Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-07-06
FOURTH IN MAINE.
Our Sister Cities Celebrate
the National Holiday.
Portland Has Plenty Of Excitement,
Fires Coming in Thick Profusion.
p'ts''eld Listens 10 0rations by S. L. Mill.
ken and Rev. J. N. Frost.


OF excitement and fires Although Port
i"hu ala not celebrate, this year. the
small boys invested in firccrackers. and
great was the destruction. Saturday
Eioraing. Chief Eldridge decided ia l,een
all the firemen on duty throughout. the
day, and his decision proved to be Wis
dom itself.
Inc first real fire of the day was ~ OF
spring street. Previous to that twn
az afai rms We're given, but they proved to be
Oh small account. ~ 'e
LINES NJ Googins, 2l1 Spring street. ana
asSheo the saleswoman in charge TO show
nlm some cannon crackers Here are
Sonie' she said. but they may not be
plants of them"
IA light one andssee," he replied. and
BIZ 5iif' af fSs hu match Nshted cracker:
a, box where there were other crackers
Ihe hoy noticed what. had happened and
tried his best to put the lire but too
iime az nno ~ those m the store only had
SION. The entire front ;of the store was
down inward. The explosives made wild
' W9rn OF d,o the stock: One, torpedo was
lows 10 the stock which was completely
ruineu, Is estimated at $1,000, with no in
Hardly had the firemen returned before
| there was an alarm from box 412. which
WITH IA are the boxes dreaded by Inc
Portland iiremen. A few minutes before
10y 10y was noticed TO be lighting crackers
! near the Dciano mill. 4Si to 4Ss ore street
tie is said TO have lighted rocket also.
ana TO have sent it through a window
INTO the mill.
Patrolmen Pillsbury and Slsillins were
| close by. and while the former rang in
| me alarm the latter tried to put out the
hne, re drew out most of the slightly
burning stuff but found that the fire had
dropped through a loose board and was
burning fiercely below.
| Chief Eldredge as soon as he reached
the 1lre, ordered the whole department to
be called out and the fire boat 10 he
| brought as near rs possible to the mill.
| Hose was soon stretched from the ocean
ana the hydrants, but the fire was hard
| to manage.
The mill was full of dry lumber and
burned like finder.
The smoke was thick. and the fremen
| Iound great difficulty in working Fire
man George Cady was on u ladder trying
TO reach the hose. when 1t was drawn
away from him, and at. the same time a
the side of the building nearly blinded
him and caused his fall. He came down
| 20 feet, breaking his right leg.
| He had hardly been removed when
Firemen Wiggin and Warren were over
| come with smoke and had to be taken
out. The wind was very slight, but what
| there was sent the smoke in binding
| clouds over to the Fore street side, and
| two other firemen, Ray and JASON were
| overcome and for the time had to be
| taken back.
| By this time the fire had become seri-
| Gus, matter. Chief Eldredge feared an
| explosion that would have sent the shak-
ing walls down. The fire had been
| drawn from the engine. but the boiler
was full of water and an explosion was
| looked for. Fortunately the streams from
the fire boat We're directed to that quar-
| ter OF the burning building and the
dreaded danger was averted.
| During this time the fire spread to
other buildings in the immediate neigh
borhood and they We're with great diff
Guilty saved. Back of the mill was a
mass of smaller buildings piled full of
lumber and also a lumber yard
| A large brick building occupied by the
| Belknap Motor Co.. was threatened. Its
| wall was next to that of the burning
building. and the heat was something
there, the wall stood the test and the
| building was saved. but the machinery
and stock were greatly damaged by
/ water
The mill belonged to the Delano Plan
| ing Mill Co.. and their loss is estimated
at $4,000, which will cover the building;
machinery and stock on hand. They had
| from $4,000 to $4,000 insurance.
About SO men were employed in the
mill, but Mr.. Corey said while the mill
| was burning: Il am not without hope
that we may be able to lease a building,
today. and 10 start up, Monday. The
company will make strong effort to
| start up at that time.
l
company, the Walter Corey Co occupied
the upper story. and their loss. to stock
and goods in process of ma M, Is
| estimated al $500. which will be probably
1 covered by the insurance.
| The loss to the Belknap Motor Co. can
not be ascertained with any. degree OF eX-
lactncss. but will be large. Their building
| was Hooded. and the cellar is full OF
| water.
| There was hardly a member of the fire
department who was not more or less IN
| rn1 off pHcnnfi0n
| Cady the injuries were not serious. They
| Were compelled to work in the face OF the
=, thick smoke. and almost in total dark
| ness. and the men found it hard to Keep
on the ladders more than very Few min
ntcs at {; time Chief Eldredge was forced
to keep the men at work, even when he 1
| looked for the explosion of the boiler. 1t
was the worst fire for years mere.
| Many of the men had very narrow es-
capes. There was one very thrllhng
| the fire suddenly broke through the wall.
| even with the head of the fireman VINO
1 was trying to reach into the building.
| The flames fairly leapcd out into the air.
| and the next instant there was a cloud of
smoke that blinded the men on the lad
| der Unable to see. they managed 10 ma
| their way down and to get back 10 the
The building seemed to be on fire in cv-
| cry portion. and the firemen were m con-
them to tell when 1t would break through.
| At one time a group of firemen stood on
| the roof of a building in the rear, and
| from that vantage ground sent very
| effective stream of water into the mill
They felt the roof growing hot and lett
! Just as the flames came through. The
entire building below them was a mass
of fire, but the flame had made its way
| SO quietly through from the main build
1 ing that it's presence had been unde-
| tccted. The escape of every man on the
| roof was little short of marvellous
| The fire fighters showed great piuc,k.
| The men who were overcome by the
smoke, and who had to- be taken back
where they could get fresh air, were back
and at work as soon as they revived.
| There is q theory that the fire was not
the result of an accident. but was the
work of gang of boys eager to see the
| engines come out" 1t is thought that
1nossibly the building WAS bOmbarded
with firecrackers both front and rear and
| an inyestigation will be made by M3rshal