The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-10-18
BURNED TO DEATH.
Fine Winterport Resi-
dence Destroyed.
And Owner, Miss Mary Hubbard,
PeriShed in Flames.
Deceased Had Many
Friends in Portland.
Was About to Leave for Long
Visit in Europe.

Bangor. October i7.-Ths Hubbard
House. the finest residence In winterrort,
was destroyed by fire this morning and
the owner, Miss Mary Hubbard. perished
In the flames.
There Is not the slightest thing suspic-
ious about the origin Of tie fire as 1t un-
doubtedly caught from fire. place direct
iy under the room OF Miss Hubbard and
In which there had been lire kindled
Monday night when several frieDds had
called TO bid Miss Hubbard bon voyage
on trip to Europe which she had
planned, and on which she was to have
started Tuesday.
The first man to appear on the scene of
the castrophe was Amos Wilson who has
been In tbs employ Of Miss Hubbard for
several years. Mr.. Wilson sleeps in a
horse just at the foot OF the hill on which
the family mansion stood. 1t was about
five O'Clock when he was aroused by cries
of fire and hastily dressing and rushing
out OF doors he saw ths Hubbard house
all ablaze and flames bursting from the
windows of the second s'ory. Dashing
up the hill at the top of his speed shout.
ing all the time to arouse the townsfolks
Mr.. Wilson rushed into the house to dis
cover what had become of the inmates,
Miss Hubbard and two Mccormick girls.
the servants. Tbs house was already filled
with dense clouds Of suffocating smoke
and 1t was with thu greatest difficulty
that mir. Wilson made his way to the sec-
ond floor and then to the door of Miss
Hubbard's room. Bursting open the door
he was almost blinded by the rush OF
1re.
Grouping his way about In the smoke
he tried to discover some traces Of Miss
Hubbard, but as tn 9 heat and flames In
creased 50 rapidly be was forced to retreat
in order to save his life.
Later the remains of Miss Hubbard
were found in the ruins directly under
where her room had been.
The two Mccormick girls who slept n
a room In the rear Of the house had for
tunatsIy awakened In time and had man
aged to escare in their night clothes.
The alarm given by Mr.. Wilson had
quickly aroused the townspeople and the
amateur firemen were quickly on the
scene with two hose carts The fire had
gained such headway, however, that 1t
was seen that 1t would be almost impos-
sible to save the house and while there
was plenty of wnter and good pressure,
the efforts of the firemen were unavailing
and the fine residence was soon nothing
but smoking ruin.
The large stable together With several
bIooded horses and fine carriages was
saved with the contents.
The loss Will probably amount to 5000;
insurance $1,000 on the mouse and some
on personal property.
The Hubbard house was one of the
finest residences on the river and was
long the home of Colonel Nathaniel Hub.
bard, who for many years was the lead
ing citizen of Winterport. .
Miss Hubbard was the only survivor
Of the family.
Those who called on Miss Hubbard
during Monday evening say that ths fire
in the hearth was burning while they
were there. They say that she had fire
pretty constantly in that room. which
was directly under her sleeping apart
ments.
The supposition is that she left the fire
going when she retired, and that some
Of the flames were communicated to the
woodwork of the room. starting fire
which could not bs controlled and which
gathered SO much headway that when 1t
could be seen from the outside there was
no hope of saving the buildings or the
life of the mistress of the property. g
The condition Of the body undoubtedly
leads to a single suspioion--the only one
In sight In the case so far. The remains
are In good condition excepting that the
face Of the body is burned SO badly as to
be unrecognizable. No physician had
Tuefday, but there was general feeling
that nothing tending TO show anything
but accident could be brought out.
However the condition of the body
undoubtedly leads to one suspicion, and
some persons in Wintsrport are talking
about it.
Thus, there Is hardly any ground for
Wintsrport, accident Is the only accepted
theory.
Monday was to have been. in less ssri-
GUS way, Miss Hubbard's last night in
hsr Winterport home for many months.
She was to start for Europe on Tuesday,
intending to remain until the fall of 1900,
visiting the exposition in Paris mean
Wills. She was going to visit friends In
Portland en- route.