The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-10-19
The Loss Estimated to be Nearly
$1,000, 900.
No Prospect that Much Building will
be Done this Fall.
A Hopeful Feeling that the Town
will be Rebuilt.


will be Rebuilt.
EAsTPoRT, Oct 1S.-It is a sad sight to see
| the homeless families at Eastport huddled
about the small remainder of their household
| goods, many of them without even a change
of clothing. facing near-approaching win
ter. Many of the people have been obliged
to sleep out of doors. but now the weather is
colder, and the prospects are anything but
reaSsuring
The grand total Of losses is s sardine fac
tories, II wharyes, hotels, 3 banks, custom
house, post office, United States signal office,
vessels, 50 dwellings, 130 business places,
comprising every store, office, shop, market
and saloon in town. All are swept clean cut
of existence Had it not been that there
were three or four corner groceries on the
outskirts of the village, there would have
been no place where a cracker or a loaf of
bread could have been bought. Many of the
buildings burned were not insured.
Nearly everybody is busy clearing away
debris, collecting goods and distributing pro-
visions among the destitute and impoyer-
ished. Nearly 1900 working people are out
of employment, who before the fire earned
from So to $40 per week. This money was
spent every week among the merchants, and
Eastport was one of the few towns in the
State increasing in wealth and population.
Every day laborers were coming in from 9TH
er towns and found employment here at
good wages. Now many are trying to get
out of town to go they know not where.
Some families have already gone, being
unable to find shelter. Every day distress
and suffering becomes more apparent as the
excitement Immediately following the fire
dies out. The people are just finding out
their losses, and too many find what they
have left is to little for present necessities.
The business men held meeting Saturday
and passed the following resolutions:
In view of the recent great calamity which
has visited this town enyolying immense loss
to commercial, manufacturing, professional
interests, the undersigned representing the
above interests respectfully ask the moral
support, sympathy and f0rbearance of our
busines connections abroad to aid us over
the coming result this great misfortune. Re-
lying on the assistance of the Divine Provi-
dence and own energy, Industry and perSe-
yerance, and the moral support and conf
dence of our business connections abroad we
confdentially hope to rise again from the
luluo O1 UuI pIcStub W d pUSl-
tion of comparative prosperity.
That since the heaviest part of the burden
and most of the suffering must be borne by
the laboring class, whose only source Of in
come has been swept away, leaving men,
women and children without food, clothing
OF shelter, we appeal to the business men of
other cities and towns, especially to those
who have business connections with us, to
give us whatever financial aid they can to
relieve the present distress and also assist us
hnnlnC hnnlQlaCC M
reestablishing business enterprise, which
will provide employment for those who are
willing to work, but can find no work to do.
The relief committee is busy. One men,
Der, Stephen Sherlock, is making thorough
search for families in distress, and has re-
ports from other members as to the needs of
each Aid is beginning to come in, and the
following contributions have been received:
They are small in proportion to the great
need but are appreciated
Calais-$100o and provisions.
Bangor-A car load of provisions and
$1,000.
E. T. Russell 6 Co., 800.
I. III. Peavy, Minneapolis, $3.50.
Thomas Norton, New York, $780,
Congressman Boutelle, $40.
Jed Frye & Co., New York. 5000.
Charles L. Peavy, Minneapolis, $25.
w. I'll. Kilby, DR.. III. b. Kilby, Quincy Kill
by. Boston, $50
r. S, McLaren, Boston, 800.
Nj. A. Jewett q Co., Portland, 100 pounds
of coffee and 10 cases of cooked meats.
State Senator Gray, of Philadelphia,
former resident has called the mayors at
tention to the distress and telegram from
the latter to the selectmen, says:
Philadelphia relief committee met and au-
thorized him to telegraph for details of the |
present condition and prospects for work for |
laborers and for rebuilding.
E. C. Pike has called the mayor of Boston's |
attention to help extended from Bosten.
Rockland will hold a meeting tomorrow |
and send relief
The prospects for rebuilding are not bright |
unless with outside aid. Factory owners |
will rebuild the wharves this fall but no fac |
tories till spring. The sardine packing sea-
son opens April 10 and closes December Is. |
Can't get ready before the close of this sea- |
son. No merchants will build this fall |
Some will never build. Few costly wood |
en- edifces will be erected again as insurance |
rates will be high.
The only wharf left along the water front |
of +he business part of the town is Milli- |
kell's, which was formerly used as steamer |
landing. This is great good fortune, as it |
gives the International steamers chance to |
land freight.
Reports about people missing and about
trains bringing relief was a romance. There
is no railroad here, and no one missing.
More merchandise has been stolen by |
New Brunswickers and carried to their
homes in Campobello, Deer Island and Grand
Manan without paying duties in the last
three days than was smuggled before in
three years. Boxes of shoes, flour, pork, |
pig lead, and everything they could pick up
they stole and loaded into boats.
Perhaps half the buildings burned took
fire from flying sparks. These could have
been extinguished with good fire apparatus
and plenty of water, but neither were to be
had.
Insurance adjusters are beginning to ar
rive, and will get at the details of the loss
and insurance in two or three days,
but can give no accurate figures now. But
5he aggregate loss will be nearer $1,OOO,O00
,han 100000, and about half of it covered.
No body is sure how the fire originated,
out the last report is that two men working
N Capen's factory were in the habit of eat
ng their meals and sleeping in room over
lead. The fire was discovered near a stove
where they cooked dinner Thursday, and it
S supposed the stove caused it. The custom
house is complete ruin. A bill will be
presented the first thing the next session of
Congress for an appropriation. The old
me cost $50, 900, but was not suitable for the
custom house and post office. Wood sheds,
,arns, skating rink, town hall, armory, G.
A. R. hall, bed rooms, kitchens, parlors and
,ellars have been turned into stores and
,ffices.
The custom house, both banks, American
md International Express companies,
Brooks barber shop, McGraw's law office,
Jlark's insurance Office in the Frontier
1uards' armory, post office, two barber
hops, Buxton's stable in the rink, the tele-
,raph office in Cushing the apparatus in the
ront room, where three operators are busy
\ special meeting is to be held in a few
lays to act on important matters.