The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-05-29
FIRES.
Destructive COnflagratiOn at Port
land, N. B.
60 Buildings Burned and 12O
Families Homeless.
LOSS $525O,OOO.
Especial to the Press.1

toPSNAat ASS7'i
ST. JOHN, n. B., May 2S.-A barn in the
rear of Kettle Bros brewery, ain street.
Portland, caught fire this morning at II o clock,
and in an incredibly short time communicated
to the brewery. ST. Luke's church and half a
dozen buildings on that side of the street were
soon wrapped in flames, which darted across
the street, attacking half dozen residences
there. Opposite where the fire started was
Hagen street, which extends down towards the
water, and the house at the head of this street
soon took fire. There was but one steam
engine in the town, and aid had to be procured
from st. John in the shape of two engines and
fremen. When they got to work all the build
ings on Sheriff street had fallen in ruins, and
the fire had begun to attack the buildings on
douglass Road, parallel with Church street and
the Straight Shore road at the foot Of the latter
thoroughfare.
1t was five hours before the fire was con-
trolled, and it might have been effected sooner
had there not been scarcity of water. There
were about sixty buildings destroyed, besides a
vessel On the stocks in Roberts ship yard that
would have been completed in three weeks, a
planning mill and 81, 900 worth of pitch pine
timber. Hilyard Bros saw mill narrowly
escaped destruction, having been on fire several
times. The loss will reach fully quarter of a
million, and the insurance is estimated at
100000. About 12O families have been rem
dered homeless, and most of them have lost
everything. Some of them have been provided
with temporary accommodation in the bar
racks buildings. There were few accidents,
the chief one being to a man upon whom a
portion of falling building fell. The flames
have not yet subsidized, and it is 11.3O p m.
NJ.
ITO the Associated Press]
The fire at Portland originated in barn in
the rear of Kettles brewery, at the head of
Main street, burnt the brewery, ST. Luke's
Episcopal church, the house and store of Alex
ander Rankin, house and store OF b. b. Robert
son. and eleven others, all wooden structures
on Main street. On the adjacent street, known
as Douglass Road, all the houses, about eight,
up to the residence of DR.. Roberts, are gone
The Simond House on Main street, owned by
Count Derby, and the three adjacent houses
are burnt. Also all the houses on Sawdust
street, running from Main street to the water,
six in all, besides six or seven on Straight
street and two on Sheriff street.
Upwards of 30 houses and multitude of
outhouses are destroyed including Chesby's
rolling mill, a ship in frame ready for planking
owned by j. u. Macdonald, Hillyard's marine
railway, Hillyard's mill for cutting ship tim
Der, his rigging lofts, sheds and stores and
pitch pine timber in the yard, and r. A. Greg
orv's office. The sparks set fire to buildings on
Navy Island in the nver but the fires there
were extinguisbed with little damage. Loss on
furniture aud other properly is very heavy and
falls largely on poor people.
A number of telegraph poles were burned,
but telegraph communication Was hardly ill.,
terrupted. Many narrow escapes from death
occurred and several firemen were injured. The
Mayor, police, fire department and people of
st. John rendered every assistance possible.
Large Fire in WOrcester,-Eos s over
5000, 600.
WORCESTER, May 2S.-The largest fire that
has occurred ~ this city for twenty years. broke
out in the furniture and upholstering establish
ment of John d. Challar, in the large granite
block on Main street, nearly opposite the City
Hall, owned by r. Q. Taylor, and known as
Taylor's building The fire spread rapidly, and
10 spite of good work by the fire department
the building was almost entirely consumed. 1t
was built of stone four stories high, and sur
mounted by an immense Mansard roof to
which it ives It's destruction. The danger that
the business block on the north, just across
narrow alley, would be destroyed was at one
time imminent, but it was happily arrested.
The total loss by fire is estimated at $263, 800.
The loss ON the building is 100000; insurance
$4,000.