The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-10-04
Yarmouth Junction Now Series Of
Ash Heaps.
TWO DEPOTS, DWELLING AND
SHOP BURNED.
Fire Caught Little After Noon From
Sparks From Maine Central Engine
Fire Department Powerless to Render
Aid-Rails Warped By Terrible Heat.
ESPECIAL TO THE rREss.]


Yarmouth Junction, October 3.-As the
result of sparks from locomotive the
passenger depots of the Maine central and
Grand Trunk railroads at this place are
today in ashes. It was the day Tor
the winter time tables of these roads to
go into effect, and the citizens of Var
mouth will now have it to record that on
that day the most disastrous fire in years
visited the town. The Bangor express
leaving Portland Sundays only at lS.oo
was due at Yarmouth Junction at LIZ.
1t was only few moments after the train
had departed that the roof of the Maine
Central depot at point directly over that
portion of the building where the ticket
office was located, was discovered In
flames. The buildings and property in
close proximity to the Maine Central de-
pot include freight shed about 1Sx24
feet, while at the end of the long platform
and running at right angles was the
small waiting room and freight office of
the Grand Trunk railway.
The Maine Central depot where the fra
caught is building measuring 25x75
feet. Attached to the westerly corner and
exending along and adjoining the G. I.
r.. building was long wooden awning.
The alarm of fire was soon sounded and
the local fire department responded but
could be of little assistance in saving the
buildings as the water service in that To-
oality is poor and all the f1remen,, could do
'v1Tor 10 nn, 10 10 n
faucet in the house of Mr. Albert J..
Raynes whose dwelling house and small
shop used as cigar manufactory are
directly in the rear Of the Maine Central
depot. Another line of hose was attached
to the oisterns in thexcellar but this sup
ply was soon exhausted. The fire had
not been long in progress before it became
evident that the buildings would be to-
tally destroyed, SO the railroad employees
and flremen, and the citizens in general
turned their attention to saving the con-
tents of the buildings.a ] The depots being
constructed of wood the fire soon made
desperate havoc and in two hours both
depots and the house and cigar factory
were laying in ashes. The books and ac-
counts of the local ticket agents were in
the safes and were taken from the build
ing in good condition. Mr.. Raynes with
portion of his household furniture and
effects. There was in the factory at the
time in the tobacco leaf and manufact-
ured stock, about 5000 worth of property
which was destroyed. The heat from the
fire was such that the Maine Central rails
directly in front of the depot and extend
ing westward for "a distance of 60 feet
were contracted so that as soon as water
Yves applied to the platform and rails the
sudden change in the temperature caused
| the rails to warp and draw away from
the road bed. The telegraph wires at
tached to the buildings was melted and 1t
was necessary for the Western Union line
men last evening to erect a temporary
office on an adjoining lot in order that
| the service Of the company might not be
impaired. The platforms adjoining the
depots were saved but nothing but smok-
ing embors mark the spot where the
buildings were located. The rails that
warped were replaced by the section men
SO that traffic was not delayed.
The 6. 7. r. depot was built in 1868
and the Maine Centrals sometime during
the early '70's. A box car on the siding
is now in use by the ticket agents for o
temporary depot.
This evening it was impossible to OBJ
tain any reliable information relative to
the insurance on the Raynes' buildings
as Mr. Raynes had moved bis family to
another part of the village, to the home
Of his brother Mr.. Tristan Blake, the
night watchman, who has been employed
by both railroads for 30 years said that he
was satisfied that Mr.. Rayne's property
was well covered by insurance., but did
not know in whnt companies.
THE QUEEN INTERFERED.