The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-12-28
FIRES YESTERDAY.
An Alarm that Confused the
Firemen.
Bishop Neeiy's Carriage Demolished
by a Hose Team.

Yesterday afternoon the fire bells began
ringing and instantly there was a commotion
In all the engine houses. BY the time the
number of the box was registered at rs
house, the engine and hose carriage were
ready to start, but before the the doors were
opened another number, AIS sounded. This
was confusing, and the drivers didn't know
where to go. So they waited for the alarm
to sound again, to be sure where the fire
was The gong sounded once more. and this
time 4l2 was registered This didn't help
matters any, it added to the confusion. The
alarm did not sound again, and Captain
Thurston finally decided that it was best to
go to Az, corner of Fore and Union streets,
and risk 1t. The doors swung open and the
engine started out, but just then hook nd
ladder No. came dashing along and stol led
in front Of rs house to find out where the
fire was, they too having been confused by
the manner in which the alarm was rung in.
A collision would have taken place IL the
drivers Of both engine and hook and ladder
had not managed their teams very skillfully.
1t was. with difficulty that the restless and
powerful horses attached to the engine were
stopped. The driver of the hook and ladder
saw the danger barely in time to get his team
out of the way. The engine then got under
way again and went down Congress street at
great rate, closely followed by hose No. /.
Hook and ladder No. 3 turned back to the
engine house TO find out where the fire was
before going farther. The flames were found
we'll under way in Patrick Welch's one story
and half wooden house, No. % Cotton
street. The blaze WAS coming out through
the roof, and the whole upper part of the
house was ON fire when the water was turned
upon the building. A little of the furniture
n the first story was saved, but everything
else was ruined, either by fire or water. The
damage by the flames was confined to the
upper part of the huuse, where the
fire originated In some unknown way. 1t
caught in the rear of the attic. A
child had been in the attic an
hour or two before the fire. but it is not GER
tain that the fire started through any act Of
the child. The inside of the house was
charred and drenched, so that it was sorry
sight A lot of clothing, feather beds. &C.,
in the attic, were entirely destroyed. The
building was not valuable and probably $500
will cover the loss on it, The loss from dis
truction Of clothing and furniture cannot be
closely estimated, but probably $50 or $500
will make that good. Mr.. WEIGH says he had
small insurance, which will partially cover
the loss. All his own and his children's
clothes were destroyed. Just previous to
the fire no member of the family was in the
house.
Bishop Nicely had very narrow escape
from what might have been a serious acct
dent He was driving on Congress street,
about opposite Foss's drug store, just after
the fire alarm was rung in. He was in a
covered carriage and was proceeding slowly
down the street on the easterly side. Sud-
denly Cumberland hose carriage No. 8, came
round the corner from Pine street. The
driver seeing the carriage directly in front
vigorously rang his bell. The bishop took
the warning and at once pulled his horse to
the left to give the hose carriage room to get
by. But 1t was too late and the space was
hardly wide enough. The big wagon, at full
speed, plunged into the rear of the bishops
carriage and the latter was total wreck in
an instant. Bishop Nicely was thrown to the
ground and many bystanders rushed to his
assistance, expecting some serious injury,
but strange to say, he picked himself out of
the wreck, still holding to the reins, without
even scar. The carriage was badly
smashed but aside from that no damage was
done.
Early last evening another alarm of fire
from box ALI called the department to Union
wharf on the east side of which the barken-
tine Golden Sheaf was moored. A bunk on
the starboard side of the vessel was ac-
promptly extinguished and no damage to
speak of was done. The service of the fire.
men was not needed.