning n compa
ny of marines arrived from Charlestown and
, took up their position on Washington street.
, where they assisted in keeping the crowd
a back from the fast-burning buildings. Steam
engines continued to arrive from neigh6Orng
towns constantly, and as they appeared in
/ Washington street, they were heartily checred
by the alert and sympathetic spectators Mr.
, Damrell telegraphed during the night to all
4 the principal points available, and even to
New York, for help, and at 80 \. NJ. an en-
CINE from Portsmouth put in an appearance,
i having come Il special train. Engines
i from Providence were also on hand in good
l. season. At daybreak, which was not until 6
@ o'clock, the fire was completely encircled by
a lIne of engines, all OF HIGH were hard .,
work to prevent the spreading of the fire. 1T
vas, thank heaven, a gallant and winning
! fight on Washington street. The buildings
continued from to 6 \. NJ. to burn Through
and fall in, frequently endangering the llyes
of the brave men who were tcnding the en-
gines but n few feet distant. Bur the fire
never fairly got foothold on the upper side,
and so confidence became again partly re-
. stored, and there was less danger OF panic
BY daylight, too, the fire was fully in hand
. from the corner of Summer and Washington
down along its southern line, and only con-
tinued TO rage with undated fury on the
State street side. and down Milk towards
Broad. 1t was for long time question
whether the new Transcript building on Wash.
, ington street, near the corner OF Milk, would
, be destroyed. \ dozen times it seemed on
, fire, and yet the flames kept oti and did not
, deyour it. But the fire continued to rage on
1 Hawley street. and burned up against the rear
OF the Transcript building fl rcely. The fire
men could not save it. Far greater was the
! interest which hinged on the fate of the Old
Sonlh Church, which thousands believed to
{ be doomed, and if that once got fairly on fire,
it seemed possible, and even probable, that
the fire might march on uninterrupted across
, Washington street to Court street. The eX-
tinction of the flames in the buildings On the
other side Of Milk street prevented this terri
BILE expansion OF the disaster. The new post
office building formed an effective barrier to
the flames below that point, and shielded the
magnificent new Riallo building on the Sim
mons estate on Devonshire street. But
, through the tisd, r boxes on Congress street
adjacent TO the new postotiice and down Milk
street and around to Water street the flames
, seemed to move nnimpedcd. Thus the de-
structinn on Congress street and Kllby street
was far greater than on Devonshre street.
where the fine building of the Boston Post
was saved in spite of the burning of the half
completed block on the Simmons estate be-
low it. Along the northerly side of Water
street below the Post building, around through
Liberty square and down among the oil and
crockery stores in Milk street, the Are was
still spreading rapidly when the full light OF
day overcame and dispeled the red glare OF
fire which had enshrouded the city during the
lve!ong night.
SUMMARY OF DESTRUCTION,
High street, from one end to the other il
one mass of smoking ruins.
At three O'Clock Yesterday morning flint