Daily Kennebec journal., 1894-12-03
A STUBBORN FIRE
Starts in R. w. SouIe's Furni-
ture Store at l0P. Nj.
Two Wooden Buildings and Conterts
Totally Destroyed.
Total Damage. With Loss to Others by Smoke
and Water. Nearly $4,000.

Fire was discovered at 10 O'Clock, sun
day evening, by G. C. Flagg in the base
ment of r. w Soule's furniture store,
Water street. An alarm was rung in
from box 80 and the Cushnocs and Allan
tics Were quickly on the scene
Two streams We're put on in front and
two in the rear, but as the fire had cvi-
IDENTIFY worked under Knowlton x
Young's fish market, a second and finally,
at 10 rs, third alarm was rung in, call
ing out the Volunteers from Cushnoc
Heights and the Capitals from the state
House.
The fire proved up to all expectations
for stubbornness and by IL O'Clock
had worked up through the first floor in
Soule's and Knowlton & Young's, and
before 1130 the entire buildings were
masses of flames.
Both were wooden buildings, the one
occupied by Mr.. Soulc being three stories
on the front and the other two stories, and
being filled with inilammablc matter made
a hot blaze Besides Mr.. Soulc's stock of
furniture and light goods, c. NJ. Sturgis
occupied the upper story as "a furniture
warehouse Over knowlton 4 Toung's
was the picture framing rooms Of ID. i.
Knowlton, full of the same light, inflam-
mable stuff.
The chief work of the firemcn was de
voted to hold the fire within these limits
ana prevent its spread to the adjoining
buildings, the six story brick building on
the south, owned by Hon. =. O. Nickcry
and occupied by c. NJ. Sturgis, furniture,
and the building north, occupied by Dud-
ley & Lynn, tailors, Mrs. l.. c. Cochrane,
millincr and the Gospel Banner Office.
In the Sturgis building in the third
story, opening upon the roof of the Knowl-
ton & Young building, was a wooden door,
and should the flames get through that,
then the building must go. Two lines Of
hose Were taken to the top of the block
north of the fire and they sent their
streams down upon the blaze and on the
Sturgis building,
In the rear of the Sturgis building was
wooden extension, which caught fire
several times, but was soon under control.
The wooden door above mentioned was
burned through by IL o'clock, but the fire
men had the upper bands of the flames,
-.
the worst was over. A window was
broken in the rear of Sturgis store and
several floors were flooded, but no fire
worked in.
by 80 the wooden buildings were
falling in, and by o'clock nothing re
mained but masses Of red hot ruins, ON
which the filpmcn were pouring hundreds
of gallons Of water and from which clouds
Of smoke and steam arose
1t was impossible to get the exact losses
and insurance owing to the late hour and
its being Sunday night, but the following
are estimates that may not be far out Of
the way:
p o. VicEcry's building, $500; in
sured Mrs. Moulton's building, $500;
reported insured. Damage to p. o. Wick
erys six-sto1y brick building occupied by
c. NJ. Sturgis, $500; insured.
In the upper story Of Soule's department
was furniture, etc, owned by NJ.
Sturgis, and valued at $1,000, with $500
insurance The upper story of the knowl-
ton g. Young market was occupied by ID.
F. Knowlton, picture Trainer, mouldings,
etc, valued at about $1,000, with $500 in
surance Knowlton s. Young's stock was
valued at $500, partly insured. Soule's
stock was estimated at nearly $4,000, with
$4,000 insurance.
The stock of c. NJ Sturgis, furniture,
was badly damaged by smoke and water.
An estimate hastily made placed it at
$4,000. Mr. Sturgis carries about SlG, 900
or sl7, 900 worth Of stock, and had an in
surance Of about $13, 600.
The fire made its way through door
in the cellar wall connecting Soule's Gel
lar with the basement under Dudley &
Lynn's store, and occupied by the B. q
L. Backing Co, doing considerable dam
age Water was poured in by Wholesale
and the blaze stopped in that direction.
When the flames burst through the roofs