The Portland daily press., 1895-08-15

|
O'Clock this noon fire as discovered in tn
large saw-mill owned by 6. A. Phillip
q Sons and situated in the rear OF Mali
street in this village. In spite OF tn
prompt effort to check the fire, the flame
spread rapidly and in half an hour thu
conf1agration was sweeping down through
the saw-mill section famed by a brisk
wind from the north. In short space
on this water power are the Phillips mill
the mill owned by Totman Bros, S. A
Nye's large saw-mill and further down
Hendricks furniture factory.
The fire spread so rapidly in the Phil
lips mill that the department early gave
up all hopes of attempting to save that
| and before p. M, it was in ruins. The
| department at Fairfield comprises a
steamer and all efficient hydrant system,
but although six streams were put on the
Totman mill and the Nye establishment
they seemed to make no impression on
| the flames. Totman's was speedily be-
yond rescue and Nye's mill was on fire in
many places before anything could be
done to save it.
The three mills will be total loss.
Help from Wateryille was at once tele-
graphed for in order to save the business
portion of the village, should the wind
change The mills are located but few
rods from Main street, but a strong wind
blew the cinders away across the river
There are various versions as to how
the fire started Phillips mill has been
shut down for several days and was
started this morning. Some assert that
the fire came from a hot box in that mill.
Many rumors are circulating that the
fire was of incendiary origin. The loss
| TO octi, tod of q
are insured and so is S. A. Nye.
Fairfield is greatly depressed over the
calamity as the village was just entering
upon an era of great prosperity and sew
eral new establishments were in process
of development.
The area burned over is the same as that
visited by the great fire OF ten years ago
and the mills were of modern construction
and equipped with the finest machinery.
THE DETAILS OF THE DISASTER.
When the fire broke out at 12 Is p. NJ
in the planning section of the Phillips
mill, hundreds of people were in the place
for the races at the Fairfield track. These
people, withIhundreds moresfrom Shawmut
and Waterville, rushed to the scene 1t
was at least ten minutes before water
was put upon the burning Phillips mill,
and when ten strings of hose from ny
drant and streams poured their water up
on the flames, it produced scarcely any
more effect than garden hose. Flames
in five minutes had destroyed the Phillips
mill, spread to those of S. A. Nye & Co.
and, finally, to those of n. Totman &
Sons. In just three-quarters of an hour
the mills first caught were burned out of
recognition. A shower looming up in the
west, sent its wind clouds ahead endang-
ering the Fairfield Furniture Company's
property, Colby & Co. S mill and the
large amount of lumber with which the
yards were filed. Fortunately the wind
was of but short duration and at ITO
when the Waterville hose and steamer ar
rived the fire was fairly we'll under con-
troll, with the west walls of N. Totman
& Sons mill standing, but the property
virtually ruined
Rumors were heard upon all sides that
some tramp or enemy of the lumber deal
ers had set the fire. This property con-
sumed is almost the sole source of reven-
ue for the place. Each of the concerns
had more or less insurance though not
half covered The water power of these
and movement is on foot to have Law
renee, Mass, capitalists build cotton
mill here. The field is clear for it now
There is little if any chance of the mills
being rebuilt. The estimated loss is $685.
600, to wit N. Totman & Sons, SIS, 600;
insurance s., 600. Part of the machinery
saved. G.. A. Phillips & Sons loss $45,
600, with 1923, 900 insurance. S. A. Nye
& Co. S loss $55, 5000, with about $40, 900
insurance. This firm had $4,000 insur-
ance, but recently allowed half to lapse.