Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-09-12
llvermore Falls Barely Ecapes
Total Destruction.
Thirty-four Buildings Destroyed--L Loss,
sl25 ,OO0--Cause, Incendiarism.
For Four Hours The Fire RACES, Sweeping
Everything lnlss Path.

>~~N~
this town was destroyed by fire which
ragged fr1m. 10 o'clock. Saturday fore
n6ons until well into the afternoon.
The c0nnagration blotted out a num-
Der Of inaustsies, levelled a dozen or
more stores and several dwelling
houses.
Up to noon the fire continued to burn
feHcely. and destroyed more than 20
business buildings m addition to near
~ as many smaller structures, such
AZ barns and sheds.
/. The fire is the most severe blow this
PLACE has sustained since 1t became
one OF. the leading Industrial centers
OF. Maine.
The FIRE broke out in the sawmill of
the recently formed International Pa
per Company. a large wooden building
on what is locally called Mill HILL"
on the south side. The mill was being
nartially operated at the time. It is
thought thes blaze was caused by hot
/ box in th4.engine room.
Those ID the mill had no chance to
I exting So the flames. as they had ig-
nited me dry wooden partitions and
scme loose lumber and were burning
fiercely in a few minutes,
Within q, very. short time the entire
sawhrill and "a quantity Of lumber near
It wzssa. mass Of flames. moderately
high westerly wind prevailed ana ham
peted those whip FASTENED to render as
sistanee.
It soon became apparent that dis
astrous fire was in progress and dis
patches were sent to the cities Of Lew
iston and Auburn, and to the town Of
Pennington, which is about Is miles
north.
Livermore Falls has only one fire en-
| gine.. Some time ago that became dis
abled. 1t was sent to Portland to be
repaired and was returned only q few
| days ago. The engine was on the
scene of the fire early and attempted
| to get, good stream on the sawmill.
Unfortunately the steamer would not
work. Mechanics worked over it for
half an hour and finally succeeded in
getting in into running order.
In the meantime. however, the
| flames had spreadrapidly along the lef.
| side OF Main street. The situation be-
came so serious that it looked at one
time as if the greater portion of the
town would be wiped out.
From the saw mill the fire spread to
the pulp mills and the leather board
plant, which was located very near.
These mills were also owned by the
| International Paper Company. The
| company's grist mill. which was leased
| to George G. Chandler, on the same
side of the street, next caught fire and
within a few minutes the international
Paper Company's planning mills, leased
and operated by Raymond Brothers,
We're burning.
All of these buildings were of wood
| and burned very rapidly. At Ray
| mond Brothers the fire jumped over
| to the right side of Main street, and
en- machine shops of Millet & Brosne-
han. These were destroyed.
The flames then made clean sweep
down the right side of Main street as
far as Depot street, on the corner of
which stood the Livermore Falls
branch store of Sharan Bros. of Bos-
ton, toys and fancy goods.
All the buildings in the path of the
fire up to this point We're levelled in
Guiding the blacksmith shop of p. C.
Brown, which was occupied in part
by Knox Bros. as carriage repository,
the two-story wooden machine shops
of Albert Allen, iron foundry of j. A.
Record, two story dwelling house own
ed and occupied by Mrs. Charles Berry
and an unoccupied dwelling owned by
Mrs. White.
Reynolds & Alden's steam laundry on
Main street was also destroyed.
AT Sharan Brothers building the fire
turned down Depot street, and for
long distance swept everything in its
path. Depot street runs at right an
giles to Main street. The shoe store of
w. G. Love and grocery OF Keep &
Bartlett were quickly consumed.
The steam engine and large brig
ade of fire fighters were powerless 70
stay the flames. and at this point the
arrival of assistance from Lewiston
was anxiously awaited.
The flames extended from the grocery
Store Of Keep e. Bartlett to the follow
ing buildings: Mrs. Adams millinery
store and dwelling; wooden block.
three stories high, owned by w. r.
Treat, occupied as a residence and on
the ground floor by Mrs. Treat as dry
goods store; the two-story building
owned and occupied by c. Newman as
a news stand and barber shop, with
tenement up stairs; the livery stable
and dwelling of John Hyde.
The first block was occupied on the
top floor by the Knights of Columbus.
The local fire engine had to be aban-
doneda near Raymond's planning mill,
owing to the intense heat, which drove
the firemen away. The engine was
partially destroyed.
The fire continued down Depot street,
and at I o'clock 1t attacked the River
side house. Before the fire reached the
Riverside house the dwelling of Mrs.
Hyde was blown up by dynamite.
Similar Steps were taken &f the dwe!-
ling house of George Waiter. ms
was blown to pieces but the dynamic
operations had little effect.
An engine froms ewiston and one
tcontlnned ~ PAGE -