The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-01-02
House Will Be a Total
Loss.
No Explanation Given as to How
Fire Caught.

The hand some residence OF Mr. george
I. Edwards Of the Williams Man nufactur-
ing company at tbs corner Of Highland
avenue and Brighton street, Desring
district, was almost completely destroyed
by fire at one o'clock this morning. The
house was known as "Highfields" aud
was formerly owned by Alexander Long
fellow, the brother Of the poet. 1t was
one Of the historic mansions Of Deerins
Mr.. Edwards and bis wife were awak-
ened shortly before one o'clock by the
cracking Of ths flames. They thoughs at
tirs that 10 was the sound Of hail stones
beating against the side Of the house for
a fierce northeast snow storm was raging
at the time. After listening TO the sound
for a moment Mr.. Edwards became con-
WINGED that the noise he had heard was
oocasionsd BY somsthing besides hail
stones. He hurried down into the cellar
Of til house and found IL filed With
smoke but could discover no traces OF fire.
Running IN stairs again Mrs. Edwards
called his attention to the fact that the
tire was beginning 10 show itself In the
ceiling OF their sleeping room.
Mr.. Edwards then found that the
flames had obtnired so much headway
that the chance OF his extinguishing them
street as soon as he could partially clothe
himself while Mrs. Edwards prepared
the children for facing the storm. Near
by lived John b. ksatlng, the British
vice consul. Mr.. Keating heard AIR. Ed
wards shouting fire and hastily dressing
made his way TO the nearest tirs alarm
box at the corner Of Prospect and High
streets and pulled In an alarm from box
7i5. This brought to the spot hose COM
panies s, o and l2 ana ladder but when
they reached the spot the fire was leaping
through the upper story Of the house and
looming up in great style.
MIR. Edwards and his neighbors made
every effort they co uld to save the furni-
ture or such part of 1t as was of great
value. Among other things Mr.. Edwards
managed to save his wife's box Of jewelry
but he did so at considerable person al
risk.
Famed by the gale Of wind the fire
swept through the upper story Of the
house and that part OF the dwelling above
the drst floor was soon mass Of flames.
The sparks driven before the gale were
carried long distances from tn scene OF
the fire but as all Of the nea- by houses
were protected by the heavy mantle OF
snow none of them caught fire.
The wife and children of Mir. Edwards
were carried to near by dwelling and
made comfortable. One OF the children
had been suffering from the Group ana 1t
was feared that the exposure to the severe
storm might have serious results as far
as the little girl was concerned.
The neighborhood was vary much ex-
cited by ths fire and the male members
of the families living In the vicinity
turned out to render what assistance
they could In saving of furniture and
In aiding the ftemen.
For the Dsering firemen the work cut
out for them by the blaze was not Of q
cheering kind. The streets were almost
impassabls from huge drifts and they
vera forosd 20 battle against q gale
which seemed to be sweeping straight
from the North Pole.
The fremen managed to get at the
spot within q reasonable time after the
alarm and got three hydrAnts streams to
work as quickly as poesible The by
drant pressure did not prove TO be great
enough to give the streams much force,
but by means OF ladders the blaze was
fought at close range ana was finally got
under control The roof Of the HOUSE
was destroyed and the entire upper story
was wrecked before the hrs WAS 8 ub-
dusd. Only the shell OF the lower part
Of the house remains.
The houss was known % Highfslds,
and ives, as has been said. one of the his
torie mansions of Dssring. 1t WAS built
early In the century by Alexander Long.
fellow. . brother Of the pest. and IVES .
favcriss resort Of PostlAna's disein.
uuishsd son whiis be resided In this VI
oinity. He was accustomed. 20 II IL said,
10 Pass his summers In this house.
which commanded ans view Of The