Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-02-13
STUBBORN BLAZE
In Oakland Manufacturing
Co.'s Plant at Gardiner.
Loss Estimated at Between $4,000
and Sl2, 000--Insured.
Marrow Escape Of Several Firemen from Death
by Falling Floors.

Gardiner, Feb. II. Especially. - An
alarm was sounded at $40, Wednesday
evening, caused by the discovery of fire at
the wood working plant of the Oakland
Manufacturing Co, on Summer street.
The fire caught in the dryhouse over the
boiler room, and was we'll under way when
discovered by th6'cOmpany's night watch
man.
The department responded promptly and
soon had many streams upon the burning
building, but owing to the extremely In
| iiammable nature of it's contents. the fire
gained steadily and threatened the des-
trnction of the entire plant, as well as
many other buildings in its immediate
vicinity. At 8 o'clock n second alarm
was sounded, calling out the steamer Cob
bossee and telephone message was sent
To South Gardiner for the other steamer.
A brisk wind was blowing from the
west, and for while it looked as if Gar
diner was to suffer from one of the most
disastrous contiagrations that had visited
the city for years. 1t was stubborn fight,
but torrents of water were turned into the
building from all quarters, and slowly
but surely it was drowned out.
The building in which the fire caught
IS of brick, with corrugated iron roof.
| The lower part Of tho building contains
the boilers, while overhead is steam dry
house for drying stock
| 1t was in this room that the fire caught,
1t is supposed from spontaneous combus-
| ton. Connected with the boiler room
was the main building Of the plant, hav-
ing two and onehalf story front on
SIMMER street.
The Oakland Company occupied the
| lower part Of the building, while the
second floor has since the X. c.. Pingree
Co. property was burned at Lewiston,
been occupied by Them The latter com
pany had about 1000 feet OF hard wood
lumber in the dryhouse. and considerable
| stock in the main building, including 25
doors for the Biddeford City hall, in yari-
Gus stages of construction.
| Several firemen had q narrow escape
| from instant death when the upper floors
| fell. They had been in the lower part of
the building with line of hose, and COM
| ing out had just reached the door, when,
without moments warning, the floors
| fell. precipitating tons of tmbers and
machinery upon the spot they had just
vacated. The hose was caught in the
debris, and report quickly started that
some of the flremen were in the ruins, but
1t was quickly proved to be without
foundation.
At this writing no accurate estimate
can be made as to. the less, but it is prob
able that the Oakland Cos. loss will
figure ND between $40, 900 and S12, 900, with
partial insurance. The Pingrec Co. will
lose perhaps $500, with no insurance
Too much praise cannot be credited to
the fremen of Gardiner for the work done
by them at this fire, for had it not been
for their persistent efforts the loss that
would have ensued cannot be estimated
The location of the plant Is such that
had the fire once overreached the con-
troll OF those fighting it. the flames would
have been famed by the wind directly
upon the numerous manufactures along
the stream below it, and the fire would
have made clean sweep to Bridge street,
if not to the river.
The Oakland Company established its
plant about Is years ago, on the north
bank of the Cobbossee stream, at the
junction of Summer and Harden streets.
and have since carried on an extensive
business as wood workers At present the
plant consists Of six buildings.
Among their principal products are
broom handles, for which they have a
large foreign market, in England and
Australia, and hundreds of thousands of
handles are annually shipped to the latter
country. where they are used in building
fences ON sheep ranches.
The Oaklands is one OF Gardeners
busiest industries, amid there is a general
feeling Of thankfulness in town, tonight,
that the loss is no greater than it is.