Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-07-13
The City Visited by Another Great
Confagration.
Twenty Horses Literally Roasted
in Their Stalls.
Two Men While in an Intoxicated d
Condition Burned to Death.
BELFAST, July IL.


The greatest confiagration since 1873, Wis
tied here this morning. resulting in the death
Of two persons and twenty horses, and in de-
stroying property estimated at about $780,
900. Fire broke out, shortly after o'clock,
in the stables of the Belfast Livery Com
pany. on High street, and before assistance
could arrive, twenty horses were literally
roasted alive in their stalls. The flames mex,
corner Of Main and High streets, known as
the telegraph building which was occupied
in the basement by Field & Carriers fish mar
ket and NJ J. Carter, meat market.
The first story was occupied by W. Priest,
tailor, Fred II. Francis, boots and shoes, and
L. ID. Fogg. contectioner.
The second floor was occupied by Nathan
iel Delano. barber. Moses Rich, cobbler, F.
Carrie, tax collector, and W. C. Tuttle, or
gans.
Mr. Tuttle occupied the third floor for
Photographic rooms. The building was in
sured, bur the tenants are heavy losers, ex-
cept Priest, who was fully covered. The
American House, owned by II. n. Ian
caster and occupied by Landlord William
Weeks, and the leading hotel in the city,
next succumbed to the devouring elements.
Laudlord Weeks saved portion of his fur
pilure. The House was partially insured but
Weeks was uninsured.
A carriage house belonging to the livery
company and wooden carriage shop owned
by n. Mansfield, occupied by Hiram w.
Trundy, were totally destroyed. The COM
pany saved their carriages. The brick
occupied by Lewis and Joseph Bean. hatters,
was completely gutted, but the walls are
standing. F. A. Green, lawyer, had an office
in the second story. The larger part of
High street igniting the roof of Whitmore's
store, threatening the New England House
and Masonic Temple, but fortunately the
flames were checked in this direction. The
large grocery store of A. A. Hawes & Co.,
opposite the American House was saved by
use of canvas and a stubborn fight by the
fireman. All the glass in the front of this
store and all the plate glass in the High
street front of the Masonic Temple was
broken by the extreme heat.
Had liawes' store burned that side Of Main
street to Chase's Corner would have been
destroyed. The firemen worked with great
heroism and by six o'clock the fire was en-
tirely extingushed.
The saddest event of all was the death of
two men, who perished in the stable of the
livery company. Their names were Wesley
Twombly and John Casey. They were in
he second story of the building. Twombly's
charred body was found on the sidewalk as
was employed as hack driver by the New
England House. He was 25 years old and
leaves widow and one child.
Casey's body was found in a stall beside
the remains of horse. He was % and un-
married. and it was an agonizing sight to
witness the grief of his widowed mother,
who paced the streets moaning. while the
spectators raked the charred remains of her
son frsm the burning embers.
Twombly and Casey, the two men burned
to death, and companion named James Nc
Cabe, drove to Northport, Saturday night,
returning about midnight. They were in
toxica:ed. Shortly after they entered the
stable the fire was discovered and without
doubt they were the cause. McCabe escaped
from the building, but with his hands and
face badly burned. Charles Baker, chief
engineer. was badly burned about the face
while fighting the fire. The firemeu are
entitled to much praise for the work they
performed.
Great excitement prevails about the streets
and they do not present holiday appearance.
The following are the estimated losses:
H. n. Lancaster, $40, 1000; Belfast Livery
$4,000; A. A. Hawes. $4,000; w. c. Tuttle
$1,000; F. H. Francis, s2,500; Masonic
Temple Association, $1,000; Joseph and
Lewis Bean. $1,000; T. d. Fogg sl0O0
Mansfield, $1,000; also the tenants before
enumerated, in sums from hundreds to
thousands of dollars. Not over one third
OF the property was insured.