Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-08-09
THE CONFEDERATION.
Four Hours Blaze Which Cost Gardiner
Over 92OO,OOO.

over s2OO.OOO.
There are various theories about the origin
of the fire, but its cause seems to be involved
in mystery as yet. The hypothesis most gen.
orally entertained is that it caught from heat
ed shafting in Moore & Browns planning mill
but both of these gentlemen left their estab
lishment a short time before the fire was dis
covered, and assert that everything was all
right then, and that the bands were all cold
At about quarter before seven o'clock flames
were seen breaking from the windows of the
mill. The buildings in the vicinity were dry
as tinder. and piled with inhammable material
The wind was blowing quite hard at the time
from the southwest, driving the flames away
from Water street with its brick stores filled
with valuable merchandise, into the row of
busy manufact cries along the CLOVER dam. "
Cries of Fire, Fire. began to ring
ont. The employees at the grist mill
a brick structure corner of Brunswick and
Water streets. had stream of
water from their force pump upon
the doomed building in five minutes, but
nothing but a deluge could check the furious
flames which were devouring the planning
mill. The clang of bells and the scream of
steam whistles called the Gardiner fremen to
duty, and immense crowds began to congre-
gate around the scene of what threatened to
prove serious confagration. The mer-
chants on Water street, fearing for the safety
of their places of business, began to make
preparations to remove. Had the wind shifted
the flames would have swept down that street,
LAYING low the fine buildings on both sides
The fire spread rapidly. In few minutes
Seabyry 4 Towle's sash and blind factory and
Walker & Maxcy's great sawmill were en-
veloped in flames Seeing that the local fire
department were unable to cope with the con
fiagration, Mayor Perkins and Aldermen
Richards and Bailey fastened to the central
office and telephoned to Augusta and Halo
well for assistance. Mayor Perkins then
telegraphed to Supt. Payson Tucker of Port
land for a train to convey the steamers
To Gardiner. BY this time the fire was fast
c ting its way into the mills and foundries
along the bridge, and that structure itself
was afire in dozen places. Leaping the
street the flames licked up the furniture shops
of James Nash and Wadsworth Bros. close
to the stream. The fiery wave swept along
the east side of the bridge completely con-
sumiug the row Of saw mills over the
Cobbossee. and bearing on its lurid crest the
mills and machine shops in its path. Great
lumber piles caught fire, and blazed with
bmish flame. Every mill on the 'lower
dam" was swept away, and loss OF more
than sla5. 900 entailed in an hour. After
consuming this nest of manufactures, the fire
spread into a cluster of tenement houses at
the triangle where Bridge street and the
Causeway intersects. and also began to eat ap
over the hill northeast of Bridge street.
| Nv this time the up-river steam
ers had arrived, and from all sources
.ome ten streams were playing on the flames.
| Tho sp.ctacle was indescribably grand.
Fifteen acres of wooden buildings were
| .hIs,a The houses on both sides of High,
Middle and Spring streets were rapidly melt
inc away before the awful holocaust. These
streets ran at right angles from Bridge street
nm an inclination, and the whole hillside was
| ablaze. Overhead . shower of brilliant
,uarks, borne onward by the high wind, filled
.he air, while away 70 the n0rthwsrd' sve'