Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-09-27
BY TELE0R APH.
The Bssiness street Of the Towa saf-
Iers By Fise-Total Loss EST.
naseA at Twenty-Five Thou.
sand Dollar.


FAIRFIELD, Sept. rs.
Again and again has Fairfield suffered from
the ravages Of the IRE 6end. This morning
the town was again . sufferer. At other
times the mills have fallen: nov the business
street of the place has been desolated and .
large amount of valuable property destroyed.
The alarm of fire was given at 2.l5 O'Clock
this morning. and was first discovered burst
ing from the windows in the second story of
Allen G Totman's hardware store, located on
the river side Of Main street, some six rods
below Bridge street. The flames spread
with amazing rapidity. The fire had caught
in large line of iDfamable wooden build
ings, which we're dry as finder. The fire de-
partment was on hand with surprising dis
patch. There were two hand tubs and the
new steam fire engine, recently purchased by
the town. That the town acted wisely in
buying the engine was now very evident.
Without it large portion of Fairfeld's bus
mess street would be in ashes now One
hand tub was stationed just across the first
bridge to protect +. Totman Co.'S mills and
the bridges the other with the fire engine on
Main street. From Allen & Totman's the
fire spread both ways, up and down the
street, moving towards Bridge street the
fastest, as the wind blew in that direction
At first the wind blew very heavy sparks
around like snow fakes. and the roofs Of ad-
joining buildings were in great danger.
Hotter and fiercer became the fire. Vickery
& Shaw's grain store and Evans apothecary
establishment were both enveloped in the
flames and were fast melting away. Two
building on Water street, by the river side,
had caught. At o'clock it was feared
clean sweep of Main street would be had and
help was asked for from WatervilIe. 1t
speedily came in the shape of hand tub.
The flames were fought with renewed en-
ergy. The roof of the covered bridge was
fred by the sparks in fifty places, and the
shingles were almost entirely ripped of to
protect the bridge. By hard work the bridge
was saved. About 8 o'clock the wind sud-
calm. This aided the fire department ma
terially and the flames were soon under con-
troll, having made clean sweep of Water
street on the upper side Dyer's lower saloon
to Bridge street.
The principal losses are as follows: Allen
Totman, hardware. two stores and most of
stock. Loss, ss00O insured for $4,000. f.
Fl. Evans, drugs and stationery, one store
and portion of goods. Loss, $4,000; insured
for 80 800. I. S. Mcfarland, harnesses, 81
600; no insurance. F. E. Vickery. corn and
flour, 81 500; insured for $1,000. Sumner
Osborne, store, 81, 800; Stephen Dyer, sa-
loon, $500; J. P. Blunt, boots and shoes,
$500; NJ. HAYES, saloon, $1,000; insured for
$500. f. T. Cook, photographer, $1,000, no
insurance; VIM. Simpson. blacks NTH, ST.
600. no insurance; Orrison Burrill, store,
$1,000.
4. I. Cook living in the second story of
Allen & Totman's block lost all of his furni-
ture and $50 in money. David King who
had grocery store in Allen Totman's
block removed all his goods. But a small
part of the contents of the buildings were
saved, comparatively speaking.
The fire originated in tin shop in the
second story of Allen Totman's store and
is supposed to have caught from a fire pot
used for soldering purposes. The burnt dis
trict will be rebuilt either this fall or the
coming spring. Allen & Totman talk of
erecting brick block.