Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-07-07
IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN WORSE.
Winslow Celebrated and We Furnish the Fire.
works Before Darkness Falls.

| Yes, Winslow ran off the events ath-
| letc and Waterville provided the fire.
works. We were not down on the pro-
gramme, but we got there just the same.
| You can't leave us out altogether. 1t
| might have been worse. but 1T is bad
enough as il is. We don't need any con-
| ilaSrations in ours and We are perfectly
satisfied with the amount of our illumi-
nation. 1t was about the middle of the
| afternoon that a man discovered fire I'M
| der the floor of the old storchouse that
| for some time has menaced the safety of
| the block of wooden buildings that make
| up the corner of Main and Common
streets. The man 'hollered' fire, and
| Edgar Brown pulled the box at the cor
ner of Main and Temple streets. Ellery
| Vose was driving hose truck No. /, and
| he made good time in getting down
street. A line of hose was laid on Com
mon street down in rear of the Sentinel
building, and then the truck ran out to
Temple street and laid another line of
hose to the opposite side of the fire
From the time the fire was discovered
to the moment the bell struck, the fire
had gained to such an extent that the
old storehouse was all on fire, and 1T he
gan to look as though the firemen would
have Il smart time of it saving the adj
joining wooden buildings. From the
Hanson, Webber & Durham block, which
is the southern end of the great row of
blocks from Temple street to the Bur-
leigh estate. to Common street, the
flames had attained such a Roadway that
the heat was very oppressive and 1t
looked as though the firemen would be
driven back and the whole corner
would go.
Some of the firemen had gone to Port
land and a number were over in Wins
low helping celebrate. so that when
Driver Vose arrived on the scene he had
not a single fireman to back him up. But
the men along the street are quick to
act. and in less time than ii takes to tell
it. Oscar Dilworth, Jimmie Simpson and
Charles Wheeler had the pipe attached,
and aided by City Marshal Call and Dep
uty Marshal Woodbury., they were doing
great work. Chief Plaisted had struck
the second line of hose and had it at
work on the north side of the building to
good effect. Then the firemen began to
get on deck. They came on wheels and
on foot they crossed the river in boats.
and one man crossed on log.
The fire chief, recognizing at once that
he had a hot one to contend with, called
out the rest of the department, including
the steamer. There was big crowd on
Main street and Just as big a one on
Common street. Everyone was looking
for confagration, and at first their
chances for seeing one in a short time
were good The fire chief set his teeth
and so did his men. and they went into
the smoke and flame as though they
were to make the fight of their lives, and
that was just it. They made a determined
stand on the north and south sides of
the building and with line of hose laid
through the store of the Rochester
Clothing Co. 1t was hot. 1t was scorch-
ing. The fire travelled through that old
storehouse much as it would go through
powder mill, and attacking the store
house of Hanson. Webber & Durham, it
made more business than most firemen
want to tackle
The Storehouse in which the fire start
ed, and it started in the rear end next to
City hall, was "a long affair that extended
to the store of the Rochester Clothing
Co. Close alongside of il was that Of
Hanson. Weber 4 Durham. filled with
light, inflammable stuff, fireworks and