The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-06-06
by TELEGRAPH.
THE FIRE RECORD.
The Great Works Loss.
THE LARGEST LUMBER MANUFAC-
TORY IN MAINE DESTROYED.

BANGOR, June 4.-Later accounts of the fire
at the W. I. Pearson mill at Great Works,
eleven miles above this city, show that the
saw mills, together with Pearson's store,
blacksmith shop, 10000 feet of nice cedar logs,
10000 feet of lumber on the pile, two loads on
fiat cars, and besides all this three flat cars be-
longing to the E. & N. A. Railroad Co. were
burned. The total loss is upwards of $4,000;
insurance $4,000. This insurance will not
more than cover the loss to the business and on
the lumber and logs destroyed, so that the fine
block of mills is clear loss. The blow is
heavy one to Mr.. Pearson; it is also very Sc
rious blow to the business interests of Bangor
and of the village of Great Works. By this
fire one hundred and sixty men are thrown out
of employment, and the village of Great
Works loses its business support. This block
of mills was 700 feet long, and one of the finest
appointed establishments of its kind in New
England With the exception of Basin Mills
this was the largest block of mills on the Pc
nobscot river. 1t was provided with four gang
saws, four single machines, three lath ma
chimes, rotary and several other machines.
The appliances for protection from fire seemed
perfect. The mills were built in 1866 by the
Hinckley & Egery Iron Co., and were owned
personally by VIM. T. Pearson. In the manu-
featuring of lumber he had associated with
him his nephew, Edgar G. Pearson, and the
style of the firm was w. T. Pearson & Co. The
village of West Great Works is part of Old
town, where two other great mill establish
ments, the Veazie and the Dwinel, were for
merly burned. Thus, in a short period, the
largest lumber manufactures in Maine have
beeu destroyed by fire. The origin of the fire
is a mystery Watchmen are employed day
and night At II. 80 last night the Waterman
says he traversed the whole length of the block
of mills, and there was no appearance of fire;
at II O'Clock he went again on his rounds with
the same result he then passed into the watch
house, which has windows commanding
view of the buildings, and proceeded to eat his
lunch. While thus engaged he suddenly per-
csived light, and he rushed out. Fire was
proceeding from the north end of the block in
No 9 gang, but before he had run rod the
whole mill was on fire. A daughter of Mr..
Rowe, who lives near, was awakened by the
great light, and she at once awoke her father.
He ran out and found the mills on fire from
one end to the other, and not man was to be
seen about the buildings or. in the village of
Great Works. No other mill on the river had
such good facilities for fighting fire. but the
confagration was SO sudden and intense that
the apparatus could not be used. There was a
force-pump, and iron hose running the whole
length of the block, and an arrange ment by
which the mills could be flooded in moment
but all were of no avail The roof was newly
shingled last year, and covered with ire-proof
paint so that no sparks from the furnaces could
catch fire to the roof. Mr.. Pearson formerly
carried an insurance of $65, 900, but with his
admirable apparatus he has lately thought it
unnecessary to more than have minimum
insurance. There are two furnaces used for
burning waste wood,' situated near, but one of
these was not in use, as it was being repaired
The fire may have caught from the other fur
mace, but this seems hardly probable. 1t was
more likely the devlish work of some incen-
diary. The firm have manufactured five mil
lion feet of lumber this spring. but had shut
down the further end of the mill two weeks
ago, for want of logs. 1t was in this part that
the flames started. Yesterday two gangs only
were run, but they were not in operation last
night. The confagration was a hot one. AT
one time last night nine houses in the village
caught fire from sparks, but the flames were
extinguished The stock was mostly removed
from the store; the little Office building was
saved.
SkowheGan Farm Buildings Burned.
SKowHEGAN, June 4.-The farm buildings
owned and occupied by Lemuel Williams of
North Arson, were burned this forenoon with
their contents. Loss $1,000; insured for $1,000.
The fire was caused by sparks from the CHM
ney.
Fire at Phillips.
PHILLIPS, June 4.-The farm buildings of
VIM Wyman were burned this noon with
their contents Loss about $4,000; no insurance.