The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-17
EARLY MORNING FIRE.
Confusion Resul ting From New
Alarm Box.

There was on alarm of fire at quarter
to / o clock Sunday morning, from box
AL, which is at the corner of Cumber-
land and Montgomery streets. but the
fire was some distance from this box, on
Congress street, just above WASH
nV ton, in three storied wooden
building. owned by the. McGlinchy estate.
This large building has store on
the ground floor, where Horatio West
sells groceries, while ON the stories kabove
six families reside. The IRE startsd some
where near the stove funnel In tbs center
OF the store, and got such Roadway that
the house was filled with a binding
cloud OF smoke tef ore the inmates on the
upper floor awoke. One OF the children
OF John O'Donnell, VINO lives on the
second floor, awakened the household
by oryiug ont that she was choking.
The chiId's parents woke ND to lind
their rooms filled with smoke. They
managed to get out with their children,
clad only in their night garments, and
very much alarmed and excited
MIR. Hugh Hsozor, with a companion,
was on his way hons when he saw the
smoke pouring out of the windows of the
first and second floors OF the building,
He started for a fire alarm box, whioh
has recently been nut in Attic corner OF
Washington and Congress STREETS but this
box has not yet been connected with
the fire alarm system. Another man
whom MIR. Haozor met on his way TO the
first box ran into the drug store of No
Donough & Sheridan, to lind out where
the nearest fire alarm box was, AMI an
attempt was maze 10 reach the chemical
engine at the central tire station from
the store Finally some one ran around
several corners TO box l41, at the corner
Of Montgomery and Cumberland streets.
pulled in the alarm and then ran back
to the fire. Engine 2's company respond
ed and came down the hill discovering
the firs as they passed 1t. Most Of the
other apparatus went astray, being mis-
led by the box, and finding no ons there
at tirst to tell them where the fire was.
In the meantime, the building was
filling up with smoke, and three young
mon, John MoKennon, Wal ter Fowler
and Thomas Sonia, ran M into the
house, and begin TO bring out children
who were very much frightened, and
were running around on the top floor OF
the building. In this part Of the house
lived four Armenian families, with a
good many children. and they were. Of
course, very much excited, and the young
men had their hands full In getting them
all safely out into the street. All the
inmates of the house were taken into the
next door, where they were kindly cared
for. In all, there were fully dozen
children, and as many older people
turned out into the cold night without
any too much clothing on to protest
them from the piercing winter wind.
When the fire department reached the
place they located the seat of the fire
quickly enough, forced open the store
doors, and Engine ? put stream OF wa
ter on 1t which settled the business in q
few minute S.
Fortunately no one of the many In
mates of the house was overcome by
snoke or many way inJur ed, Ths oc-
oupants had no insurance, but their
household effects were not greatly dam
aged. Horatio Vests grocery stock was
nearly q total loss. 1t Is insured for $1,000
in the agency of Prentiss Loring, which
will probably cover the loss. Two valu-
able cats kept In the store were smoth-
cred. The lower flnor of the building is
badly damaged, but { he rest of the house
suffered only from the damage occasioped
by she smoke, little water being used on
the upnsr floors. The damage to the
building is estimated at $500; probably
covered by insurance.