The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-10-04
Two Alarms We're Pulled In at
-Four O'clock.
Loss Is Over Seven
Thousand Dollars.
There Was No Insurance on Any
of Property Destroyed.

At a few minutes after four o'clock
yesterday morning an alarm OF fire was
rung in from box l2i. Ten minutes later
another alarm WAS sounded from box %.
Both Of these were for the same fire, the
alarm from box % being second alarm
These two alarms brought out about every
resident on Munjoy hill and many people
from other parts Il the city. The fire was
in q. K. Thomas's stabls at 81 Lafayetts
street. This was entirely destroyed but
the adjoi aing house ives saved though
badly damaged, tina bouss of Mr.. Bsnja-
min +. Bracket within two feet Of the
stable which was destroyed was saved by
b ard work and two houses which ad-
Joined the stable on North street were
also saved though they were badly
scorched. The loss on this property was
fully $1,000 and there is not a cent OF in
surance.
A young lady named Marion York dis
covered the fire. She occupied a room in
the rear of a house on North street which
Is very near the fire and was awakened by
the sound of the cracking flames. Look
ing out of her window she discover the
fire and at once gave the alarm.
Barney Bruce, young man employed ON
a milk W agon, pulled in the first alarm.
Engine two made a very quick hitch and
reached the lire before the second round
had finished ringing in. A line of hose
was quickly laid but by this time the
flames were coming out OF the roof Of the
stable and leaping high in the air. 1t
looked as IL the buildings in the vicinity
would have to go and their occupants
began to get their goods out and into a
place Of safety. The people living in the
houses on North street were also alarmed
and we're prepared to move out. The fire.
men were doing their best with the flames
but they were growing hottsr and tlercer
all the time and it began to look as II the
entire block would go. Chief Eldridgs
did not hesitate about pulling the SEQ
ond alarm as soon as he reached the spot
The second instsllment of apparatus was
slow in responding and 1t was long
time before some of them got to work. 1t
was long hard pull up the hill anu the
hremen were pretty we'll played out
when they reached the top of It, Chief
Eldridge and his assistants got the men
at work and turned an ocean of water on
to the neighboring houses. The Brackett
house was smoking and caught fire time
after 6ime. A stream of water was kept
on this and though fierce fire was blaz-
ing within two feet Of it the houss was
saved. @he house connected with the
stable was ON fire again and again but
each time the flames were extingnisned.
out of this house and moved across the
street
Mr.. Charles Thomas. together with his
wife and son Charles. occupied the house.
The first intimation that he had of
trouble was when he was awakened by
hearing some one cry for help. In q mo-
msnt he also heard the noise of breaking
glasa and hurried into his clothes. When
he looked out of the window his stable
was In flames.
Over the Office In front of the stable
was a small room where the hostlsrs,
Frank and Nathan Blaisdsll, slept. Bert
Loveitt. another hostler, sleeps at his
home and he came to work yesterday
morning just in time to see the building
burn. Monday night was not a very busy
one In the livery business and all of the
horses were In shortly after ten o'clock.
The Blaisdell boys went up to their room
and went to bed, leaving everything in
good shape. There was absolutely no fire
about the stable. Not even lantern had
been left burning.
The two hostlers were awakened by the
sound of cracking wood and leapipg out
of bed, found that they ware pennsd in
their room by flames, the whole upper
part of the building being one mass of
fire. They did not have much more than
time enough to break out window and
jump on to the top of a laundry delivery
wagon which happened to be standing
under the window. One of them cut his
hand but neither were seriously injured.
The second alarm was turned in from
box 25. 1t being intended as a general
alarm and 1t answered as such for the re-
nainder of the department Immediately
turned out. A number Of streams Of wa
ter were soon turned OIL to tine flames
which licked hungrily at the dry nay
and other infiammable material and
which sent up masses of fire and sparks
that threatened to burn every building in
the neighborhooa. The wind was blowing
strongly and it was apparent that the
firemen had hard fight before them. 4
There were about 30 horses In the stable
and all but one of these were got out
uninjured. This one was valuable
animal owned by Mr.. E. n. Durham
ana was in box stall at the back part
OF the stable almost in the thicksst Of the
flames. CsuAcilman Lewis p. Huston
succeeded In reaching this stall, quitting
the halter that held the hoEss aud getting
him ont Of the building. 1t was a brave