The Portland daily press., 1885-12-31
Surrounding Buildings Endangered
A Long Line of Hose.

The alarm of fire from Box 65 last night
was occasioned by the discovery of flames in
the stable in the rear of the new house on
Fessenden street, Deering, owned and occu-
pied by Mr.. Alvin Plummer, the carpenter
and builder. Mr. Nelson, whose house is
next that of Mr.. Plummer, was the first per-
son to discover the flames, and he raised an
alarm.
The origin of the fire is not known. Mr.. Plum
mer and his family went to Raymond Tues
day. and the house and stable were closed.
1t is thought that the fire may have been ac-
cidentally set by some tramp who effected an
entrance into the stable in order to sleep
there. Mr.. Nelson was powerless to stop the
progress of the iames and the stable was
soon blazing freely. The neighbors who ran
to the scene lent willing hands, and the work
of removing the furniture from the house
was at once begun, while the fire made its
way through the shed connecting the house
with the stable, to the ell. The house was
new, and in the still air the green wood
burned slowly, giving time in which to re-
move the contents of the house in good con-
dition. Everything of value was saved, the
PleihS t<lhCi Ouo III 5OONA oANOAs "AAS NoNAD -
moved, and even the hot air furnace taken
from the cellar
A pipe for Sebago water runs through Fes-
sender street. but there is no hydrant there,
and consequently the two Portland steamers
which responded to the alarm Cumberland
No. 8, and Falmouth No. 4,-were powerless
to do any effective work until sufficient hose
had been got to lay a line through Fessenden
street to the shell road, and from there to
the pottery, where water could be obtained.
Steamer No. took up position near the
pottery and pumped water into No. 3, which
engine, stationed at the corner of the two
streets, in turn forced the water into the
burning building. The line of hose meas
ured 5000 feet. A part of the hose belonged
to the hand reel at Libby's Corner, which was
brought to the scene by avolunteer crew in
short order.
1t was nearly 1.3O o'clock when the water
was turned on, and the stable was by that
time level with the ground, the ell of the
house entirely consumed and the flames
working their way along under the roof of
the main house, as was evinced by the dense
volumes of smoke which hung over the
before the house was entirely consumed.
The house and stable were worth about
$4,000, and the loss will nearly equal that
sum. Mr.. Plummer is insured in the agency
of Rollins & Adams.
Showers of sparks rose from the burning
house and fell ON the surrounding houses.
As all the houses on the street are of wood
and placed near together, had there been
strong wind some of them must have been
ignited. AS it was, Mr.. Nelson was obliged
to wet the roof Of his stable, and surround
ing trees were on fire several times. 1t was
reported that horse persisted in the flames,
but the report could not be substantiated.
Great credit is due the fire department for
the manner in which they went to work in
laying line of hose over half a mile in
length, and also the neighbors are deserving
of mention for the careful way in which
they removed the furniture.