The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-11-14
Ex-Mayor stevens and the Great Fir

Elk Mayor Stevens and the Great Fire.
The sudden death of Hon. A. e. Stevens,
who was mayor of this city in 1866, the year
remarkable for the great fire, and the events
connected with it, when the cares and respon-
sibilities of that Office were enough to wear out
the brain of any ordinary man, brings to my
recollections the many varied "reminiscences of
that period, and my official connection with
him allows me to testify as to the manner in
which as the official head of the city he sus-
tanned himself in performing with conscien-
tious faithfulness and an honest uprightness
and integrity the duties that deyolved upon
him during that trying time.
Before the flames had ceased on the morning
of the 9th of July gathering of the City
Council was had at Mechanics Hall. The
building was nearly filled with merchandise
and goods saved from the fire. A corner of
one of the rooms was cleared up for the
mayors office, and, for the first twenty-four
hours he was almost completely overwhelmed
with the business that concentrated there.
Mayor Stevens was, however, equal to all the
emergencies, and with the aid of clerical as
sistance able to dispose of all matters and get
the wheels of the city government again in
operation.
The large correspondence which at once be-
gan to pour into the mayors office from all
over the United States and other countries, and
the receipt of kilograms giving expressions of
sympathy in the great calamity, and also the
contributions By checks, &c., for the relief of
the sufferers by the fire, were very interesting
incidents of that time, and showed how
deeply the feelings of other communities
had been moved at tie destruction of so large
a portion of our beautiful city.
Although this corr espondence, list of con-
tributors, amounts sent, &C., were in charge of
the clerical assistants in the office, it became
necessary for Mayor Stevens to bestow to it his
care and attention consistent with other ardn-
GUS duties which deyolved upon him.
The correspondence and records connected
with tue fire of 1866 are very important as con-
nected with the history Of our city, and it is to
be regretted that succeeding city governments
have not deemed it exredient to take proper
care of the same.
At the time of the fire and subsequently a
year or more afterwards, when the correspon-
dence had been closed, it was supposed thai all
matters connected with that event would at
sometime be published in printed FORM and
therefore only temporary provision was made
for the care of these records. They have con-
tlnued thus to the present time. In CONVEX
sation had with the late ex-mayor few months
since he expressed regret that the city had
not made provision for the protection OF these
matters, and he at that time made some efforts
to have it attended to. 1t is neglect on the
part of the city that these papers and records
connected with the history of the great fire are
not properly copied. indexed, &c The con-
tributors who sent over $600,0 900 to the aid of
our citizens certainly deserve to have tEeir
names and their contributions perpetuated in
some durable record, SO that future generations
know the of hnnafQpIors
AS q tribute TO the memory of the late ex-
mayor this should be done before all records
and recollections of those events are entirely
forgotten. j. T. FL.