The Portland daily press., 1899-07-03

OAAN w ANlN NII- AAIAAI-AA nAlW uUu Returned
TO Portland. He toid che Mayor about
sir. browns refusing to help and said that
he believed the fire should be extin-
guished at any cost. Chief EldridRe told
the mayor that he would advise calling
out the Portland firomen by an alarm
from box AZ on Commercial street. and
with these men returned to Peaks island.
and put out the fire. The Mayor told
Chief Eldridge to do what he deemed best
for the protection Of the island property.
An alarm from box 43 was then rune
in and with 40 men and Assistant Engi-
nesr Hodsdnn, Chief Eldridge returned
to the island. This time the landing was
made at Trefethen's landing and the hose.
some 1000 feet. was stretched up to the
woods 60 the scene Of the fire.
After the fire boat left the island for
the city the fire ran rapidly over the Rock
Bound Park, SO called, which is nothing
more than unimproved land from which
the first growth has been cut, aud thence
down into this low land on the property
of Robert Skillings and William Ire
fethen. Near the top of this hill and a
little to the eastward OF the course the
fire was following stands group Of cot
tages, among them being the cottage and
windmill owned by Judge Tolman.
When the PRESS reporter reached this
spot Sunday afternoon he passed twenty
or thirty men who were standing about
watching the fire, but who were not
making any attempt to keep the blaze
from getting into the woods near these
cottages.
Mr.. Warren King, with his face black
weapon, was working away furiously to
extinguish the small fires. A MIR. Newell
was also seen at this work and several
other men, and near Judge Tolman's
property were two women at work with
axes and shovels digging a trench to keep
the fire from spreading.in that direction.
Many men and boys stood about watch
ing these people work, but no one
seemed to be willing 10 help them. BY
the heroic work of the women who were
digging the trench the tire was stopped
from proceeding in this easterly direction
and these cottages near Judge Tolman's
were saved.
Over by Trefethen's landing are the
cottages of Mr. Bowel, Mr. Ezekiel Dem
mis-. Mr.. 1. #. Lord and Mr.. Currier. By
MIR. bowels cottage Is a wind mill which
pumps water from an arteslan well near
by.
These cottages were fully quarter Of
n will frOr he ola 10, H. ~
burning, but suddenly the woods which
is just behind these cottages, burst into
flames. This fire Is thought to have been
set by some one in this vicinity, thong h
1t may have been caused by spark from
the other fire to the windward. At any
ratio these cottages were In imminent
danger of burning ur. Some men who
were near gave the alarm to the inmates
OF these houses and they began to move
out their furniture, and Mrs. Bowel,
whose ankle was broken, was carried from
the house. The men got some three quar-
ter inch hose and attached 1t to the water
tank in MIR. Dowel's wind mill. The big
pump was set to work TO keep the tank
filed and by dint OF fast work and the
chopping down of some trees these cot
lagos were kept from burning.
In all the fire spread over about 60 acres
of land, burning up the brush and coca
sionally burning mp group of pine or
spruce trees The loss from the fire will
be small, but 1t has cost the city many
hundred dollars to extinguish it.
At O'Clock the fire boat arrived at the
island again and Chief Egineer Elbdridgs
with a crew of men who were anxious to
work as he directed, stretched about $500
feet Of hose up to the wood and made
quick work Of the blaze. At 9 O'Clock
Chief Eldridge returned to the city and
left Assistant Engineer Hodgdon In
charge at the fire and the firemen worked
about all night dragging the hose around
through the burning woods and wetting
down the underbrush which has become
as dry as finder in the protraoted
drouth.
Chief Eldridge said last night that no
intended to make formal complaint
against Alonzo e. browns, the city en-
ploye ct Peaks. who refused to take out
his teams to help the firsmen haul hose
when asked to do so.