Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-10-16

rire at Eastport-Only Two small
stores Remain Standing-Half a Mil.
lion Dollars Worth of Property Cousum.
ed iu Ten Hours-subscrip,iopsC Can he
forwarded to the Collector OF Customs.
EAsTPoRT, Oct 15.
The fre which broke out in Eastport
Thursday, ragged furiously for ten hours, de-
ivlng all efforts to control or arrest it.
1t started in Capen & McLean's sardiue
factory and swept in northerly direction
along the water front and through Water
street, burning ten sardine factories, both
hotels, some thirty-fve dwelling houses, the
customs house and the postoffce. Every
place of business where goods of any descrip-
ton were kept for sale, except two small
grocery stores which were out of the path of
the fire were burned.
1t is impossible at this time TO make an ac-
curate estimate OF the losses sustained or the
insurance. The total loss is estimated in
round numbers at least half million, fairly
covered by insurance, except the sardine fac
tories, which could not procure insurance.
Telegraphic communication was cut off at
T. M, and only reopened at A. NJ, Friday
morning. Particulars of the losses will be
given as soon as possible. The sardine fac
tories afforded employment to at least two
thousand persons, who are thus deprived of
the means of support.
Much suffering must ensue unless immedi-
ate aid is rendered. Contributions can be
safely forwarded to Hon. N B. Mutt, col
lector of customs.
Later-lt is raining heavily now and the
fires are extinguished. 1t is impossible to
get details of each loss. The owners, them
selves cannot give it and all insurance agents
records are burned.
All the safes are also destroyed with their
contents and many insurance policies. The
aggregate loss is estimated by the chief engi-
neer of the fire department and insurance
agents at half million. The Passsmaquod-
dy hotel, Island House, Frontier House and
American House are burned.
The Savings bank, Frontier National bank
and customs house, all brick buildings, are
totally destroyed The Frontier bank was
supposed to be fire proof. The customs
house, postoffice and U. S signal and record
books are burned. Probably not three safes
protected their contents from fire. Both
newspapers. the Standard and the Sentinel
are burned out. Two or three weeks ago the
Standard had an article calling attention to
the great danger from fire and the want of
apparatus.
The editor, Frank McGraw, was generally
condemned for it because it raised insurance
rates.
The Standard warned the people to pur
chase steam fire engines. that a fire in the
sardine factory would sweep the town. The
saving that the town was well provided with
faculties to fight fire. Most of the people
agreed with the Sentinel. Today they admit
that the Standard was right.
The fire commenced in the drying room of
Capen's sardine factory, at the south end, at
. o'clock. The man who first discovered it
says he could have put it out with pail of
water. but water was not to be had. Every
dryest season for forty years. The wells
were all dry, tide out, reservoirs dry and the
wind southeast. The principal business
street runs from southeast to northwest.
The wind had fair rake. The fire ran rap
idly up Water street, taking both banks and
the Passamaquoddy House. After this efforts
to check it were useless. Some of the mer
chants locked their stores, others begged and
pleaded for teamsters, offering any price for
services. The people seemed panic stricken
Everybody was at work but nothing was
accomplished. AT o'clock the Standard of
fee took fire and from this the custom house
caught The fire swept the north end, TAX
ing Grady's large sardine factory and Holmes
can shop, but went past Holmes factories
and stopped at j. j. Pixies residence on
Adams street
On the east side of Water street the fire
jumped an open space of 200 feet, burned L.
X. Corthell's large residence and two houses
north of it. Nothing except hotel burned
on Key street. On Boynton street it burned
as far as Sweeney's house. On Washington
street it burned as far as the Island House
and as far as Newcomb's on the south side.
The Eagle Preserved Fish Co, Paine Bros,
Hume & Son, Grady & Co., Savings bank
s. d. Leavitt, International S. S. Co., J. d.
Young, G. W. Capen. Eastport Hotel Co.,
f S. Kinney, Frontier National bank and
the United States government are the heavi-
est losers, ranging from ten to one hundred
thousand dollars.
Sixty-two dwellings,S factories. IL wharves
hotels, 5 boarding houses and 130 stores,
offices and business places were burned
About one hundred families are homeless.
Many factory hands lived in the boarding
houses and were burned out. Every tene-
ment house in town was crowded before the
fire. Many slept out door last night on mat
tresses. Very little provisions or clothing
was saved and many are in sore distress.
The mayor of Calais telegraphed Offering aid
The ladies of Calais are baking, cooking and
collecting clothing. Gamong Bros. of St.
Stephen forw arded 250 loaves of bread.
Those acquainted with Eas,port may form an
L. 81, 4 k.r hat