The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-11-12
DESTROYED.
Woodstock in Flames.
FIFTY BUILDINGS BURNED TO THE
GROUND.

ST. JOHN, N. b., Nov. ia terrible fire
broke out in Woodstock about midnight. 1t
caught in the Institute building on the hill and
is supposed to be ncendiary. A high wind
Of the flames were unavailing. The Western
Union offices, both In the station OF the New
Brunswick and Canada railroad and the regu.
lar office, are destroyed, and 1t is impossible to
get particulars.
Al one o'clock this morning the operator In
the Office at the station called the operator at
ST. John and telegraphed: PLANES are coming
down on me and must co.
A few minutes afterward the circuit was
discovered open, and it is presumable that the
station building is gone.
said: 'The upper half OF the town is gone
and part of the lower. The flames are all
around me and il is getting too hot to stay any
longer, and expect the office to catch at any
moment. The Free Baptist church IS burned
and the registry office is in flames. Efforts are
being made to save the hotel, but it is in great
danger. If the hotel goes II Will be difncnlt to
save the town"
These are the latest particulars that reached
st. John, and at o'clock this morning the
wires were down.
A later dispatch says that second fire
broke out in Woodstock mile TO the wind
ward of the first fire, aud was thought to prove
that incendiaries were at work.
Upwards of forty dwellings and stores, also
the Free Baptist and old aud new Episcopal
churches are burned. The loss is $S0,000
insured $4,000.
A Calais Account.
CALAIS, Me-, Nov. 1l.--Shortly after mid
night last night at Woodstock, N b., fire
broke out in Mechanics Institute on Main
street. A strong northwest wind prevailed
and fire soon spread up and down both sides of
the street, burning all between the town hall
and the residence of Hugh Hay. A second
fire broke cut half a mile to windward OF the
first fire, proving their incendiary origin. Up
wards of forty dwellings and stores also the
Free Baptist and old and new Episcopal
churches wers burned. Loss, $4,000; insured
$4,000.
Later and Fuller Account.
WOODSTOCK, N. B., Fov. 1.-THE greater
part of Woodstock is for the third time in
ashes, and incendiaries without doubt are the
cause of disaster. About half an hour after
midnight the alarm was given that Mechanics
Institute was on fire. A heavy northwest
wind was blowing and in a few minutes the
building was enveloped in flames.
Engines we're soon at work, but the fire
seized on the new residences of W. f. Dibb les
and BENZ. Smith and they were burned to the
ground. In the meantime flames were OBJ
sarved bursting out of Mayor r. X. Jones 9
barn, one-third of mile to the windward OF
the first fire.
The wind now seemed to blow a hurricane
and soon swept the flames across the street,
destroying the residence of Jones and spread
ing each way. Both sides of Main street
were soon burning fiercely. The Free Baptist
church, old and new Episcopal churches, and
registerer's Office being wrapped in flames,
conster nation was depicted on every face and
excitement ran high. The work of destruc-
ton was of short duration. The engine COM
pany having stayed the flames at the Institute
two sections of the fire department came
across the bridge to battle with the newer and
greater danger.
They were driven down Main street, house
by house, until at last on the street passing the
new hotel they finally stayed the devouring ele-
ment; but this was not accomplished without a
most determined and well-directed effort. The
safety of a very large area was entirely due to
the strenuous efforts of our company and its
captain. The fire swept Main street from the
residence of Hugh HAYS to the town hall for
10 rods ON each side running down to point
at the river and ending with the residence OF
j. T. Allan. The following are some of the
buildings burned: Store occupied by M. Shaw
and two tenants, the Misses Dibbles' house
lower registry Office, lookup, James McDon-
AIDS house, store and tenement, j I. Kerr's
house and store, Rev. Thomas Neel's Free
Baptist church, Dr. Bulocks residence, old
aud new Episcopal churches and Sabbath
school rooms adjoining Mrs. Days house, Miss
McIndoes' store, d. A. Monroe's store, VIM
Chalmers house and store, Thos. Dents
building, Charles Seger's store, Jas. Cars
tenement, Mrs. Blake's boarding house, JAS
Jones' residence, DR.. Smiths tenement and
residence, Mrs. James Miler.s residence. Sew
eral accidents occurred but no lives were lost