davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08
MILITARY ENTERTAI NMENT 1
KNIGHTVILLE CHURCH.

The military entertainment which was
given In the Knightyille church. proved
to he a decided success Corporal Shling-
loft, who had just returned from New
York took charge of the squad of four
men from Fort Prebie, made up of Fri-
Yates Bertmsn, Hanson, Goldberg and
Palmer, and they went through the man
ual Of arins and the corporal then ex.
planned the new 50 model rifle. Mr.
Hanna and Nj. Mills then gave an ex-
hibition Of the old manual of arms
which was used by the veterans Of the
war of the COS There was a large and
highly entertained audience
During the drill one of the bayonets
struck lamp and knocked IL from the
bracket and ire was averted by the
prompt action of the corporal in charge.
Plenty Of cake and good things were
served the "boys and blue" aud they en-
ioyed the evening quite as much as did
the spectators
Private Kaiser has returned from "a 10
days furlough and has re-enlistsd for
live years.
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08

beneath these eratipqs with their faces
close up under them In order to breathe
and began e. ghout for help. IL was some
time before the cries OF tho men were
noticed. bat when they were 90 last dis
covered there seemed TO DO no way 10 ees
them out OF the cage In which they Nere.
Suffocating black smoke poured ouf
through these aratings into the street anu
drove back the would be rescuers. Aoout
n dozen boxes Of oranges stood alrscsJ
over a trap door lending down into Wy
basement and this TACT was soon
known to the crowd above by tne Nj
prisoned men In the basement. LII
William G. Eatou, officer Henderson anu
MIR. Charles Foster. who were ~ a.y
OF tho store at the time, quickly pnsd
the oranges out of the way anu oPeues
the trap door Through this tnsy naul.u
out one man after another. ine issS ma
TO como through was captain ~, ~.
Springer. As soon as no rehcne ~. wi" -. ha,a
walk he discovered that one Oh sne JAZZ sa
had not been rescued and went BACK slle.
him. ID was n brave act for the basemehV
was thick with smoke and the fire was
blazing fiercely In the bakery ~ tnls
time Captain Springer found the Other
baker who had remained to ma 10y
who had become lost in the smoke. ana
whom this man had bravely turned BACK
TO find. The heroi, baker with the boy IN
his arms was pulled up through the trap
door and then Captain Springer was
pulled out. Springer was nearly over
come by smoke and IVES taken into
neigboring drug store but he quickly re-
covered, donned his firemen's Quilt and
was back lighting the flames with the rest
Of bis men.
THE CHIEF ENGINEER ARRIVES.
Chief Engineer Eldridge was on his
way to dinner when the alarm came In
and was on the spot before any of the mp
paratus arrived. A that time the whole
interior of the store scented to be
blazing furnace. AS one piece OF appara-
tus af.er another reached the spot the
chief told the fremen Just what 10 do
and they obeyed his orders quickly. Soon
Ave or six streams of water were beng
turned into the blazing store and as the
FIRE seemed to be in the front basement
come of the hremen devoted their atten-
ton to this All attempts to enter the
building failed because the smoke was so
thick and the heat 90 intense. In few
minutes the chief engineer saw that the
lire was gaining Roadway and ordered
second alarm turned In from tox So He
also ordered hose eight into the city to
take station at Cssco 5's house and re-
spond to any alarms which might come
in while the up town fire was in progress.
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08

store room open he found that the IRE
had already obtained great Roadway and
was setting the beams overhead abiaze
Mr. Foster at once gavo the alarm and
the clerks Gra bling buckets of water en-
deavored to extingnish the flames. Mr.
Foster soon saw that this was Impossible
for the clerks to DO and ran as fast as his
legs could carry him TO the engine mouse
at the corner of Oak and Congress streets.
Here he pulled 10 an alarm from box d.
EXCITEMENT IN THE STORE.
Mr. Fosters cry OF FIRE caused panic
In the store. The clerks ran this way and
that, the customers made a rush for the
street tum bling over the stacks OF canned
goods and boxes in their rush. While
Mr.. Foster was running to the engine
house only block away the flames burst
out of the store room and jumped up the
stairway into the main store. There was
,, plucky young lady in the cashiers de-
partment. Her name IL Miss Barker.
Nveryo one fed at the first cry OF IRE. bot
she had duty to perform and well did
she 10 it. The many valuable books and
papers which were spread cut on the
desks in this department had to be saved.
There was also large amount of money
in the money drawers. This plucky
lyoung woman thought not of her own
safety but of the necessity OF saving the
books. She threw open the doors OF the
large safe and began to store them away
as fast as she could. Meanwhile the
smoke in the store became dense and
suffocating and the interior OF the place
became as black as night. Miss Barker
half suffocated and blinded by the smoke
remained at her post. She safely put
away all OF the books that sne could find,
threw into the safe the money In the cash
box drawers, slammed to the big steel
doors OF the vault and then for the first
time thought of her own safety. Below
hsr on the floor of the store the black
smoke grew thicker every moment. Miss
Barker arasped fur muff and buryins
her face In this rnshed to the street door.
She did not faint away or do any OF the
foolish things that woman Is expected
to do under such circumstances but quiet
ly walked into neighboring store and
sat down. This was d brave act that Miss
Barker performed and an experience
which few people would care to go
through. She did not have time to store
away all of the books, however. but she
put away all that she could Ind In the
remained outside were badly soaked With
water, bus the fire did not reach them.
EsoAPE OF THE BAKERS.
In-the front basement Of this store there
were flvs bakers at work. Among them
was Edsszrd Springer who Ia also captain
Of, enei ns,eompany No. /. The bakery is
shut of frvm the rest OF the basement
and that part oft whore the fire started
by O sliding door. Whom the bakers final
| Nv discovered that fierce fire was blazing
in the basement Behind them escape from
the narrow cellar stairs WAS cut of. The
opening OF this sliding door allowed the
smoke. ia, pour into the bakery and the
men made rush for the front of the
bassmeuu to the Xsiiiayalk Rratings in
front of.the store. They crowded together
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08

With the response 10 the second alarm
the chief engineer had six engines at his
disrosG1 ana all the hose he could use.
He was afraid that the fire might get
away from his meu and communicate
with the Congress Square hotel on the
side or the building in the rear.
THE CROWD WAS LARGE
With the second alarm came big
crowd of spectators. By the time they
reached the place the street had been nice
ly roped off by the policemen under
Deputy Firth and the city marshal was
also on hand to sunsrintend matters The
tlremen were given all the space they re-
ouired to work in. The smoke from the
burning sto * OF the store was so thick in
the street that the flremen had to grape
their way around 0s at night. AS the
fire progressed this smoke grew blaoker
and GeDser and settled down upon the
streets for blocks around checking people
and driving the crowds back more etrec-
lively than an army Of policemen could
have done.
HOW THE FIRE WAS FOUGHT.
The fire was fought from the front and
back Of the building and by means of
hose sent to the roofs Of adjoining build
ings from the top as well. The aileyway
which runs behind the building from
Green street was the chief point Of attack
and for some hours the most dangerou
place. This narrow alleyway was like a
chimney and so thick WAS the smoke In
this place that the tirenIen could not re-
mair, theirs a great while at a time with
out being overcome by It. Many Of them
were taken ont Of this place half con-
scious but were soon able to return to
duty after a breath of fresh air. The
plaes they occupied in the rear OF this
building was very dangerous one. In
the ground beneath their feet was stored
a large amount of kerosene oil in two
large tanks. Pipes running from these
tanks communicated with the store and
IL was fenred at one time that these might
catch fire and explode. The dremen got
a cellar pipe into the building from the
rear and kept steam of water on the
pipes and about the oil tanks so that they
would not become heated and explode.
But for a long time they expected 20 be
obliged to vacats this spot in hurry
Ladders were placed upon the roof of
the lew shed where much of the reserve
stock of the store was placed and by
means Of holes cut in the roof the fire
men succeeded in getting at the seathing
flames in the furnace below. A line of
hose was also sont up through the stair
way leading to the Y. w. @. A. rooms
and the water thrown through skylight
directly into the store. On the street
front the iremen forced their way inch
by inch into the store driving the flames
before them, and about three O'Clock
had the fire well in hand.
CONGRESS- SQUARE HOTEL.
The fire created much excitement In the
Congress Square hotel Many of the
guests started TO pack up their goods OK :
pecting to be obliged 10 leave the build
ing, but Manager Stearns succeeded In
auieting their fears. The smoke from the
fire renetrstsd this big hotelsfroIn.iss cell
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08

course the browning feature of the even
ing was the cake walk which was IN
dulged in by six young couples with black
faces and Vayly colored costumes. Abont
8 o clock Bain's orchestra str uok up
good old coon march and under the diTec-
tion of the drum major. William Smart,
who put on all the necessary dourishss
the cake walkers made their appearance
with Mr. Sesford and Miss ie rgie Bur5
In the lead Following them anne Dir:
Bray and Caro- Elliott, Mr. Brown and
Hattie Davis, MIR Harmon and Leo ELI
OFT, MIR. Flavin and Virginia Dyer, OH.
Goss and Lou Goold.
And such walk Professionals who
were present and had seen uarkydom
stalk around on many II stage all agreed
that In grace, ultra fashionable touches
and fantastic movements the south FORT
land cake walkers were second 10 none.
In brief, the affair was decidedly sue
cess and all deserve favorable mention,
but, of course only one couple could get
the handsomely frosted cake, made by tbs
way by Mrs Brown, and IL Went with
much enthusiasm to hurry Goss ana Miss
Lou G uld. The latter wore an old rose
dress with heavy russo for trimming,
high gloves to the elbow to match tue
shoes OF the same color. The urderssiri
was black with heavy yellow spots with
russo of old rose and she carried white
ostrich fan. The other young ladies
were nicely gowned in oamtrics CT Nari
Gus hues ana presented picturesque
sight. The gentlemen were arrayed In
long frock coats, patent leather shoes
and wore the conventional tall hats. 1t
is but fair to say that harry Harmon and
Leo FL lott were dangerously CLOSE $50
ond in..the walk for the cake and at times
it seemed as If the applause. was about
evenly distributed.
On Tuesday evening Miss Gould will
cut the cake at her home and all the
walkers have tesn invited to be present.
In the meantime the face cleaning process
is going on and the demand for vaseline
at south Portland drug stores yesterday
was notably active.
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08

tindsr boxes had the fire once reached
them, Two alarms were sent in for this
flrs in quick succession, elk engines and
over mile and a half OF hose was used
in subduing she fire while enough wRter
to I'll pond of respectable sizewas poured
into tie burning structure. The fire
hlazed tlercely from noon until three
O'Clock when IL as under control but the
firemen were kept at work all the after
noon and far into the night cutting away
par;itions and floors where the ire had
worked its way and extineuishing fires
which broke out at intervals throughout
the building.
The total loss is not far from s5o, COO,
while the total insurance Is about the
same amount. George q. Shaw q Com
psny loses the most by this fire not only
from the amount Of stock destroyed but
from the loss In business which will
amount to a very large figure and on
which there Is, of course, no Insurance.
The fire is supposed to have caught
from live wire in what is called the
"broken package ROOM" in the basement
OF the main store. When first discovered
it had set fire to the beams overhead In
this store room and rapidly spread
throughout the building.
The losses are figured up as follows:
George G. Shaw 81 Company on stock,
about $50, 600; insured for SCI 100.
On fixtures, 81, 900; insured for ~. 95u
On building owned by George q. Shaw,
ad Joining the one in which the ire was
L.. -, mostly nv SmOk q
and " alter, Insured Tor $1,000.
IL the building owned by the Jonas
Clark state completely wrecked inside,
loss Aeasy; insured for $500 which Will
about cover the loss.
10 Cornish Brothers. tailors, on street
floor of Congress Square hotel, damage TO
STOCK from smoke amounting to several
undred dollars; insured with Dow q
Pinkham.
The longress Square hotel damage from
smoke and a small damage from water
caused by broken skyiight through
which some wafer found Its way. This
damage cannot be estimated but MIR.
Henry Rines said that 1t would doubtless
be- quite large. 1t Is fully covered by IN
surance.
Loss to DR.. c. M. Talbot dentist.
largely from sn oise Insured for $500
with Dow and Pinkhann.
Loss TO y. W. @. A., largely from
smoke, VIII not be heovy. Insured Tor
$500.
L. K. Lombard,tS Co., tsiiops, damage
from smoke Insurance wall cover the
loss.
The Portland club damage to carpets
and funpiture from smoke and watar. In
salred with Dow and P1nkham for sl0U0,
which with more than cover the'loss.
Theiusuranes In detail Ia, given below:
Shaw's buiIding insured for $1,000.
through the agency of J. II. and Q. 5.
Webster as follows: Holyoke, Traders d
Mechanics and Quincy, s259o each.
Fixtures in store insured fer $3.50,
through several agencies as followss hieg-
chants, 5000, Orient $3.50, Pacific. Seeo,
Equitable $500, Firemen's Fund, s1ooo.
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08

| stock In shsw's store insured for SAL
ESQ. In the following companies: Koyai,
s3Do0; franklin, $3.50; Imperial. $500:
| palitine. 1900; Orient, $3.50; II, usrnan,
SfeO0; Pacific, $40 fquitabls. SOC;
Niagara, 1900: l.. l.. a g., $500: No.
British, 5000: Globe, $1,000; German,
1880; british American, $1,000; BuffaIo
German, $1,000.
on the CLARK building insured for $500
with Herbert E. Harmon & Co.
Portland club insured for 5000 with
DR.. Talbot insured for $500 with Dow
& Pinkahm.
DISCOVERY OF THE FIRE.
1t was shortly before noon and the big
grocery store OF George q. Shaw & Com
pany was nlled with customers, as has al
ways been TIE case at this hour. About
half Of the large corps of clerks had gone
10 dinner and those in the store we're busy
waiting upon the customers. This store oc-
cupiss the street floor Of two buildings.
The main stors is In building ned by
the Jonas Clark estate while a fire proof
floor separates this part of the store from
the shipping department which is in the
building owned by George G. shaw. In
tho basement of the main store next to
the street WINS the bakery department
The rest of the basement WAS used for the
storage of goods. Other store rooms were
located in the rear Of the main store in u
wooden addition. The candy department
WAS on the second door OF this wooden
addition and ut the rear. Behind the
Shaw store ana the Congress Square hotel
runs narrow alley way from Green
street On the other side of this alley way
Is the large livery stable of Edward
Hasty, the portion on the street being
built Of brick while the part in the rear
IL OF wood. Adjoining this stable and
the building occupied by the Portland
CLUB next above are many wooden build
ings the most OF them with either tin or
gravel roofs and sheathed with galvanized
Iron.
Mr.. Charles Foster is the clerk in
charge Of the Cigar department He was
very busy yesterday noon but noticed
that smoke Issued from a drawer which
was opened on the side Of the store dc
voted to the bakery department.. This
struck him az peculiar though he at first
Thought that 1t might have come from
some burning bread or something OF that
kind in the bakery below. Ihe smoke
Increased and MIR. Foster started to In
vestigate it He ran down stairs and
right at the foot OF the marrow stairs
heard the cracking OF flames IN room
which is used for broken packages of
goods. When he pulled the door Of this
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08
HAsTY'S STABLE.

The people in Hasty's livery stable ex-
pected to be burned out. They sent all Of
their horses TO Henry Taylor's stable and
removed all of their harnesses and some
of their carriages. The firemen fought
the fire in Shaw's store from the roof of
this stable and from the roofs of adjoin-
ING structures.
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08
Disastrous Blaze on Con-
gress Street.
Aggregate Loss Estimated at Fifty
Thousand.
Fire Started in Base
ment Of the Store.
Supposed to Have Been Caused
By-a Live Wire.


Just before noon yesterday a fire which
turned out to lie one Of the most
disastrous OF the year broke out in the
building occupied by George q. Shaw q
Co., on Congress street. 1t spread with
great rapidfty throughout the basement
and lower door of the main building,
completely Destroying the large stock Of
goods, badly damaging the building
which is owned by the Jonas CLARK estate
end causing large loss from smoke and
water to occupants OF neighboring stores
and buildings. For time this fire
threatened TO get beyond control of the
fremen and spread to adjoining build
ings Had ID done 50 the loss to adjoining
property would have been enormous as
there ara many buildings In the immedi-
ate vicinity WI i,h would have been like
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08
WOODF0RDS.

The Woodtords Universalist society
has organized Young Peoples Auxili-
airy society the purpose of which will be
to assist in raising money for parish pnr-
poses. The following officers have been
chosen: President, Miss Flora Townsend !;
vios-president, Miss Liilian Tower; score.
tary, Miss Mabel Flies; treasurer, Mr.
Carl Stevens; entertainment committee,
Miss Maud Whitney, MIR. Edward Thurs
ton and Miss Sarah Woodbury.. AT the
nickel social held one afternoon during
the past week the young people netted e
handsome sum of money which will be
idsd to their funds.
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08
WHAT ENTERPRISE DOES.
George q. shaw & Co. VIII BE Ready
For Business As Usual This Morning

George q. shaw & Co. VIII BE Ready
For Business As Usual This Morning
1t takes mora than fire to stop George
@. Shaw g. Co. from doing business.
They are ready for their customers orders
as usual this morning and on Monday
will have brand new store open at the
old stand. Tor the convenience of Gus
toners there will be clerks stationed at
the store at 591 Congress street, which
was the shipping department OF the big
store and Is not damaged by the nre, TO
take the customers orders this morning
or these orders can be sent to the store on
Middle street from which point they VIII
be filled with promptness and despatch
All last night an army of men ana
dozens of teams were at WORK IN the snip
ping part Of the store carrying away
boxes and barrels OF STOCK wnion the ute
had not touched and thoroughly clearing
out the store at 591 Congress street.
gang of carpenters were also at work tear
Ing down the partition between this snip
ming departmept and Leonard's tailor
shop and both stores will DO thrown Into
one. 20,
On Monday morning this store at o9i
win be open with a brand new stock OF
goods and prepared to tl all orders. The
old store will be fitted up for business as
soon as possible.
PORTLAND CLUB FED FIREMEN.
The Portland club with its usual
hospitality threw open Its doors to the
firemen and provided the men with hot
coffee and a substantial lunch. Mr.. Free
H. King, chairman Of the house commit
tee superintended this lunch and saw that
every fireman had something to eat. This
action of the Portland club was much ap-
preciated by the fire ladies.
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08

The "OIiginal California Forty Miners
of New I'm land' dined at the the Revsra
House in Boston on THURSDAY. The
5Oth anniversary will lie observed Janu-
ary "a 1900
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08

the anu ubbAhHTs many ~ VIZ
carpets and curtains viii have to be taken
out and cleaned and some Of them on the
side nearest the lire may have to be re-
placed. A skylight In the roof OF the
Congress Square was broken and some
water came through this, causing consld-
cradle damage.
HASTY'S STABLE.
The people in Hasty's livery stable ex.
pected to be burned out They sent all of
their horses TO Henry Taylor's stable and
removed all of their harnesses and some
of their carriages. The firsmen fought
the fire in Shaw's store from the roof of
this stable and from the roofs of adjoin-
ing structures.
THE PORTLAND CLUB.
The doors of the Portland club were
opened 20 the firemen and by means of
the stairways in this building the lrem en-
succeeded in reaching the roofs of the
wooden sheds of the Shaw store from
which they fought the fire to good ad-
vantage. The furniture and carpets Of
the Portland club were badly damaged by
smoke.
BEN SAWYER'S BRAVE ACT.
During the height Of the fire line Of
hose was wanted in the alleyway behind
the Shaw store Other drivers of hose
wagons had tried to 60 through this mar
row placs and failed. Ben Sawyer, driver
Of Hose five's wagon was equal to the
emergency and drove through this narrow
place where the smoke was as thick as 1t
could be and where a man did not care to
remain very long at time.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY SMOKE.
The smoke caused considerable damage
In tho tailor shops of Leonard and Cor
nish which are near the Shaw store. In
DR.. Talbot's office the smoke was SO thick
that no one could remain there a moment
without respirator. Dr. Talbot's furni-
ture was badly damaged by the smoke and
two canary birds In cage in this Office
were suffooated.
The rooms of the Y. W. Q. A. also
suffered considerably from smoke.
WHAT A FIRE PROOF DOOR DID.
When the ire was discovered in the
main store some of the employees in the
shipping department which Is in another
building with fireproof door between the
two securely shut this fire proof door. This
prevented the flames from getting into
the building owned by Mr.. Shaw and
undoubtedly prevented the fire from be-
coming so large that 1t would have been
beyond the firemen's control.
AFTER THE FIRE.
When the blaze was finally extingished
the store of George c. Shaw 81 Co., was
o total wreck. The floor on the side where
the bakery department is located has
fallen into the cellar carrying with it the
charred remains of the counters and nxt-
ures, together with the pies, cakes, canned
and cther.goods stored in this part of the
store. on the floor Of the store covered
with "A loot or so OF water wers big
ehcesss baskets of crackers, fruits and all
of these things which go to mako up a
well equipped grocery store such as this
ans of Shaw's vas. Holes had been cut
in the floor and the iiremen by this means
had been able to get at the tire in the
basement. The ceiling and walls we're
The Portland daily press., 1899-04-08
PORTLAND CLUB FED FIREMEN.
SOUTH PORTLAND.

Darkydom To the Fore at the jolly Six
Dance.
Whosver in South Portland failed TO
attend the dance given by the jolly Six
at the Union Opera house thursday
night made the mistake Of their
lives. Judging from the sp'
pearance OF the door and galleries not
q any society people absented themselves
for the attendance was very large ana
sss interest of the liseliest kind. OF