Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-22
Second Dispatch.


Second Dispatch.
terrific fire which was attended by loss
of life, this afternoon, DESTROYED the New
England Institute Fair building on Hunting
ton avenue. The building originally
built BY the New England Manufacturers and
Mechanics Institute for exhibition purposes,
at a cost of nearly S50O,O00 Last winter it
was purchased by the Metropolitan Railroad
Co. for $500, 900, and has since been used as a
place for the storage and repair of cars, The
fire was first discovered in the front OF the
building, directly under the paint shop, by a
man working half-mie away, and before he
could give an alarm the fire had gained rapid
headway. So quickly did the flames spread
that before the first engine arrived the inn
mese roof had fallen and the building was a
| roaring furnace. Workmen sought their
| tools and many were badly burned before
they could get out of the building, while
Others were unable to escape. Within the
building were about 400 box cars, only one of
which was saved. The great barn.llke struc-
ture, which covered an area of five acres,
with floor space of nearly eight acres, was so
full of flame that the very walls were blow n
out Three alarms sounded but from the
first it was clear that the burning structure
was doomed, and the firemen directed their
ehotte " Saving surrounding OptTtF.
As soon, however, as it was learned that
lives had been lost in the building, the fire.
man brsvely forced their W ay into the blazing
ruins to rescue the bodies. The flames re-
fused to surrender until they had conquered
everything combustibie within the building,
and the work Of rescae WAS attended with
great danger. The charred remains of two
men were brought out. 1t is believed other
bodies are buried in the de oriS, as several of
the workmen are missing. All is confusion
at present and no correct statement OF the
loss of life can as vet be obtained.
The flames are still burning in the interior
of the building, of which nothing is left
standing except the lower portions of the
walls.
Seven bodies in all have been removed
from the ruins, three of which were so badly
charred and disfgured that identification is
impossible. The names of the others are
believed TO be as follows: William raylor,
aged 10; Oliver Frost. aged 81; Patrick
Lyons, aged 80 aud Alexander Campbell,
aged 20. The body of a negro krown to have
been burned has not been recovered. This
makes eight fatalities known to nave been
caused by the fire. The foreman OF the re-
pair shop states that all of the SO work men in
the building when the fire broke ont are ac.
counted for with the exception of the four
named above and the other four uufor-
Inmates were probable strangers wto entered
the building 10 assist in removing the cars.
The following were severely burned Joseph
Whidden, car builder, seriously burned about
the face and shoulders taken to the hospital;
Chester L. Hezeltine, badly burned about
the face, hands, arms and throat. +. l..
Faven. burned about the face and hands.
The two latter were employed in the car
shops. Several others bad their hair singed
but escaped serious injuries.
At this hour (ll z. NJ. the fire is smoul-
dering and portion of the fire department
engaged in throwing water upon the ruins.
The front and side walls partly remain, out
are cracked and in a dangerous and unsafe
condition. 1t is now said that there were
but 100 cars in the building. 20 being new
ones.
The total loss is estimated at about $780,
900. divided, as nearly as can be given to-
night, as follows: On bnilding, fixtures. etc i,
$3.50 900; on cars. $4,000; on machinery,
tools. etc, $4,000. The insurance aggre-
gates $4,000.