The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-09-14
WORK OF INCENDIARY.
Imperial House at Old Orchard
Burned.
ALL THAT REMAINS OF ESTABLISH
MENT is STABLE.

sonal Property Saved on Which There
Was No Insurance-Guests Got Belong
ings Out Safely.
Old Orchard, September lathe I'M
perial house, one of the Oldest hotels at
Old Orchard, was burned to the ground
this morning and all that now remain
of the establishment Is the stable that
was annexed to The hotel proper. The
fire was discovered at five minutes of
five by Ben Richards, who runs an
engine at Milliken's Mills. He resides
near the Imperial house and was ON
his way to work when he saw blaze
around the cupalo. He ran to the
hotel and called up Mr.. D. S. Swan.
the proprietor, and with Judson Carter.
who came along just as the alarm WA
given, they made tour OF the building
and found the little room on the second
floor which was used as a packing room,
filled with smoke and flames. Mrs. Swan
was also aroused, and the little party
formed bucket brigade, and taking the
pals OF water that were placed about
for tire protection, threw them on the
blaze. MIR. swan also threw three fire
grenades on the blaze and they did good
work, but the fire had got too much
Roadway and when Mr.. Swan looked up
ne SAW there was IRE overhead and hs
then told his wife to go down stairs.
a had
been given and the Old Orchard fire de-
partment were soon on hand. They
could not seem to get stream on the
building, however, the engine refusing to
furnish the necessary amount of steam
to force a stream more than few yards.
Finally it was discovered that the
ENGINE WAS PLUGGED UP
with lot of old rags which had been
placed in it on the day of thu parade at
the beach to keep the bouquets of dow-
ers in place, and they had never been re-
moved and fol- this reason the engine
would not draw.
4 After this obstacle had been removed
a stream WAS got onto the burning
building, but the fire had made sucn
eheadway that one stream was practically
useless SO far as quenching the flames
was concerned. Word was sent to Saco
and an engine and Grew of tiremen were
sent down, but even with she help of
the Saoo firemen it was impossible to
save the building.
The fremen devoted theirlefforts to
combining the fire to the Imperial and did
good work III accomplishing even this
much, for the building was finder box
and when the fire got fairly under way
it was hot one ana for a time it seemed
|as If the surrounding buildings must
go.
The fire was however, confined to the
main body of the hotel, the adjoining
stable even being saved. The hotel itself
was burned to the ground and with the
exception of few things that were re-
moved all of it's contents were destroyed.
The origin of the fire is clouded in
| mystery. Mr.. Swan could form no plausi-
bio theory as to the cause except the posi-
| bility that some persons We're concealed
somewhere in the house, or either aooi-
| dentally or intentiRlly
SET THE FIRE.
| There are some grounds for believing
that this may have been the case. There
| was a dance in the house last night
| which finished at about IL O'Clock.
| Shortly after that hour Mr.. Swan went the
| rounds OF. the house. as he is in the
habit of doing. and saw that all the doors
| were looked.
The lock on the door leading from tho
hallway at the end nearest the stable
has been broken for soma time and MIR.
| Swan has used piece of plank to fasten
| the door with on the inside. This piece
of plank he placed in position last night
| thus securelYs fastening. the door. This
| morning when MIR. Swan was aroused
and came down stairs he found the door
wido open. This would seem to indicate
hal M II af lod
in the house at the time MIR. Swan closed
up, and afterwards made their exit
| through this door.
The house was owned by a syndicate
of Saco people composed of the follow
ing: E. T. Rodman, Mrs. s. s. Mitch
ell, l.. P. True. George E. Twomby,
Summer Richards. Besides owning the
building this syndicate also owned a
part of the furnishings and had an
INSURANCE OF SIS, 600
on the whole.
| There were three guests at the house
and they got all their belongings out
| in safety, They have been at the beach
only short time and were taking their
meals at the Staples cottage. Their
names are Mrs. K. d. Ogilyie. Mrs. E.
East Orange, N. j. They were aroused
when Mr.. Swan and his family were
called and had plenty of time to get out.
Mabel Swan, daughter OF. Mr.. Swan.
was overcome by excitement and fainteds
and it was some time before she was
revived.
MIR. Swan is the heaviest loser by the
fire. His personal effects and furniture
and furnishings which he had put into
the house he estimated to be worth $4,000,
and he did not have cent of insurance
on these.
| AS Mr.. Swan saved but a small por-
tlon of his personal property, 1t is a
severe blow to him and he has the en-
tire sympathy of everyone who knows
him.
Many Reed Democrats will vote the
Republican ticket today. They shun