Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-04-29
IS RICHMOND DOOMED?
Second DESTRUCTIVE Fire in Village
Limits Within Thirty Days.
Morgan Shoe Factory and Store House De.
stroyed-0ther Buildings Damaged.

Richmond, April % -(SpeciaD.-Tw
destructive fires within so DAYS is Rich
mond's record SO far for 1895, the first &C.
curing few weeks since and the second,
Saturday morning, each involving loss
of valuable village property. The fire of
Saturday started in an old hay barn on
the east side of Front street and is believed
to have been of incendiary origin. The
building was owned by Job Mansir and
was used for the storage of carriages. about
$500 worth of the latter, belonging to
George Newell, being burned. MIR. Newell
had no insurance.
Owing to an insufficient supply of
water, fircmeu We're unable to stay the pro
gress of the fire, the flames leaping to the
shoe factory formerly occupied by the late
W. +. Morgan of Lynn, Mass, and al
most in the twinkling of an eye, the great
wooden structure went up in smoke,
No one seems able to account for the
lack of water pressure. According to
Supt. Pushard's statement, there was 10
feet and three inches Of water in the reser-
voir. Friday afternoon, he having pumped
1876, 900 gallons during the day Mr.
rived at the station at about 5 O'Clock,
Saturday morning, and Is minutes later
he had up steam. To whatever cause the
lack of pressure was due, Richmond mar
rowly escaped losing large portion of its
valuable property.
1t is understood that thorough in
vestigation of the matter will be made, the
citizens believing that as they pay the
Water Company for fire protection, they
should have it at all times.
Fire was communicated to the following
buildings by sparks from the factory:
Mrs. John Blair, dwelling; J. Il. Robin
son, dwelling; X. W. Small, dwelling;
Mrs. Frank Lowell, dwelling; Mrs. Patrick
Conley, dwelling; Robert Rowe, dwelling
and blacksmith shop; Il. j. Southland,
joiner shop; Orrin Lilly, dwelling; W.
G. Webber, dwelling. With the exception
of X. W. Small s. the damage to the above
mentioned property was tritling. The
roof was burned off from X. w. Smali's
stable and the building Quilted and the ell
was damaged to some considerable extent
The Southland Mills, standing within a
few feet of the shoe factory, were greatly
endangered and but for the effective ser
vice of the company's steam pump might
have been burned. They put three streams
on the burning building before the by
drant service responded.
The shoe factory building was built in
1880 by subscription at n cost of about
SIS, 900, and was occupied by the late w
f. Morgan of Lynn, up to the time of his
decease. last fall.
The Richmond Savings Bank came in
to possession of the property few years
since, and was the sole owner. Since the
removal from town, last fall, of tho bust
ness of Mr.. Morgan, the factory has been
idle.
Although there was no prospect of the
factory being occupied, everybody regretted
seeing it destroyed, on account of the great
benefit it has been to the place in years
gone by The building was insured for
$1,000 in the following companies:
Lancashire $500; Granite State. $500;
North British & Mercantile, $500; North
ern, $500.
X W. Small's buildings were damaged
by fire and water to the extent of about
5000; insured in the Phoenix and the
Hanover. Mrs. Frank Lovell's dwelling
is covered by a policy in the German
American. Her loss is slight.
An inquiry into the cause of the fire
will doubtless be instituted by the board
of selectmen.