Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-11-16
FIRE IN HOTEL NORTH.
Gfsat Damage Dars BY Smoke md Iats'
10 To Di1hS Room



Caught In Basement.
AT ten minutes Of ten last evening,
Doushr's steam vbistls gave The alarm Of
nre and the alarm Wa Immediately taken
up BY the bells.
A great crowd soon gathered about Hotel
North. Volumes Of smoke came pouring
out of the chimney in what 10 know ~ the
annex, and as the window opening from the
street into the basement was broken q
cloud Of smoke poured forth into The facet
Of the firemen that were early on the scene.
The general impression at fret was thai
the fire was confined to the bassmsnt undes
the jswelry store Of A. n. Wight. Itvas
soon found, however, that the firs was more
generally under that portion Of the hotel
known ~ the annex than was at Afst sup
posed.
Firemen were working bfavely on both
the ffont and rear Of the hotel.
On going into the hotel it was found thst
the smoke was coming out Of the dining
room on which Mr.. Berry, the proprietor
Of the hotel, who was in Montvills last
night. has just been exrending about .
thousand dollars in decorations, which were
hardly completed.
was opened the smoke poured forth and on
the smoke Was filing all the chambers,
The Aremen had scarcely got to work In
the rear when . noise vas heard ct q win
L Ar~ In Nho Nhtxd enpx - hA ~nA .
| womAn's voice WAS heard 'sGet me out Of
here quick" She made An attempt to jump
but WAS told to remain where che was ill
ladder could be put up. The excitement
in the crowd about became intense and
| Il Was feared that the woman would become
suffocated before help could reach her.
Fred shaw, Of the II. I. Morse Hook and
| Ladder Company, ran up the ladder and
taking the woman, with the assistance Of
anoiher fireman, got her down the ladder
unhurtsbut faint. Her name was Mrs. Nc
David, the cook OF the hotel.
la this part Of the building, which joins
the new building that Smith 10 building,
| the upper rooms are devoted 10 the help
sud the story on the street 10 occupied BY
8. S Williams & Sons and A, M. Wight,
the jewelier. la the basement, on Com
mercisi street, i. the new steam laundry
where lre caught about the chimr ey
about three weeks ago, Many thought tina,
this blsze guited At the same place, but al
the time OF eoiug to press II was not known
with certainly where the fire caught or what
caused it.
After Mrs, McDavid was taken out there
was report that others Of the help were
in there, but she thought not. Then the
alarm for the safety Of the people in the
house spread, sHd with good reason, for the
smoke had completely filed the upper
chambers
The more daring persons who rushed ny
the stairs were obliged to come back every
few minutes for . breath of air. One
woman was found in her room in Mysteries
bu. was wrapped in blanket and brought
down to the Office almost sunocxted.
Soon the firemen were playing into the
new dining room and were cutting through
the floor Of the office near the foot Of the
stairs to let the water down through. All
this water poured down on the grocery
stock of s. s. Williams, one Of the firms
that were burned out in the Granite Hail
| fire.
The contents Of the safe, the books and
much Of the office furniture were tsken
out of the hotel In about an hours time
the Are had been reduced 30 that the dining
room could be entered and the furniture
and silver be removed.
Down stsirs men were working with will
to smove the shos cases and tafes from
| the jewelry store. Mr. Wight said he hsd
but Sl5o0 on bis whole stock which wou
not begin to cover his loss. A large par,
of his goods were removed with
| out great damage. 8. s. Williams
& Sons were insured for about $4,000.
They had renewed one policy during the
past week and put $500 sdditional insurance
on their stock. rheir loss will be con-
siderable from The sluoke and volumes Of
water. James Rumney who keeps cigar
store under the hotel said that he was unin-
sursd, his policy having run out some
little time ago and he csreiessly
sllo wed 1t to pass without renewal
Macombsr's, Chicks, Fogler's ard Mobiles
sgencys were concerned in the FIRE, 80 000
on the furniture in the hotel and $500 on
the lsundry.
Duiog the fire Officer Breen arrested q
man for attempting TO stesi 9 watch,
| s. S Williams had just put in larg'
stock Of flour,
The fire was under control at midnight
with two stresms then playing oa 1t
After the fire WAS under control q Iea
tions With respect to the origin Of .hs ffs
was answered more coolIy. Many Of tn,
| firemen who were fret to get The then prob
able source Of the blsze, thought the f.,
must have caught about the furnace IN tt,
rubbish near there; whether by lamp 4
plosion or ABOUT The chimney they cauic
not tell. The greatest damage WAS dop'
by water.
| To estimate the loss would be to make
an average Of the claims which are made
but none OF which are on exact figures
Berry & Walker, proptietors OF the Hote
North, had just hsd their dining room elab
orately repaired aud decorated Their losl
must come up to $500. 3. s. Williams 4
Sous were damaged by water and smok'
about $1,000 for rough essimste. Tbs
s,eam Iauodry run by Mr. Nash had all, Of
nearly all its goods out, it being Sunday
night. The machinery was appsrenli!
but little damaged. The loss to the laundr,
seems 10 be not more than = tbousan,
doilsrs. A. NJ Wigh,'s loss is not known
He oeirg iosured but $500 must feel th'
loss quite keenly. One show case In beini
taken out was broken and 1t is believed ths
considerable jewelry vas spilled for who
ever came along to PICK it up. The hote
proper was not il jured by the FIRE and II il
thought the Hotel North will in few dsy
be ranaing as II nothing had happened
LssG night those in charge were preparing
to provide for the guests in the morning o
at noon at best. The building owned b,
the. North heirs wss considerably damage
ana the Whole l.ss will not te far fron
sl2, 900.
The fremeB we're quickly on the seem
and did good work, As soon a. IL va
known that there was . fire large crow
Of people thst had no business there ver
consrs gated in the hotel Office and Afforde'
Considerable Inconvenience 10 those VIII
were clearing the Tocms.