The Portland daily press., 1882-07-24
THE FAIRFIELD FIR E.
First Reports Regarding It's De
structiveness Not Exaggerated.
DETAILED STATEMENT OF LOSSES
AMI INSURANCE..
THE Work Of Rebuilding to Commence
at Once.
Special Dispatch to the Press.)


FAIRFIELD, July 22.-Long faces prevail to-
day, where yesterday everything was bustling
activity. few hours time has seen the pro-
duct of long years Of toll swept away, and men
must commence again at the bottom of the
adder. The reports which sent you last
night were correct in facts and figures, though
hardly as startling as others furnished.
The fire when first discovered was in about
the centre of the long saw mill, in either that
of Messrs. Duren Brothers or of s. A
Nye's Within an incredibly short space OF
time the entire mill was in ruins, while the
labors of the assembled crowds were directed to
staying its progress towards the business part Of
the town. The shed back of N. Totman &
Co.'s mill was the point to be guarded, and
there the brave fellows stood and fought until
the worst was over. Several buildings on Main
street were badly scorched, but the fire was
stayed in this direction Had steamer been al
our command or had the Wateryille engine
not been SO long delayed in getting away from
the station, the shops and manufactures south
of the saw mill could have been saved
The first to take fire was the one owned and
occupied by the Maine Manufacturing 20.
and G. ID. Lawrence. Connected with this
were the shops of the Fairfield Furniture Co.,
York & Fairbrother, and j. A. and E. A
Cilley, while across the street were number
of dwellings huddled closely together. AL OF
these quickly became food for the flames, and
then the struggle commenced to save the lum-
ber yards Had the fire crossed these, the en-
tire length of Main street would have been at
the mercy of the flames Hard work again
brought victory, andthe fire was stayed
For five long hours willing hands worked at
the brakes, or brought the pals, to aid in
quenching the fire fiend, and with cheers the
arrival OF the steamer from Augusta was greet
ed by the tired men. Today huge pile OF
smouldering ruins remain to tell the story.
A visit to the different firms confirms the
statement sent last night that the loss will not
much exceed 100000, though coming close up
to those figures. 1t is distributed as follows:
N. Totman & Sons, $25 600; no insurance.
A. FL. & G. e. Duren, $25, 900; no insurance
S. A. Nye, $25, 900; no insurance.
Maine Manufacturing Co., $4,000; insured
for $2,2Co.
@. D. Lawrence, $4,000; no insurance
Fairfield Furniture Co., $4,000; insured fol-
$5 COO
York & Fairbrother, framing mill, S5,C0O
no insurance
A. j. Smith, box factory, $1,000; no insur-
ance.
j. A. Cilley & Co.. furniture, S., 900; insured
for s., 800.
Five dwelling houses, $1,000; no insurance
There is also loss of thousand dollars
worth of sawed lumber. The loss falls heavily
upon some of these firms, and must severely
cripple them. With characteristic spirit the
different firms have met this afternoon and
decided to proceed at once to build dam to
keep the water from the foundations, and the
mills and shops will, nearly ALL be speedily re-
built. 1t may be that one or two grand mill
privileges may be for sale, and If so, they Will
offer attractins tosany one wanting first
class water power for mill or factory The
dam will be built by Mr.. Emery OF Waterville
the veteran builder, who is already on the
ground.
Dependent as all our people are upon the
numbering interests, everything is at a stand
still and will be for some time. Today the
saws OF one mill only are heard in our village
where usually their music is heard in so many
directions The cause of the fire was without
doubt a hot box. SETH.
The estimated annual products of the water
power at Fairfield village is $780, 900. The lum-
ber interest is almost entirely destroyed by the
fire; it is at least crippled SO that years will be
required for recovery. The village is Hour
ishing one of about $500 inhabitants, situated
on the right bank of the Kennebec opposite
Benton and three miles north of Wateryille
The manufacture of lumber was its chief in
dustry. The Skowhegan branch of the Maine
Central runs through the village, and it con-
tains a national bank, a savings bank and q
newspaper.