Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-06-06

vantage watching the muddy waters roll
ing by.
At about II 80. upon the opposite poin
of the stream 4 greenlsh fluid floating OF
the water was nosieeabie. This increased
rapidly in quantity and extent, and at las,
covered almost entirely the muddy water
Of the creek. The smell of gas and oil va,
perceptihle ami about 3n0 yards up the
stream a mass Of flames was seen TO shoe,
helyensard
Run y yelled a hundred voices. AMI
people turned Ike ssampeded cattle ani
started for the hills, Hardly bad they
started when terrific explosion rent III,
air and the entire creek for hundreds o,
feet on each side seemed one seething mas;
ma s. of flames and smoke. Women and
elsihlren were trampled under foot and
about twenty were severely bruised and has
10 be picked up by few of the cooler
heads and carried out of harms way
About half mile from the postof'ies
northward from here ON the Western. New
York & Pennsylvania road, tank filles
with gasoiene WAS standing on the siding
Some young nien noticed the tank leaking
and knowing the flEid's explosive nature
aud seeing shifting engine approach, rar
up the hill. Looking down, as the engins
passed, they saw mass of flame shoot
hundred feet into the air and the earil
shook violently. The engineer and fire,
man jumped from the cab. but it is sup
posed that they were burned to death oi
killed by the explosion.
In an instant the flames swep, madly over
the entire upper part of the city, which was
flooded by the oily waters of the creek
Men, women and children, moving from
their houses, were caught BY the deadly
flames, and if not burned to death outright
were drowned in the raging food. SO fai
seven ghastly bodies have been taken from
the flood a';i are lying on the railroad
track unrecognized.
At this end of the city the iron and
wooden bridge went down iiye minute,
after the fire started. The huge structure
was broken and swept away like kindling
quarter of u mile the entire town was de,
stroyed and the fire is still raging.
The firemen are making heroic efforts to
stop the flames and risking their lives every
instant Us it is not known at what moment
the many immense oil tanks above here will
burst and send the burning contents down
upon them. The Imperial Refining Com
nauy's large tanks are visible from here and
n,ne of them are burning. Ii is feared tha,
the burning oil will again come down the
creek and if it should httle of the business
portion of the city will remain standing.
Paul < Sons furni,ute store a Iarre four.
story building was swept away with $50. 900
worth of stock. furniture, etc. Reinboldts
hotel and livery stable were DESTROYED in "A
few minutes. and Mr.. Reimbold,s and two
others. who have not been identified. were
burned Ia death Their bodies were recoy
cred. About half the third ward has been
DESTROYED.
People are panic-stricken all over the
towd, and all the afternoon parents have
boen running madIy aho,,t lnnking for lbs,
children M one has any idea of the num-
ber of live. lost. For miles M the creek
and ON both sides. everything is in ruins.
and hundreds of families are rendered
homeless. The fire came 20 suddenly tha,
very little. if any. propcrtv was saved along
this stream. The Sky for miles around i.
still black with smoke from the burning
dwellings and oil tanks,
When the two cxplosions occurred thi,
morning people were knocked down by the
force of the shocks. and every window fo,
two Snuares along Centre street was broken