The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-10-25

HlaH WHO was ieicaScu carry aIter the fire
started. But the absurdity of the despatch
was too much for the crowd nd the most
tired took time to smile.
STORY OF THE FIRE.
How Building After Building Went
Down.
PENNINGTON, Oct. 23-The Sandy River
Railroad Company recently began the laying
of a side track, little distance out of Farm
ington station and all day Friday the rail-
road was running construction trains to that
point. About 2.45 p. m. on Friday, Dana, a
son Of Captain E. 1. Merrill and the con-
struction crew simultaneously discovered
flames bursting from barn owned by Stoy-
ell heirs, situated few feet from the new
track. When the fire was discovered it had
got such headway that almost the entire in
terror Of the barn was in flames. So rapid
was the progress of the flames that when Mr..
Stoyell stepped to his front door, his first
real knowledge of the fire was the sight of
the roof Of his barn falling in. Tho general
alarm was Immediately giyc3 and in a few
moments almost all the population was at
work to entinguish the fire. The village has
one hand fire engine and hook and ladder
company-well manned There are several
reservoirs, but there was very little water in
them. The only source Of water supply near
the burning barn was reservoir 100 feet
distant The fire at the barn by diligent eff
forts, was soon got under control so that at
O'Clock the fire was thought to be over
But the citizens were now fated to exper-
fence terrible surprise. 1t seems that
while the barn was burning in a considera-
bic breeze Of wind, sparks were scattered
far and wide, so that at 3.15 p. m. seven diff
ferent roofs were found to be on fire, but
only to such an extent as to be easily extin-
guished by few pals of water. Hence at
p. M. there was not believed to be any fur
ther danger. A heavy guard was placed
about the ruins of the barn to provide against
contingencies. 1t should here be stated that
the barn was perilously located as the center
from which to set the town on fire. 1t was
surrounded completely by wooden buildings
As the barn contained lots of farming tools
and forty-ive tons of fine hay, it was all the
more dangerous for distributing the fire.
As the people sat down to supper it was
with the belief that Pennington had escaped
an Eastport experience and was safe. So
much was this true that two entertainments
advertised for Friday evening, were being
vigorously prosecuted-one to raise funds to
furnish cushions for the Baptist church and
another Lyceum at the Normal Hall. So
matters Jared at $50 p. m. Just at that mo-
ment Mr.. Albert Sterry standing in his yard,
saw light in Mr. Elbridge Gerrys stable.
At first he thought nothing of it, but on sec
ond and near inspection, he found the inside
of the stable ablaze. He at once sounded
the alarms, caught up every bell in town,
and in twinkling the whole population was
on the streets.
Quicker than it takes to tell the story, Mr..
Gerry's barn was in ruins. In a vain attempt
to rescue his horse, Mr.. Gerry was badly
burned. Mr.. Gerry's house and barn were
located at about the center of Pleasant
street, facing the Pennington Common. On
each side were large, old fashioned build
ings-as old as there were in town. This,
also, was another dangerous point for fire
to catch, as it was emphatically center of
wooden tinder boxes. Right in the midst of
these buildings and nearly opposite those of
Mr.. Gerry, stood the venerable court house,
Sc years old, one of the oldest buildings in
Pennington, used lately as a town house-a
tall and very large structure that was fated
to have no small part in distributing the
nights frebrands.
Mr. Gerry's house was soon in flames and
in few moments Mr. Albert Sterry's build
ings on the north, and Mr.. William Tarbox's
on the south, were ablaze The fire depart
ment meantime, notwithstanding it had not
got dried out from the 3 o'clock fire, was
promptly on hand. ably seconded by men,
women and children, all at work at the limit
OF strength to save the town. At this par
ticular locality as elsewhere, reservoirs were
exceedingly low; but it is doubtful had they
been filed to oover1owing, if the town at this
stage of the disaster could have been saved,
with the simple hand-tub and the fire extin-
gushing facilities of ancient history.
AT this moment, about 9 o'clock, Phillips
was telephoned for aid, and her hand engine
and hook and ladder company were at once
set ON fiat cars and with 800 citizens of the
village, were despatched to Pennington as
fast as steam could hasten them They ar
rived at Pennington about l0.3Op. m.
After capturing the three sets of buildings
on Pleasant street, already indicated, the fire
spread to other houses on the street. The
busy people with great urgency did what
they could to save household goods, but
many of their goods were burned in the
streets.
Mrs. Hunters and Mrs. Boardman's build
ings on the south of Tarbox's next caught
fire and were destroyed. At the same time
on the north very large and old fashioned
house on the Cragin estate was burned. The
fire stopped there on this northward move
ment and leaped across the street to the
county Jail.
About this time Conductor Thomas Hea-
ley telegraphed from Pennington for Lewis
ton and Portland aid. Trains were prompt
ly dispatched, but were provokingly delayed
by freight train, which had the right of
way. The operators ON the line being asleep
the railroad manager could not reach the
| train to give the specials a clear track; but
in spite Of the difficulties, for which nobody
| was to blame, the Lewiston special reached
Pennington at 2.30 in time to be of eminent
service. Indeed. it may have been that its
opportune arrival prevented the entire de-
struction of the village.
| 1.-THE Portland train reached Pennington
not until nearly morning and the Portland
machine was not unloaded at "a. m.
| Before the fire had possession of the Jail.
| the prisoners had been turned loose, one OF
them, at least, turning to at once and begin
ming to fight the fire that had released him,
The Jail was an old brick structure but pass
ably secure.
From the jail the fire was communicated to
Farmington's first hotel-Hotel Marble. for
merly known as the Forrest House.
This was very large and rambling wood
en- structure, three stories in height The
wind was blowing fresh from the north at
this time, and the sparks from Hotel Marble
pew thick and fast to the south on the ex-
posed roof of the old Town House, Of which
mention has previously been made, and which
in twinkling was a seething mass of flame.
1t was now nearly midnight and the panic
was widespread, so that coherent story of
the great disaster is quite impossible from
this point The entire village seemed to be
in rain of fire. Sparks few in all direc-
tions as if the fire was coming down from
Heaven.
And before ANYBODY could fully realize tho