Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-02-20
From Five to Ten Acres Burned
Over, and $3,0O0,000 of Prop
erty Destroyed.
Several Lives Lost and $500 People
Thrown Out of Employment.
H.yERHILL, Feb. Is

damage. Men, who, last night were worth
their thousands, are today pennlless, while
the losses of others are fully or partially
covered by insurance. Twenty-Five hundred
people are out of employment and several
families homeless. The loss is estimated at
rising 50, 100000.
The fire has swept away the heart of the
city The burnt district covers from . to 10
acres of brick and stone blocks. The terri
tory is bounded by Merrimack river on the
south, Bukpn & Maine railroad on the west,
W ingate street on the north and Washington
square on the east
Shoemaking and leather business are the
principal industries OF Haverhiil and almost
every firm is burned out. The night was
| one of panic and terror bitter icy gale
was blow ing from the north and the notes of
| the fire alarm, just before midnight, IN them
selves were sufficient cause for uneaslness;
but the sudden flames shooting up from
block in the center of the city excited quick
apprehension, for the weapons for fighting
| the fire were not very effective. The hre-
men were prompt, however, AID made gal
| LIANT struggle with the enemy, but the wind
blew the fire in all directions and faster than
water from the engines could follow.
| tongue Of flame no bigger than mans
hand was first seen by a policeman in the
| leather store of L. B. Wentworth on WASH
| ington street. Thence it grew and spread
and all attempts to control the flames seemed
useless. The fire literally burned itself out.
| The whole city woke and watched the grand
and dreadful sight; the conf1agratiOn was
brilliant beyond description. score Of
buildings seemed to burst into flames at once.
In scarcely more than an hour, blocks in the
vicinity of the fire were level with the street
and the circle of flames was each instant
widening.
Stand after stand was made by the fremen
only to be driven back by the overw helming
and unconluerable flames. 1t soon became
evident that a clean sweep to the river would
be made and the fight on that side was aban-
doned. The last men and apparatus barely
| escaped, and as il was, one brave man lost
his lite by falling walls. By this time the
apparatus and men arrived from neighborlng
cities and determined fight was made on
the opposite side. The wide open space in
the east prevented the fire crossing Washing
ton square and efforts to prevent the flames
crossing Wingate street finally proved sue
cessful.
About four O'Clock it became evident that
the fire had reached its bounds, but about an
ed the railroad track and burned two build
ings on the opposite side. The most dread
ful feature of the calamity is the loss of life
and the awful uncertainty causes many anx-
ious hearts.
1t is feared the bodies of score or more
OF prominent BUSH ess men are buried in the
ruins. The city marshal states that the>e
men are missing and that the spread of the
flames was so rapid that they were unable to
escape from Washington street after the fire
burned on both sides and made it impossible.
tie refuses to give the names until he has
made further investigation.
! Tins In fhora ,Lr IL
of John St. German, a fireman George w.
Whittier; and an unknown man, whose BODY
has not been taken from the ruins. There
are but three shoe and leather firms left in
town. The fire burned Washington street
both sides from No. 4 to 1872, Wingate street,
one side Is to 81, Essex street between Win
gate and Washington west side. Two local
agents furnish list of one million insur-
ances. Three others have, it is said as much
more; other risks held by Boston agencies
will probably raise the total to nearly three
millions. The total loss would appear to be
| much heavier than has been estimated. The
number of buildings burned, most of them
| brick blocks. is about sixty, occupied by
eighty-six firms. About twenty five hundred
people are thrown out of employment. Two
or three tenement houses were burned and
about eighteen families are homeless. A
special meeting of the city council WAS held
at nine o'clock this morning and measures
tor relief were put on foot.
| The loss by fire will be fully up to the first
estimate and will be most severe upon manu-
tacturers with small capital who had their all
invested and many were but partially in
sured. Many firms are already located in
| new quarters and will resume business Mon
day. Many firms paid off their employees as
usual this afternoon. The banks which were
| burped out have procured funds for the use
| of their depositors. Several of their safes
were opened this afternoon and the contents
| were found to be but little injured. The
vaults of the banks will be reached by Mon.
day.
Mr.. Whittier. an injured man, lies in
very precarious condition. Owing to excel
| lent police arrangements the best of order
prevailed during the day and night. The d.
rectors of the First National Bank TODAY
voted to rebuild at once. A. j. Triton, one
| Vt the losers. was only insured Yesterday af.
| ternoon for $4,000.
There were l02 shoe manufacturers burned
out and over 200 other firms. The Merrimac
Bank building will be Immediately rebuilt
Several Residences in Bradford, Mass,
| across the river, caught fire from flving EN-.
bers. Large number of the firms burned out
| will resume next week Fire is still blazing
among the ruins of many buildings although
| water has been poured upon it steadily for
eighteen hours. The insurance, according to
the latest estimate foots up in the neIghbor-
| hood of 50, 100000.
HAvERHILL, Feb. 10
To-day the city is full of strangers viewing
the remains of the fire. A train Of cars came
| from Lowell and Lawrence and as many
more came from the surrounding towns bv
all sorts of conveyances. Several safes were
npened today. in most of which the contents
were found unframed. 4 great many, how.
ever, were broken by falling from the upper
stories. and many open ones could be seen in
the ruins, their combustible contents reduced
to dust, through which in many cases shone
melted gold and silver. Many disreputable
characters came to town Yesterday for preda.
tory purposes, but the summary treatment of
one man caught pilfering. who was pounded
insensible by the citizens and police, and fhe
cool and praiseworthy diligence Of the local
authorities. made "a, ing their trade extreme
iy dangerous to them and there is not a theft
to the amount of one dollar reported to the
city marshal nor known to the citizens.
A special meeting OF the city council vas
held late last night At the mayors room. At
which resolutions we're adopeed expressing