The Portland daily press., 1881-10-15

The most imposing fire Portland has witness
ed since the destruction of the ceoperage at the
foot of Wilmot street, two years ago, occurred
last evening. and drew to the scene of confag-
ration an audience that numbered fully ten
Thousand people.
About 915 o'clock the watchman employed
by the packing house of George E. Deering 81
Co., on Long wharf, discovered fire issuing
from room next the chimney in the building
next below his own and occupied by e. Ell.
Chase, fish inspector. He pulled in an alarm
from box %, and the department quickly re-
sponded. So rapid, however, was the progress
of the flames that second alarm was pulled in
as soon, almost, as the first had ceased. The
two alarms, and the brilliant appearance of the
heavens. quickly drew to the wharf everybody
that could get there, and the flames burned
.iercely for over two hours, when they were
extinguished, having been confined to the
buildings occupied by Mr.. Chase, and that of
G. E. Deering & Co.
The two buildings destroyed were, the upper
50246 feet in size, and four stories high, and
the lower 50x40 feet, and three stories high.
They were substantially constructed Of wood,
aud owned by D. T. Chase & Co. The larger,
that occupied by G E, Dsering & Co., was
valued at $4,000, and insured for $500 with
Palmer, Andersons & Dow, Dow, Coffin u
Libby, and William Allen, Jr The smaller
was insured with the same parties, but was
valued at $4,000, and insured for $4,000. The
former was very substantially constructed,
having been originally used for purposes re
quiring great solidiJy.
Messrs. George e. Deering s. Co. have been
q very successful firm in canning fish, and
they had large orders to execute. Mr.. Charles
Dyer informs us that he had stock of $1,000
in goods in the building, on which he had an
insurance Of $1,000, with Palmer, Andersons
q Dow, Dow, Coffin & Libby and William
Allen, Jr. Dow, Coffin & Libby had $4,000 in
Niagara, and 600 in Hamburg. -Madgeburg
Allen had $4,000 on building occupied by E.
IL Chase. Mr. e. Ell. Chases stock on hand
was rot very large (about 81 900 at the most we
are told) which was covered by insurance. Mr..
Chase himself was away, but his son was at
home.
The firemen worked splendidly and manag-
ed the flames with great judgment. The great
mass of flame was swept overon to CONNER
cial wharf, where it caught the packing house
of Gushing & McKenney. but the spectators
bore hand and helped put out the fire. The
gentle breeze, augmented as always happens
by the burning buildings, carried the sparks
way down to Randall & McAllisters wharf
where it set the yacht Clarence on fire several
times, but Capt Jones and other gentlemen
managed to get her to place of safety. They,
however, had to keep their clothes wet to pro-
tect themselves.
The splendid ship Theobald was lying at
Long wharf, luckily on the side least exposed
to the fire. Water was poured on her in
strea ms, and fortunately she escaped. A lob
ster shed on Commercial wharf caught, but
was saved with slight damage. The large
grain warehouse of George w. True & Co.,
standing at the head of the wharf, directly in
the rear of the largest burning building, caught
several times, and two men were employed,
who cut through the outer wall from the attic,
inside, and extinguished the flames that were
eating through The firm however got their
books and papers already to move The dam
age to the building will be slight. The wharf
timbers were not probably much injured.
For time the scene was of the widest de-
scription and it looked as if the wharves
would be Swept to the Grand Trunk. AS it
was the city is to be congratulated on most
fort1uoto oceo M