The Portland daily press., 1894-05-10
uiidings Burned.
Especial to the Press. I

Norway, Me-, May 9.-Baween two o'clock
this afternoon and earl evening, this
thriving village became a scene of desola-
tion, blackened ruins extending for mile
through the heart of the town where had
been many comfortable hmes and prosper
GUS business establishments. The flames
which ragged for hours swept away seventy
houses, large manufacturing establish
ment, employing from one hundred to one
hundred and fifty men, the Congregational
church, the opera house, two banks, and a
wool carding.mill. The main street of the
village was swept, on its south side for a
mile from the opera house nearly to the
falls. When the blaze reached the tannery
the flames leaped across TO the north side
of Mainsstreet and swept away everything
on that side nearly to the falls distance of
third of mile. Several side streets, ex-
tending from Main street to the river were
left nearly bare of houses. The total loss
| Is about $3.50, 900, and the total insurance
$15O, 900.
The fire started in themill of @. B. Cum
mings & Son., which wa, on the south side
of the river, opposite the opera house. II
| was about two o'clock when flames burst
out in pile Of shavings under planer. A
| tremendo ously heavy wind was blowing at
| the time tending to sweep the flames east
| ward along the main street. The fremen
| responded promptly. Norway has system
of water works and three hose companies.
| They were on hand, but the fire spread in
| the Cummings mill, a large structure con-
| tianing leather bosId factory, chair
factory, dowell factory and other estab
| lishments, one hundred and fifty men being
employed. The large factory was soon il
flames. Then the flames leaped about fifty
| feet across the stream and set fire to the
| opera house. This was built in 1882, at {
cost of $4,000. They
| MADE A DESPERATE FIGHT
to save it, but it was so hot that it went
| The opera house was insured for S8U00. L
| had stores under it. George Coles woolel
carding mill was near the Cummings n
and was destroyed, loss $500 and not il
sured. South of the opera house was thu
| Oxford county shoe store, Frank Faunce
manager, and owned by Farnsworth Of
Portland. The building was small woode1
! one worth about $1,000, and was destroyed
| Only three buildings were saved on th'
river side of this portion Of Main street
| They are the fine residences of DR.. Brad
bury, G. l.. Hathaway and Mrs. A. O.
| Noyes. Mrs. Noyes's stable was burned how
ever. Farther down on the same side
| Seward S. Stearns's house was saved, an(
| then everything..on that side was swep
away as far as the school house, within
| forty rods of the falls. On the other sid
| from the tannery to the corner of Main ant
| Fair streets near the Falls, five residence
were spared, those of J. L. Horne, H. L
Horne, George w. Holmes, A. l.. F. Pix
! and Mrs. Alrnira l.. Foster.
| On the north side of the street wer
burned, besides the tannery. the academy
worth $1,000, and insured for $500, and tn
| Congregational church, worth $4,000 AM
| insured for $1,000. This church was abou
| fifteen years old and the
| THIRD TO BE BURNED
on it's site, and this building had bee
| three times on fire before this. A very fin
! pipe organ was destroyed. Rev. Mr.. Rideout
| the pastor, fell from the roof while tryin
| to save his church and broke his shoulder
| The church caught fire from flying bran
that caught near the top of the steeple.
W. Whitcomb's fine residence. with almos
all it's furniture, was destroyed.
One of the most exasperating losses of th
day was suffered by William H. Chandler
While fighting the fire. he threw down hi
coat with $500 in the pocket. The fire bea
the fighters and the coat and money weI
burned up The village was the scene
the utmost confusion during the confiagr,
tion. Nearly every family moved out an
front yards were full of goods .while teal
loads of furniture were moving out of til
village. Many families saved only tt
clothes they wore. In all, about five hur
dred people must have been burned ou
These are being taken care of by neighbor
and by the people of South Paris, who's
many cordial and general invitations to tn
sufferers were gratefully accepted. Hous
hold effects were scattered about ever
where. In one back street an ancient 0
painting of some dame of the long ag
evidently family heir loom, was see
| living face up beside the road. In the frol
portion of a yard on Main street a large p
contentedly rooted, while on one side of