The Republican journal., 1888-03-29
Fires In SearSmOnt. E. L. Bean Burned Out.

Ii
There were two fires in Searsmolt last week, tie
first accidental while the other is believed to have
been of incendiary origin. The second fire was
one of the most destructive in the history of the
town. About O'Clock last Friday morning fire
was discovered issuing from the dwelling house Of
Mrs. Samuel Russell, occupied by herself and her
daughter, Mrs. A. J. Farrar. The building was
entirely destroyed. Adjoining the house was
store owned by MIR. Ebenezer Cobb, but occupied
by Mr. William c. Andrews, the postmaster, who
was also in trade Mr.. Cobb had harness shop
in the same building. Nearly everything in the
house was destroyed, but Mr.. Andrews succeeded
in saving his stock and all the United States mail
matter Mrs Russell insured for 800, and
Mr.. Cobb for 5000. The loss was about $1,000.
The fire is thought to have originated from
| defective chimney. The buildings were insured in
the agency of Heating & Field Belfast. The post
Office is now in the store of Mr.. J. L. Moody.
Saturday about midnight-some say after one
o'clock Sunday mOrning-thc store of Mr.. f. l..
Bean was discovered on fire. The Ncvcns House
is directly opposite and Mr. Nevens and several
dodgers were awakened and discovered the fire
about the same time All say the fire then on
the piazza outside the building and that it flashed
spring up suddenly. The earliest at the fire say
the odor of kerosene oil was very marked and the
smoke of the fire also indicated oil. The entire
village turned out and the excitement ran high
The wind was blowing from the northwest and
carried the flames away from the Nevens House
Searsmont has fire apparatus buckets.
These the willing people used to the best alvant-
age. Old carpets and everything available was
Of IN, II
kept wet down and this saved the building. The
fire entered Beans store and worked above to the
hall of Quantebacook lodge of Masons, and the
whole building with its contents was destroyed.
The Baptist church, but short distance from the
burning building and directly to leeward, soon
took fire and was destroyed despite the determined
fight of the citizens. A stable belonging to MI.
William p. More was also destroyed. Twenty feet
from the burning church was the dwelling house
of Mrs. William Farrar. Carpets were placed
oyer the house and with an abundance of water
thrown on it was saved. The house of Leona, d
Luce was but a,short distance away and IN line Of
the fire. This was wet down and the water frecz-
ing made complete coating. The burning cinders
constantly fell upon it, but were cxtinguished.
The house of Mr.. W. =. Thayer near the hotel was
badly blistered but did not take fire.
The first building burned was owned by Mr. f..
L.. Bean and the Masonic fraternity. Mr. Bean
occupied the basement and first story, and the
Masons the remainder, with the exception Of one
room, the Office of the selectmen. The building
was erected last year, and 10 by 80 feet three
stories high, with mansard roof. Mr.. Bean
store was handsomely arranged, and outside of Bel
fast, was the best store in Waldo county He say cd
nothing except the safe which, with its contents in
fair state of preservation, WAS uleu the
ruins after the fire. Mr.. Bean had an insurance of
$500 the buihline and 81 800 on the stock His
loss, as he carried Il heavy stock, must have been
from $4,000 to $1,000 above The insurance
Quan,ebacook lodge of Masons owned and occr-
pied the upper stories, and lost everything The
lodge had $1,000 insurance on the building and
$500 on the furniture. The Masonic hall was 40 by
20 feet, with the usual ante room. The banquet
hall Is 10y 40 feet. Below the hall was a large
room 40 feet square used for town hall and for
dancing. The Masonic hall was very handsomely
arranged and credit to the fraternity 1t was
dedicated ~ the Grand Lodge of Masons on the
18th of last October.
saturday, the day before the fire, the selcctmen
OF the town hired one room of the Masons for an
Office and the use of the hall for town meeting for
five years The assessors books from 1868 to the
reports, etc. In 1865 the town hall was DESTROYED
with all the books, that the town has no asses
sor's records whatever.
The Baptist church was built in 1872 1t was
somewhat out of repair and not valuable build
ing. There was no insurance omit Sealsmont was
founded by Hon. David Sears, from whom Sears
port and Sears Island derive their names lie
gave bell to the town to be presented to the first
church built and the Baptist and Methodist socie-
ties both built editices and sought to obtain
the bell. The Baptist church got the bell but
the competition close that Mr. Sears gave
Il handsome clock to the Methodist church. The
bell was ruined ty the fire
1t Is the universal opinion that the last fire was
an incendiary one. Beams store was heated by a
furnace, and the fire had gone out before SATURDAY
evening. After the fire the furnace was found in
tact. There had been no one in Masonic hall dur
ing the day. On Monday many Scarslnont people
drove IN to Belfast and all were Of the opinion
tigate the matter.
Later enquiry shows that many Searsmont peo-
pie believe the fire i'll Beams store was accidental
ant, not lncentiary. 1t was bright moonlight
night and they say is not possible that oil could
have been thrown the Iu.:,iing and a fire
started outside in plain view of the Nevens House
opposite. They say further that the sudden flash
and Kerosene odor are easily accounted for De
spite what is said above as to fire in the furnace
one gentleman familiar with the premises thinks
the fire caught from the chimney.