The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-10
INTENSE EXCITEMENT.
Three Valuable Steamers Reduced
to Cinders.
Two Wharves, Filled with Mer.
chandise, Destroyed.
The Harbor Brilliantly Lighted Up
by the Flames.


PORTLAND, Me- August Q, 1873
The commercial capital Of Maine seems to be
particularly unfortunate In Its fire record While
Still suffering from the effects of the dread element
that swept away her richest squares in 1866, and
sympathtzng with her sister city in Oregon. which
was destroyed q few days ago, she has been again
visited by confagratiOn Of the most disastrous
Kind. million dollars worth of property is now in
ashes ana three liyes have been sacrificed to the
fury of the names At the lowest estimate placed
by reliable judges the loss will equal if not exceed
one million Of dollars, not to speak of the loss
occasioned by the disarrangement of the business
OF the steamship lines, OF which three prominent
ones are sufferers.
The immediate cause u the ars Y IS YET
mystery; but the first seen OF a blaze Was in
bale OF merchandise in the storehouse of the New
York Steamship Company, at the end of Galt's
wharf. The building was 400 feet long and 90 feet
wide, and was filed with articles of most in.
hammable nature After the fire started there
was no possibility Of controlling It, Lying at the
pier was the steamer Drigo which had arrived
from New York this morning and was then dis
charging her cargo. In an instant apparently.
after the fire was discovered, the whole freight
house was in one mass OF flames, and, OF course
all chance Of escape for the persons on board
the steamship was cut or in this direction An
alarm was Immediately sounded. but after the fire.
men arrived
THE HEAT WAS so INTENSE
that they could not reach the burning building In
few moments the steamer was on fire in many
places. The lines were cast OF, but the tide set
her back against the wharf again. All avenues OF
escape having been cut off, the persons on board.
some twenty men and three women jumped into
the water. Several Of them were badly burned
before they were rescued. The three women
persisted, although they were living when they
were first taken from the water. 1t is thought
that they were struck by some falling timbers
while they were in the water. They were Mrs.
Miller. stewardess, and her daughter, thirteen
years old, both Of New York, and girl, nineteen
years old, named Nellie Mccarthy, belonging to
this city. This girl had gone on board but few
hours previous to assist the stewardess man
named Weeks was knocked overheard, and came
near being drowned
Above the freight shed was the large grain ele
vator belonging to the Grand Trunk Railway Com.
pany, valued at $15O,OO0 which Is thought to be
fully insured. In it was stored some twenty-h
thousand dollars worth of grain. which Is, Of
course, a total loss.
Directly opposite the elevator and separated
from 1t only by railroad track, was large build
Ing used as United States bonded warehouse
This was soon ablaze, the fire running through 1t
very rapidly. Stored in this building was large
amount OF sugar, moasses, -four and otner mer.
chandise, which in half an hour was totally con.
sumed.
long train Of loaded freight cars were stand
ing on the track, between the buildings, but they
were drawn out, some Of them being badly burned
On the wharf beyond the elevator was another
large building, used for storage and Offices, and
this was completely destroyed. Another building
filled with goods. was in the path Of the fire and
was soon In ashes. This included all the buildings
on Gslt's wharf.
On Franklin wharf were two unfinished scows,
which caught IRE, but were finally saved. In the
dock between Franklin and Cats wharves were
two new tugboats, which were with the greatest
dificulty got OF into the harbor.
DESTRUCTION OF THE STEAMERS MONTREAL AND
CARLOTTA.
The next wharf east OF Cats belongs to the
Portland Steam Packet Company. Lying at this
wharf was the fine steamer Montreal, which came
down from Boston this morning Close beside her.
and dashed to her, was the Carlotta, belonging TO
the Halifax line. The latter was prepared to SAIL
with full CARGO at four O'Clock. The lines OF these
steamers were cast of, but the tide drifted
them directly in the path Of the flames, and In a
few moments they we're in a blaze. The persons
on board these steamers had great difficulty in
saving their lives, and one young boy, who had q
large amount of money belonging to the clerk In
bis possession, was actually obliged
TO PAY A BoArxAN FIFTY DOLLARS
to take him or one Of the burning vessels.
The magnificent steamer Montreal, valued at
$2oO'oOo then noated down the harbor In a mass OF
fire, presenting splendid although painful, sight
She finally went ashore on Bangs Island, and the
Carlotta and Dirigo went aground on the other
side Of the breakwater, where they soon burned
70 the waters edge
The government steamer Blue Light which is
here with the scientific expedition went to the
assistance Of the Carlotta, but got aground close
beside her, and 1t was feared she would also be de-
stroyed.
The dense volumes Of smoke which assembled
with pail. and hung over the adjoining islands