Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-13
STEVENS BUILDING HEARING.
Rather Spicy Hearing Judge Whitehouse
Will Later Make Decision.

Judge w. p. Whitehouse did not give
his decision in the hearing on the
Stevens building which was held in
Augusta, Saturday morning, in the Ii
brary at the court house. After hear
ing the evidence he said that as the
case was unusual and there would be
no change in the situation, it would re-
quire more mature deliberation.
In the allegation it was stated that
there was a fire in the Stevens build
ing, commonly known as the Red.
White and Blue store" and that in
spite of the fact that there was an ordi-
nance prohibiting wooden buildings in
side the fire limits from being repaired,
when destroyed by fire. the building
was altered. 1t further alleges that
the repairs were made after the mu-
nicipal officers had refused to give the
permit and that even after the injunc-
ton had arrived. restraining the men
men from carrying on the work, the
work had been pushed as before.
The defence. through the attorney,
Hon. S. S. Brown. was a general de-
NAL. 1t was admitted that there was
a fire but it was denied too that the
building was badly burned inside and
that it had burned on the roof.
There were about a dozen witnesses,
the first called being Building Inspector
Hayden, who stated that the building
had been there ever since he could re-
member. The building was wholly OF
wood ard had partial cellar He was
of the opinion that the building resi-
ed on the ground and had but small
foundation. In his opinion the build
ing was worth about $500 before the
fire had occurred. He could not tell
whether the hole in the roof was
caused through being burned or
through being split out. The south
store in the building was burned on
the inside. The store in the north side
was not burned. He thought the build
ing was worth perhaps 800 after the
fire. It was an old trap of an affair and
OF no value. 1t value consists in the To-
building. He found, men putting in
shelving in the south store the day af-
ter the injunction arrived.
On being cross-eXamined he said that
the building had been occupied ever
since he had known about it. that is for
40 years. He had seen Holway. one of
the former prOprietors of the south
store. in the building cleaning it up
He stated that there were several
wooden buildings further up the street
none of whiehwere older than the
Stevens building.
E. c. Fairfield. one Of the carpenters
who had helped make the repairs.
could not tell the exact time when he
went to work on the building, but it
was in the neighbOrhood of three weeks
ago the first time. The repairs at that
time were in closing uD "a hole 2 by 5
feet in the roof The last time a par
tition was torn down SO as to make
two rooms in one. A small piece of
new flooring was relaid. He finished
his work. Wednesday. No one worked
there, Thursday. that he knew of. The
windows were planked over and when
the work was finished the planking was
taken off.
On cross-eXaminatiOn he said that
none of the floor had been burned out
and that there had been no change in
the character of the building.
Edward Gray said that the building
has not been materially changed since
he had known about it. The building
would be of no value in any other To-
cality.
On cross-examinatiOn he said that
there are lots Of similar wooden build
ings in Waterville. These cheap
wooden buildings are worth something
to let, if you can get the people into
them, he said.
Col. j. s. Bangs testified to the repu-
tation the building has borne. He said
that the building had been occupied the
greater part of the time If not all the
time since he had known about it.
That closed the testimony for the
plaintiff.
j. Frank Stevens of Nashua. the
agent of the property, stated that
Clark Dfummond had collected the
rents for the stores and had general