Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-03
The Industrial School Building
No. | at HalIoweII
Damaged $4,000 or $1,000 by Blaze
Starting in the Attic.
RED. While and Blue" Store at WaiervIiie
Has $4,000 or More Loss.

No. /, Thursday morning, damaged the
building to the extent of from $4,000 to
$1,000. The building, valued at $14, 900.
was insured for $4,000 in Macomber,
Farr & Whittens agency, and the fur
niture was covered by an insurance of
$1,000 with the same firm.
The alarm was sounded on the Bap-
fist bell, at 1915 o'clock. and although
the fire was practically under control
at 11.45, two streams of water contin-
ued to send tons of water into the
building until about go p. NJ.
The occupants of the building knew
nothing of the fire. which evidently
originated in the attic. until the alarm
was sent from School No. 2, which is a
short distance away. Smoke was at
that time issuing from parts of the
roof, but even then, on the third floor
there was nothing TO indicate fire
above. so that ii was thought that only
a small fire was in progress.
l.. T.. Biadstreet, who was on Second
street. near the residence of Asa Lib
by, saw smoke coming from the build
ing and drove rapidly to Water street
to give the alarm. which was sounded
at about the same time that n tele-
phone alarm was received from the
superintendent of the school.
Chief Patterson and Assistant Chicf
Clearwater at once realized the almost
inaccessible location of the fire, and
also the fact that the high elevation
precluded the use of the water system.
-Four horses We're attached TO the fire
engine, and even then over the icy
road. it is not surprising that the 5000
pounds of iron and steel could be NOV
ed only at a slow rate of speed.
1t is said that there is an elevation
of over 2000 feet from Water street to
the top of winthrop hill, a distance of
less than one half mile. and thus it can
be seen why the weighty apparatus
was not promptly at the scene of the
fire. The hook and ladder truck was
the first to arrive and was followed
by the hose pung and the steamer.
The steamer was stationed at the city
reservoir and before the flames had
burned through the roof two streaNs
of water We're playing. These small
streams seemed at first to have no ex-
tingushing power and the flames fin
ally burned through the roof, defiantly
shooting up into the air. while the peo-
pie below murmured and said that
nothing could possibly subdue the
roaring furnace ere total loss was eff
fected.
Other holes soon burned through the
roof and the draft thus occasioned
seemed to make the French roof a gil
gantic torch which would quickly COM
municate to the lower floors and gut
the building. But the work of the fire
men was slowly and surely becoming
apparent, and although the lower
floors were fairly flooded with water,
the fire was surely confined to the Al
tic and the ceiling of the third floor.
While the firemen We're directing q
stream of water into third story
window on the west side of the build
| ing from an extension ladder it was
noticed that the brick wall was per-
ceptibly bullying outward. 1t was fear
| ed that the fierce heat would further
weaken the wall and cause a d1saS-
! trous accident, so that the firemen
were stationed elsewhere with their
| hose.
The smoke was very dense in the
| e-->
| Gremen who We're not provided with
protectors and breathing masks. were
nearly overcome. The officials ana
girls of the school succeeded in remov-
| ing the greater part of the furniture
| before damage by water could result.
At about 11.45 o'clock, it could be
seen that the fire was well under con-
| troll. although by no means eXtinsuish-
| ed. The French roof was entirely con-
sumed and in some places the fire mad
| eaten through the ceiling of the floor
| below. OF course the structure OF the
| third story was as nearly ruined as
| v.ou,d be possible without the action
| of the flames, but it is a fact to the
] credit of the tiremen that the fire was
confined to the attic where it origi-
uated.
Most of the apparatus was removed
70 the houses. shortly after $50 O'Clock
although the engine did not arrive
back until after o'clock.
THE building is Il three-story brick
s,ruoture and was erected in 1875 at a
cost Of about $4,000. Five years ago
tho building was damaged by fire much
thn same as today, the cause thought
Miss Charlotte NJ. Brown Is the
matron of the school, and at the time
of The fire &c girls were quartered
there. Miss Brown knows nothing az
No tha cause of the fire but is of the
oninion that it must have been owing
! to IL defective hue.
Refreshments in the shape OF a hot
lunch were served the firemen in
building No. 3. at about o'clock. The
| .irts were divided between the other
two schools, where they will remain
unti, the damaged building is repaired.
The occupants of the school feel that
tbev have much to be thankful for for
who can tell what might have been the
,osu,t had the affair occurred In the night
when ALL were asleep and available as
sictance half an hour and more away.
From an on-lookers point of view
mo fire was in many ways puzzle.
Now TO fight it, that was the question,
and tight here allow us to remark that
not few of the on-lookers at every
fire nrofess to know the proper way
\ ,,onttuued on page 81