The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-11-07
Firemem Present From other
Maine Cities.
LOSS $1O3, 1oO-INSURANCE
$84,35O.

1
Fore streets. The department responded
promptly, but as soon as Chief Cloyes arrived,
which was Immediately upon the sound Of the
| first alarm, he saw the magnitude of the fire
and he Immediately pulled in second alarm.
The fire originated in the building owned by
Fl. n. Jose, Esq, situated on Commercial
street at the head of Widgery's wharf. 1t was
large three storied wooden building which
Mr.. Jose had remodelled and finished in .
very handsome style only . few years ago. The
binding was occupied by G. w. Belknap &
Co., steam refined tripe; and r. Porter Thayer
of New York. agricultural implements. on the
first story; Isaac Emery and e. Churchill &
Co., commission merchants, second story; and
the third story was unoccupied. This build
ing was numbered 208, and q broad staircase,
sheathed with handsome woods separated tho
stores Of Belknap and Thayer, and also the
counting rooms of Emery and e. Churchill g.
Co.
The fire caught in this way: Mr.. Emery
came down in the morning and lighted the
wood fire in his private Office, as was custom
airy with him. He then went ont down the
wharf for few moments, expecting his book
keeper, Mr.. Coe, would be right in. In the
meantime Mr.. Burgess-with K. Churchill g.
Convent into his own Office, and as he did
so, smeled smoke, but thought it simply caus-
ed by lighting the FIRE In Mr.. Emery's office.
A lew moments afterwards he went out, as he
saw the smoke pouring in through the sheath
ing, and, on entering the corridor saw Emery's
Office was in blaze. He cried out to Emery,
surprising he was there, to get out as quick Is
he could for his Office was all in flames. Mr..
Burgess then tried to find an alarm box, but ut
the different stores no one could post him.
Finally after some moments hac been lost he
ascerrained there was one on the corner OF
Union and Fore streets, and thither he pro-
ceeded. The clerk in the store said he had q
key to the box but did not know how to use it,
SO that several moments were consumed from
this lack OF knowledge. In the meantime Mr..
Coe, the clerk for Mr.. Emery, had returned to
the counting room, saw the flames pouring out
around the funnel Of the stove chimney and
he proceeded to save what he could.
The FIRE seemed to 60 like q whirl-wind
through the buildings. 1t completely destroy
ed No. 20S, and then tackled No. 206, occupied
by T. Frank Davis, 202 and 202a. occupied by
j. F. Randall s. Co. on the ground floor, and
Hooper Bros, grain agents, on the second
story. 1t also ran into No. ZIG. the iron ware
house occupied by A. e. Stevens & Co.. and
222, owned by Joseph browne and occupied by
Curtis g. Davis, fish dealers.
In the meantime thousands Of the curious
had gathered and the sidewalks ON CONNER
cial street were densely packed with thousands
of spectators. The smoke was dense and black,
and was seen fer miles away announcing the
prevalence Of a great confagration. Steamers
were sent for to Auburn, Lewiston, Biddeford
and Saco. All these departments responded.
The "Eben Simpson" came from Biddeford,
the Gov. Fairfield" from Saco, with the
Chief Engineers of both cities, and engines,
with the Chiefs of both Auburn and Lewiston.
Those from the latter places were not needed
and were not unloaded from the cars, but their
companies and officers did admirable work.
The little Niagara hand engine from Deering
did good service, located on Central wharf,
and it may fairly be said that the whole Port
land Department never deserved gre alter
praise.
By 8 O'Clock the scene was inexpYessibly
grand. The great wooden buildings on Com
mercial street were all sblsze, and huge Gin
ders sailed through the air-blazing blocks of
wood in fact-setting fire wherever they alight-
ed. Roofs of buildings ON Central and Union
wharves were loaded with men with buckets
and pals Of water, with which they cxtin-
guished the flames as rapidly as they caught,
although the heat was terrible, and many peo-
pie were badly scorched thereby. Firemen on
ladders paid no attention to the blazing pieces
of wood that fell on their shoulders. The
Waterman burst in two places, one at the foot
of Union street and the other close by the fire,
and flooded the wide avenue. The roaring and
tearing OF the flames, the screaching OF the
many engines, the commands Of the freneB,
the rushing of water from the bursting mains,
all made pandemonium more easily imagined
than described. Fires were set by the cinders
on Boston & Maine wharf in the coal-shed; on
Merrill's and Union wharves but were extin-
.uished.
From the buildings above mentioned the
restless flames plunged down upon the build
iugs located on Widgery's wharf. Here was
the ware houses of A. e. Stevens & Co., the
great tbree-story building owned and occu pied
by Nutter, Kimball & Co., cooperage; A. 81.
Waite and j. 81. Blake, sai-loft; Nathaniel
Blake, wharfenger; and the United States
bonded warehouse, with shed adjoining. At
the latter point the flames were finally stopped
by the splendid work done by the tug Belknap,
which only emphasizes what the PRHss said at
the time of the fire on Railroad wharf, that a
fre-boat owned by the city would, in the end,
prove treasure. The Belknap was down the
harbor, but she came up as quickly as possible,
went to work on her own responsibility, and
by her heavy streams, checked the FIRE at this
point Bat for her all the warehouses and
sheds I'll ed with canned goods, fish, molasses.
and other valuable property would have been
consumed. By playing on sheds No 10 and "A
on Union wharf, they were saved without ma
terial damage, and with them all the property
below on that wharf. As it was, several hun
bred feet of Widgerys wharf were rendered
unserviceable, and a great gap is left to remind
the spectator of the extent of the FIRE. The
slated roofs of the buildings on the upper part
of Union wharf saved the upper portion Of
that property.
BY 1890 o'clock the fire was undep perfoc,
control, but the engines were busily engaged
all the day playing on the embers, and the
remnants of buildings cleft standing on Com
mercial street. A great lumber of boys and
men got hold of Mr.. Emery's safe and lugged
| it, from where it had fallen, red hot mass Of
iron, into store ON Union wharf. Mr.. Emery
| said ne he should not open it last night but did
so lately and the contents found in condition
| for use There was report that the safe dool
had been left open and that 5000 in bills were
burned up. 1t is true there was over 5000 in
| the safe, but not that 1t was burned up by leav
| ing the door open.
Messys. z. A. waldYon h Son had laret
quantity Of grain in ware house on Unisr
wharf which was somewhat smoked, and wet
but the firm said not but very little, ant
that was covered by insurance.
Several of the firms had spreads laid out Ii
the stores, Of coffee, hard bread and cold meat
for the fremen and their employees to which
good attention was paid. About 8 p. m. Chic
Cloyes took the visiting fremen up to John
sons where an ample dinner was prepared fol
them.
We hear of no accidents, to record, of impor
lance. One of the fremen fell fifteen fes
from ladder, but luckily sustained no ininpv