The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-04-02
The Loss By Fire, Water and Delay
May Be $4,000.
Firemen Call 1t the Hardest Battle
They Have Had for Years.

| nOS6-carrlage. Iney went down Congress
street to Centre and then down Centre.
When they reached the corner of Centre
and Free streets, Driver Burnham pounded
the gong and attracted the attention of Ofic
ers Flynn, Norton and Greeley who were al
the signal box at Gorham's Corner. "Fire p
shouted Officer Norton, and they started III
Centre street on the run. AS that ran, Offic
or Greeley offered to bet somebody that ]
was the Burrowes mill. Nobody disputed
him or took him up, for just then they
reach the corner and found that he was right
There was a suspicion of smoke hanging
| around the middle (the oldest building OF
| the group. and they made for the door. The
firemen were there too, and Officer Greeley
used his heels on the door with good eff
feet.
The indicator on the building was ringing
the bell was-and the arrow showed fire
| In the basement Of the 1886 building, the
| centre one.
Presently the Waterman came. Are you
afire." asked Mr.. Porter of the Machigonne
"Guess am" replied the Waterman. "Let
me 20 and pull the alarm"
Officer Flynn kindly relieved him Of this
duty, smashing ia the glass door of the
auxiliary alarm on Centre street and pressing
the button.
This Was at 1857.
The bells began to boom out 6-6-6 and so
on, and the firemen and citizens who knew
what the alarm meant before they started
ran not to the box, but the factory.
Officers Greeley and Norton led by the
Waterman rushed through the cellar tc the
further corner where the engine was, and
where the air shaft ran straight up through
the building to the roof. There was only a
little fire in the cellar and the hydrant stream
from the Machigonne soon disposed Of that
Officer Greeley looked up the shaft. however
and saw as far up as he could see forks Of
fame and smoke.
The Waterman explained that he first saw
the fire up stairs. That he opened door on
the second floor and the smoke and flame
| jumped out In his face. Just then he heard
Greeley kicking away at the door down
stairs and ran down to let him and pull the
| box.
This Settles the Origin
of the fire. 1t caught in the basement and
| ran up the shaft bursting into
Il
department had arrived.
| The Machigonne took up a position at the
corner OF Centre and Spring streets and con-
nected up to the hydrant. Engine No. 5
came down to the corner of Free street and
two lines were laid in the twinkling Of an
eye. These were carried in the yard in the
rear of the building and the Machigo nne'.
went upon Centre street. Engine No. In
charge of Engine Company No. 4, stood on
the corner Of Spring and South streets. A
first they could mot find much fire. Here
was little smouldering pile in the cellar
but nothing more. The fremen surrounded
the building, took off hose. put up ladders
and were ready for business if there should
| be any.
There Was Business Immediately.
| Smoke began to pour out of the chimney
and from the windows of the upper story
and then spark or two few out. Then q
tiny streak of fame shot out at the junction
OF the wooden fiat connecting the two upper
buildings. Then came dense puff Of smoke
and acloud Of flame and the building was ali
afire. The chief g
Ordered Second Alarm
and another section of the department came
out. Engine 8 took a position at the head OF
South street. and Engine shared the by
draut with No. g. They each laid two lines
of hose and went to work. When Engine 81
men opened the bydrant, one. of those fates
that watch over fires took hand in the bust
ness. and the pipe burst, opposite 1. P. Far.
rington's house, flooding the street and TAX
ing off about one-third iof the necessary wa,
ter. Nothing could be done. The engine,
on that line wanted all the water there was
so the main could not be shut down. 1t rar
all the time the fire lasted, pouring down a
stream in the gutter that was knee deep fol
Stoker Lehman as he kept the engines fire
going. All this time
The Fire Grew.
1t mounted up story after story in the rea,
part of the building at first, but afterward
working through it, bursting out of the win
dows, and finally working through the ROOT
in one or two places. The firemen sur round
ed it well. Streams were carried up into
both other buildings and were sent into the
windows from the ground.
Still the Fire Spread.
1t leaped out and caught the covered way
leading to the 1888 building on the corner
and for moment or two the coving was
ablaze. The excitement grew tremendous
1t was feared that the lower building was
doomed. But 1t was not. The fremen set
the Hayes ladder up and put the fire out be-
fore any great damage was done. The mid
| die building was by this time was
Thoroughly In Flames.
| The floors and their contents, the roof. the
window stills, all were blazing and all the
water could do no good. Suddenly there came
that shout that is never heard save at a fire.
and only then when wall about to fall. A
long. unearthly shout, and resounding
crash. A long section of the lower corner
wall was split off and came laundering down.
NOBODY Was Hurt.
The firemen who were nearest to the walls
turned and ran with the streams, The crowd
was not there to bother them, thanks to new
| Marshal Hight, who came down at the alarm
ana took charge of the police force in person.
ne consulted with the chief and Others.
anu uecioing that there was danger of the
walls iaihng, ordered Spring street roped off
In front OF all OF the buildings. This was a
wise precaution. for after the first fail there
came Others as the floors burned awav and
left the walls unsupported and totterino 90
that when the firemen left the scene the front
and two side walls Of the building were nrat'
| ty well down to the secorn story.
While the fire was at its height and In dan
ger Of spreading to the adjoining buildings,
the spare engine was sent for. 1t came
quickly, took up position on Cotton street,
and In charge of Engineer Frank How did
yeoman service.
At 11.45
A Third Alarm
was ordered and Hose came in from Lib
by's Corner. Engine 4, which was In the
house, with her wheels implanted, was sent
for to be used by No. hose company.
| Engine took up position at the foot OF
south street and forced water through long
nne OF hose The engine was run by Stoker
oIatie' Harmon Of Engine 5, who proved
iulIy equal to the emergency.
Ihls made the whole available fire force of
the city on the ground and working for all it
was worth. The sick engines. of which we