The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-04-21
LUMBER MILL BURNED.
Property Of the SacO Lumber
Company Destroyed.
The Loss Estimated at sac, 200, Insured
For $4,000.

Biddeford, April 2o.-Fire originating
probably from chimney spark which
ignited the dry roof. caused the destruc-
tion Of the main mill Of the Saco Lumber
compan early this morning. The loss Is
total but is partly covered by insurance.
Other buildings which are part Of the
mill plant were in great danger Of burn
ing.
Cyr j. Cyr, who livos near the mil
yard, noticed the fire first. He was in his
woodshed about twenty five minutes past
five and looking out OF q window he saw
a blaze on the roof Of the main mill
above the fire room. Going out Of doors
be raised cry of fire and Charles Boutin,
the night watchman at the mill. quickly
appeared. Boutin had been in the fire
room fixing the fires preparatory to get
ting up steam. When he saw the blaze on
the roof he got man who was nearby to
ring in an alarm and then turned his at
tention tc putting out the fire.
Chief Engineer Leonard upon arriving
ON the scene came to the conclusion at
once that 1t would be useless to attempt
to save the saw mill. He accordingly
gave his men orders to protect the other
buildings and the streams which had
been used on the side Of. the mill facing
Hooper street were turned on the dry
house, and the planning mill across the
way. The bridge running from the mill
to the dry houss took fire number of
times, but stream Of water put it out.
At twenty minutes of six Chief Engi-
reer Leonard seeing that the fire was
gaining headway sent in q second alarm
calling the Saco department to his aid.
Even with this help. the outlook for
saving the surrounding buildings was
doubtful.
The mumbers of the Hook and Ladder
company worked hard and pulled the
burning lumber over so that the heart OF
the fire could be easily reached. The
steamers were kept at work until $50
O'Clock and at five minutes of ten Chief
Engineer Leonard sent in the 'a!l OUT
after four hours and twenty-five minutes
of hard work. A spark from the big
chimney of the mill evidently caused the
fire.
Mr.. Boutin while going his rounds of
the yard last night discovered blaze on
the roof near the chimney which he put
out with pail of water. This was at five
minutes to eight, and later on he put on
more water so as to be sure that he ex-
| tiuguished the blaze.
che contents of the sawnill are total
| loss, including machinery and lumber. 1t
| was only few days ago that the expen-
| siye lumber which was housed In the old
| batting mill was removed to the saw
mill, and this with other material was
either burned up or damaged so that 1t
will be a total loss All the machinery
| was ruined, and the engine room Is
wreck.
When the fire was at Its fercest, over
| the boiler, the steam whistle valve was
| opened In some way and for over half
hour the whistle footed until the steam
| pressure was reduced.
While the whistle was footing the spec
tators we're warned to keep at safe dis
tance from the building for fear OF an ex-
| plosion from the engine room.
The planning mill and dry house. which
vera connected with the mill. got afire a
number of times.
The loss on the building and machinery
together with the lumber burned, has
| been estimated at S3O,WO. The company
carried insurance for SIS 600.
j. G. Jordan of Portland, president OF
the company, was in town today and in
company with Mr.. Gregory mnde an ex
animation of the ruins and also inspected
the lumbe yards
No plans have yet been perfected as to
what will be done in regard to putting
up new building. The company has a
spare mill on the Saco side of the river
opposite the one burned down. and this
will be used 20 saw up logs and NIL the
large orders.