Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-05-16


boys set themselves up as rivals to Mrs.
OLeary's COW, this afternoon, and the
result was the largest fire in this city since
Thanksgiving, 1889, burning over greater
area than any since the memorable one of
1872. In less than three hours twelve acres
# territory was burned over, the base ball
grand stand and bleachers, the large school
house. engine house, 164 wooden and l3
brick buildings being destroyed, and 1000
families made homeless.
The indications are that the fire was
caused by carelessness and mischief, aud
became beyond control through stupidity.
Since last season the seats in the centre
field of the ball ground have been torn
down, only the % cent seats being left, oc-
cupying the triangular position in the ex-
treme right field. When these seats were
completed there were left a great many
shavings and loose pieces of wood which
were not removed. 1t had not rained TO,
several days and this furnished good am.
munition.
Some boys set the fire, then became
frightened and ran away. An officer was
told about the blaze and tried to pull away
some boards, giving the flames a good start
Then it took long time to send in ar
alarm and turn on the water. 1t seemed
fully 20 minutes between the discovery OF
he smoke and the application of water.
The ball game between Boston and Balti-
more began with $500 spectators. But two
half innings were played when the game
was interrupted by the fire, which was
started few minutes after o'clock. The
occupants of the bleachers, feeling a
warmth under them, jumped from their
seats and tried to e1tinguish the flames by
scattering the rubbish. After five or 10
minutes unavailing work, some one sug-
gested calling the fire department, and the
first alarm was given at II; the second
1t 4 21, the third at 4 22 and the fourth at
As.
The department was slow in getting to
work. Before anyone seemed to realiz-
the danger the flames were beyond control.
In fact it was at first considered joke,
The spectators began to cry ''pIay ball
Even when the houses outside the rislt
field fence began to burn, few imagined that
the seats on the ground back of first base
would catch fire.
The flames spread with the rapidity of 8
prairie fire. The ball players ran out to
the scene, but were soon forced back. The
sound made by the flames resembled the
ripping of paper. The fire coon attacked a
house outside the grounds, on the east, and
crawled along the fence. A feeble attempt
was made to saturate the seats back of first
base, but it was like drop of water in the
bucket
Nothing, meantime, had been done to
protect the grand stand and the flames soon
reached that structure which was soon de-
stroyed, The heat was so intense that the
spectators, who had been driven into the
left field corner. began to make their wa,
out of the grounds through hole in the
centre field fence. The ball players, not
expecting more than brief interruption,
soon had to "hustle" to get out their be-
longings. Some boys who frequent the
grounds thoughtfully removed the pictures
from the dressing rooms to places of safety.
Fifteen minutes after the fire was dis
covered, the houses in the rear of the ball
gro tunds were attacked. Within an hour
the whole fence on the right field side, all
the seats on the bleachers, the grand stand,
ticket Office and all the contiguous wooden
structures were destroyed.
The fire had also burned through to Tre-
ment street and then proceeding southerlv
u6u sclZeu hll VIC "oo'oh uWclAhSS
Burke, Coventry and Berlin streets. 1t
practically consumed everything on tn.
right hand side of fremont street. 1t
crossed that street and proceeded in the
direction of Roxbury crossing. The north
erly boundary of the fire was Benton street
Its lateral boundaries were Cabot street, on
one side, and the Boston & Providence r.
R., on the other.
At 8 o'clock the fire reached Walpole
and Sterling streets. The district was full
of old wooden houses. The sparks from
the fire were flying all over the nortberly
part of Roxbury, setting fires in mary local.
tiles and adding terror to the confusion
engendered by the fire.
Fully 90 houses in the immediate vicinity
Of Walpole and fremont streets had blsz-
ing roofs. The occupants climbed through
the skylights with buckets of water. No
sooner had they subdued the fire on one
part than they discovered another. Finally
seeing that their efforts were fruitless they
abandoned their homes to the flames.
At the outset the house on Berlin street,
backing on the base ball grounds, was filled
with base ball enthusiasts, who made wild
dash to the street when they saw their dan