The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-01-11
TWO FIRES YESTERDAY.
The widgery Block Badly Damaged by
the Flames.

inc Widgery Block Badly Damaged by
the Flames.
Yesterday mording, about 11.45 O'Clock
a still alarm called Hose No. to the
Widgery block, Nos. So to 40 Exchange
street. There was smoke issuing from
the cellar, and the firemen tried to get
at the blaze and put it out. Find
ing that their efforts were una
vailing, and that the fire had
evidently eaten it's way to the vari-
Gus stories, an alarm was pulled in from
box 45, which called the department to
the building. The damage by fire to the
building, in the cellar, second and third
stories and roof, was considerable. Mr..
| Elias Thomas, who has the management
of the property, told the PRESS reporter
he estimated the damage to the building
between two and three thousand dollars,
covered by insurance. Messrs. >. ii. COT
fin & Co. have $4,000 in the North Ameri-
can of Philadelphia; j. II. Webster
$4,000 in the Holyoke, of Salem, Mass,
and $4,000 in the Quincy. Mr.. Thomas
said he had expended $1,000 the past year
in remodelling Hon. W. L. Putnam's of
ices on the second floor.
The first floor of the building is occu-
pied by the Massachusetts Mutual Life
Insurance Company in the front office,
and c. P. Waldron, railway and steam
boat ticket agency in the rear office. The
loss to these two offices must be wholly
in damage to Office furniture. Mr.. Wal
dron has 5000 insurance with Dow &
Pinlxham, in the New Hampshire msur-
ance Company, on his furniture.
The second floor was occupied by the
law offices of Hon. W. L. Putnam and
David W. Snow. Mr.. Putnam has an in
surance of S240O in the Hartford on his
library. Mr.. Putnam's library had
most fortunate escape. 1t is a very valu-
able collection of 1000 volumes or more,
and probably one of the best working
law libraries in New England. In it are
a series of United States reports, nearly
complete, the complete reports of the
English chancery or equity courts, run
ming back hundreds of years, and other
valuable books. Their loss would have
been well nigh irreparable. AS it was,
only few state reports in the back Of
flee were damaged from smoke and wa
ter. Mr.. Snow library was on the same
floor, and what loss he suffered was Gov
cred by insurance.
The third story had been occupied as
furniture storage room for Deane & Col
ley, but was closed short time ago, not
being needed for that purpose. Mr.. A.
S. Woodman, the lawyer, had an office in
the front, but it is understood that his
loss was light. The roof was somewhat
burned. In two hours the all out was
pulled in.
M. S. Fishers Hat Store Burned Out.
The firemen were called on to Ex-
change street again at a few moments
past o'clock last evening, by stub
born fire which developed in the build
ing, No. 179 Middle street. owned by the
Fox heirs, and occupied by NJ. S. Fisher,
an Hebrew dealer in hats and haber-
dashery. The fire developed great guam
titles of smoke, which of course did not
benefit Mr.. Fishers stock Mr.. Fisher
said last night that his stock was worth
$4,000, and that it was insured for $4,000
in the agency of Morse & Pinl1ham. Mr..
Fisher could not think what might have
caused the fire. He had been in the
store about an half hour before to attend
to his stove, and had seenno signs of any
fire except that in the stove.