Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-07-07
WITH A CRASH
Part of New Masonic Block,
Fairfield, Is Shattered.
Hundreds Of Bricks Hurled Onto
House Of Frank Cotton.
The Occupants Had lust left-fortunately
No One Is Injured.


During the heavy thunder shower, this
afternoon, one corner of the new Ma
sonic block was shattered and $500
bricks were tumbled down onto the
building owned and occupied by Frank
Cotton. smashing the roof in and doing
doing great amount of damage to the
household furniture.
When the shower came UP, about 1.30
the rain drove the Workmen to cover.
There was at the northwest corner of
the Masonic building, the outside wall
which was fully Il or II feet high. AS
there was nothing tosupport the build
ing there We're fears that that corner
of the unfinished wall might give way
through the force of the wind.
On the opposite side of the street
We're several men, watching the wall
and discussing the probability of its
giving away. Those who saw it state
that when the wind came up the wall
seemed to sway for several seconds.
Finally binding flash of light came
with the next clap of thunder and
when the noise of the thunder had died
away lIlc Vi bIiChS anu lIlt
giving way of timbers in the roof of
Cotton's drug store building could be
heard above everything else.
The two and Il half story building
north Of the Masonic block is occupied
by Frank Cotton, the ground floor as
the drug store and the upper part as u
dwelling house. Mrs. Cotton and two
young ladies were in the upper part,
at the time of the storm, and Mrs.
Cotton, fearing that the wall of the
Masonic block might give way, began
to count to determine the distance of
the storm. When by counting she
thought the storm less than a mile
away she started for the home of Mrs.
Amos Learned, next door. and advised
the Two young ladies to do the same
Hardly had the three ladies reached
the back of the house when the crash
of the thunder came and with it the
sound of the falling bricks. Mrs. Cot
ton rushed for Mrs. Learned's apart
ments, which are connected by a porch
and the two young ladies started
father back in the house.
Fortunately no one was injured
When the triangular section of the
wall, 20 feet long and l. feet high, fell
the greater part struck the forward
part of the roof and crushed it in as
easily as though made of paper In
fact that quarter Of the roof was so
thoroughly demolished that from the
Masonic building a birds eye view of
the interior of the top story of the
building could be gained.
So great was the weight Of the
bricks that the floor of the ton story
was partially crushed in. The floor
tmbers were started to such an extent
that the furniture in the room was
covered by the falling plastering while
the laths of the ceiling stuck through
in every part.
Carl Cotton was in the drug store
below and he, too, escaped injury.
The weight of the bricks had started
the ceiling in that story but to such a
small extent that the damage done was
very slight.
The front of the building looked as
though it had been struck by a whrl-
wind. Great pieces of finish had been
torn OF from the gable ends and in the
front of the building there was not a
single whole pane of glass. In fact, it
was necessary to put up doors and
blankets to keep out the storm.
The part of the wall that did not
strike the roof of the Cotton house fell
into the street in front of the store
With the roof of the building crush
ed in the rain had a free access to the
apartments below and did a great
amount of damage both to the house
hold furniture and the building it
self.
Frank Cotton was away at the pond
at the time of the accident so that the
amount of the damage done cannot
now be accurately estimated. 1t is
thought. however, that the damage to
the Cotton building will be something
like $500. Mr.. Cotton had fire insur
ance policy on the building in which
was clause protecting him against
loss by lightning.
AS is natural the question has arisen
as to the cause of the accident. 1t is
held that if the damage is through the
wind the loss will be total There are
several who state that they saw the
lightning strike the building while
others state that the accident resulted
from the wind.
The Masonic building was covered by
a builders insurance policy.
The storm, which was more severe
here than in other places in this vicin-
ity. tore down several trees and strip
ped the branches from others.
The lightning also struck behind the
old brick block in the transformer or
near it, but did not do much damage,
The telephone line to SkowheSan was1
rendered useless. but most of the in
struments about town were uninjured.
The fall of rain was unusually heavy |
and did not cease until nearly .
o'clock.