Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1893-10-05
a BAD FIRE.
David Friends House Ruined-Sarro,v
Escape of the Family

'"pe oi the Family.
nome ont the soundesi Of sleepers failed IN
oe aroused by the cry Of fire and the Changing
oil bells last sunda, just after midnight.
y was soon learned that David Friends
mouse on Church street was on fire. IL was
discovered by Miss May Friend, Who promptlv
gave the alarm, first arousiug her father and
mother and little sister, and then the neiybbors
IL was discovered not a moment too $40, %
save The lives OF the occupants. As II was tn.
huie girl left the house in her nisht.cIctbes.
ana 'he rest of the family saved nothing Of
Their wearing apparel except what they werr
able TO snatch a. they led from il,, burning
building. The house, pretty two.story
structure, with ell and stable. was, with The
exception OF the stable. utterly ruined.
although the iiremen quenched he flames be-
fore the walls fell in.
The entire contents Of the house were hnrn.
ca or hopeiessy ruined by cDders and water,
many of the articles being highly priced for
associations sake, aud impossible to replace.
Dir. Friend places his los, at from $4,000 to
5000. partially covered by insurance.
An examination Of the ruins showed the
probable cause of the fire. In the chimney
into which the furnace fiue ran, and few
feet below the entrance, was hole closed by
the usual sheet iron cap Thj. esp had be-
come TuStod. wa, full OF holes, and through
these sparks probably found their way. and
lSnlttd the stove wooi That VS. piled close
to the chimney aud over thi> aperture
1 be IRE SOW ly crept W to the ceiling OF the
eeilSr. along to the walls of the house on al
sides aud Up 10 the roof between the partitions.
and thie doubtless accounts for the house being
30 eompl le5"n fire and enwrarpcd in ii when
discovered. Reaching be roof It then maie
IT, Way back through the flooring. completely
cutting the house.
The IRE department responded promptly.
but ~rc was a delay OF some minute. In get
ting water on 10 The fire, ow ing to a mlsunder-
Standing At The hydrani at the corner of Church
anu school streets. The faci- appear TO be
these. Hose aud 81 both poorly manned.
started about the same time, Hose ahead
Instead 30! coupling 10 the bydrant. The few
Who were oa hand laid the hose. apparently
iutcud'r- " couple on to the hydrani after
wards, iha> 7,N,t>ir- the customary manner
- procedure. In tue meantime Hose had
r,aehtd the h,dran,, had coupled on, and
lurned on the waier. But there VS. 10 one 10
Day ,he bose, and there stood the ho-e-cnr, use
lr-- IN tie gutter. Hose >, With a line laid by
thi- iime, VS. ready to couple On. but Fireman
sinclair Of Hose refused to allow It, claiming
first water for biz company
Alderman Eldrid-e happened 10 he present.
-en>cd The situation. and seeing Hose , tenn
poFarly useless, requested Sinclair 10 hut of
the water snd lex Hose connect, her line OF
hose being isd and manned. Sinclair persist
el In lii refusal until Alderman Eidrid,e. III
The absence Of any higher authority, peremp-
tariIy commanded him 10 shut III the atrr
threatening To report him 10 the board II he
.iiIi refused
sinclair then Yielded; connections were
promptly made, ana from that time on both
companies did yeoman service. II &, estimat-
ed hat about seven minutes were lost over the
dispute at the hydr4nt
MI Friend ha- not YET decided whether he
VIII rebuild or not.