Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-07-28
Aid Sent from Bsngor--Loss Be-
tween $50. 900 and $50, 900.
A Hard Blow to PenObscOt
lmberIne0.
BANGOR, July y.


The fire fend seems bound to wreck his
especial fury upon Penobscot saw mills, and
the king OF lumber rivers cannot stand many
more of his savage blows without great and
long lasting damage to its great industry.
The ashes of the great confagration at Brad
ley was scarcely cold when now the startling
news comes of a terrible fire at Veazie,
bids fair to destroy the great triple block
known as the Corporation Mills.
The fire caught at Is P. NJ. in an edging
pile south of the mills, and, famed BY a
southwest wind, the flames swept on and
soon the whole great structure with its vast
amount of valuable machinery was wrapped
in mantle of fire. All haste was made by
the telephone communication to apprise the
Bangor fire department of the terrible danger
which menaced Veazie's great industrial es
Enlistment.
At 3 10 o'clock three hundred men were
fighting the flames with all the appliances at
hand, which, according to reports, were very
inadequate. The force pump worked badly
and the hose was unserviceable. But all did
the best they could to stay the progress Of
the devouring element until the Bangor ap-
paratus and companies should arrive. The
hour between 2 Is and 3 IS was a time of
terribly anxiety for those who beheld the re-
sistless advance of the flames. licking up the
dry material like finder and sweeping the
towns main stay out of existance,
Upon receipt of the news Chief Madiocks
despatched Steamer Victory No and Union
Hose company to Veazie, the steamer being
drawn by horses instead of going by rail.
The apparatus arrived at the scene of the
confiagration at 3.45 and was received with
a hearty cheer. At this time the lower, or
shingle mill, was burning fiercely. and
had obtained good Roadway on the middle
building. A large crowd were putting forth
strenuous efforts to save the upper mill by
means of buckets. There was great lack of
hose.
The original mills were swept away by the
freshet of 1916, and were rebuilt a wear or
| two after by the late Gen. Samuel Veazie
The mills were among the largest on the
river, and their loss, especially after the re-
cent fire at Bradley, when the large mills
| there were destroyed, will be seriously felt
1t is rarely that the lumber interests of Ban
gor have received such severe blow.
The Veazie mills had a capacity for saw
ing about l50, 900 feet of lumber day. This
| estimate includes long and short lumber
At four o'clock the lower mill was almost
gone, the fierce cracke of the flames drown
ing the roar of falling timbers. The middle
mill was in blaze from end to end. The
Victory and the red shirted legion of Union
No. Hose began work on the upper mill,
| one end Of which was burning at {, so, and,
with citizens, made gallant fight against the
fire and its helpmate in destruction-the
strong wind.
The latest from Veazie a 3O) is to the
effect that the fire was out at the upper
block, and it is thought the flames will be
arrested at that point. The middle and lower
blocks were destroyed.
The mills, we understand. were insured
for SIP 900 in Boston, the insurance being
placed by the agency of Jordan & Lowell Of
that city. Cutler & Eddy's machinery was
insured for $4,000 by Kicker & Pearl of this
city. The mills were valued at S25. 900 or
$4,000. The mills were old and very much
out of repair. If they were new, of course
theo would be worth twice the sum named.
Cutler Eddy have put in considerable new
machinery. and if the mills were totally de-
stroyed, the total loss would reach So. 900.