The Portland daily press., 1899-07-06
Other Cottages Saved After Most
industrious Work.
Fire Broke Ont in Three Places and Will
Cost City Several Thousand Dollars.


out anew about noon yesterday in the
swamp not far from the cottages of
Judge Toltnap of westbrook and others.
1t spread with great rapidity and famed
by the stiff southerly breeze, which was
blowing, worked its way along the ridge
on which Judge Tolman's cottage stands,
with several others, and then on to a
point opposite "Wharf Cove on the
back side of the island, where the cottages
Of Edward buddy and what Is known as
the Wellesley cottage are. The Wellesley
cottage was burned. MIR. Duddy's hand
some summer home narrowly escaped
destruction and the famous Chapm an
house, also known as the Rockbound Park
hotel, was destroyed. No other buildings
were destroyed though many narrowly
escaped destruction. While this fire was
in progress two others started to the
windward of the first near the shore.
These burned fleroely all night and with
the best efforts of the firemen, will prob
ably burn for some time to come unless
heavy storm intervanes. The loss from
Yesterdays fires will be several thousand
dollars in property destroyed. 1t Is not
probable that any of it was covered by in
surance.
THE PEAT BOG ON FIRE.
Sundays fire worked its way into what
is known as the swamp and burrowed
there in the peat until yesterday noon.
The flremen who operated the two lines
Of hose from the fire boat which at that
time lay at Trefethen's landing and
forced salt water through pipes nearly
three-quarters of a mile long, thought
that they had extinguished the blaze
when they left it at day ybreak on Monday.
But this fire In the peat bog smoldered
away unseen and for two days hid itself
in the thick tangle of roots and bushes
in the middle Of the swamp. About noon
yesterday the wind began to blow strong
ly from the south and this famed the
fire into life again. On Tuesday men
had been stationed around the outskirts
of the danger districts to prevent the out
break Of this fire again, but they we're
withdrawn yesterday morning as all dan
ger seemed to bs past. Creeping slowly
through the swamp, and thence into the
dry underbrush of these woods the fire
suddenly leaped to the top of tall spruce
tree and from this jumped TO another
and SO on until the whole woods were on
fire once more.
THE ALARM GIVEN.
Clang. clang, clang, went the bell
which summoned the freinen of Peaks
island shortly after noon, and though
they responded quickly to the summons,
there was little that they could do. The
startled cottagers, who believed their
property he6 escaped all danger when
Sundays fire was drowned out of sight
now found their foe at their doors again,
this time more threatening than before,
The fire seemed to work rapidly towards
Trefethen's landing AMI into the thick
woods OF the back side of the island. 1t Is
recorded that many nervous women who
occupy cottages near these woods began
to pack their household goods, expect
ing to be burned out. The guests of the
Oceanic house were extremely fright
ened and there was almost a panic among
them when they saw the black column
of smoke with red flame intermiuRle1,
roll skyward, each moment growing in
volume. But the flames and smoke had
been seen In the city and once more the
alarm from box 4S brought out q crowd
of tirernen for service at Peaks Some
40 men were gathered on the fire boat
and quantity of hose piled ON board
when she pushed away from her dock
shortly after O'Clock.
As the boat swung into the harbor the
flames could be seen mounting higher and
higher on the back side OF the island.
while the smoke cloud, In places, black as
night, and then white as steam showed that
something besides the woods were burn
ing. The. boats which left for the islands
at this time carried a crowd of business
men who, summoned by telephone, left
their offices and hurriedly took the first
beat for Peaks, fearing that in their alb
lsencs their property might be destroyed.