The Portland daily press., 1900-12-28

The fire which broke ont at twenty
five minutes past midnight this morning
bids fair at this writing, to be one OF the
most costly and dangerous confiagra-
lions of the year, II not the decade. The
fire started In the basement of q. s. Wool
worsh-s five and ten cent store at $40
Congress street, worked its way under
the clothing store OF Simon Rosenbaig,
which is in the same block and finally
got through the wooden Partition be-
tween the Rines block, IN which this fire
started ana the block owned by the Dow
estate in which is located the Waldo
hotel, X. NJ. Lewsen 81 Co., AMI Mrs.
Anna Nj. Roberts, fanry goods store.
The Rines block so-callad, in which the
fire started, will DO h1liy dsmage.,, as
the thing looked at 2 O'Clock this morn
ing, while the stock of goods Of Simon
Rosenberg ana @ ). Woolworth 81 Co,
Will bs a total loss, and the goods of Il.
NJ. Lewsen 81 Co, ana Mrs. Anna M.
Roberts, and the furnishings of the Wal
do hotel will be very badly damaged by
smoke If the ire does not reach them.
Besides the above mentioned there viii
be many individual losers by this fire as
there were many people who occupied the
upper floors OF the kipes block. As near
as IL could be estimated at two O'Clock
this morning, it is safe to say that the
combined loss unless it is checked where
1t il at the time of this writing, will
amount to 100000, II not more.
1t was about half past twelve O'Clock
when MIR. Merry, who is member OF the
Columbia Musical club, which has rooms
on the second floor of the Rines block,
started to so up TO the rooms OF this
club ami discovered that smoke was
coming through the sidewalk grating
in front OF Woolworth's store. He didn't
stop to investigate, but at once realized
that there was a fire In the base ment
Of the Rines building. He ran to Engine
is house which is near at hand and
pulled In an alarm from box &C. When
the tremen reached the spot 1t was at
once seen that they had an awkward fire
to deal with, AS Chief Eldridge said Last
night, he had besn fearing fire in this
particular block for a long time, because
Of the fact that the basement under ths
Woolwortn five and l0-cent store Is al
ways filled with packing CAGES and in
tiamabie material. This is due to the
fact that this i've and ten-nent store does
big business and is receiving goods
every day, SO that the basement is natu
rally filled with boxes and infiammable
goods greater part Of the time.
Another thing which made tire once
startsd In this basement hard to light
was the fact that there was no way in
which 1t could be reached from the rear,
and as 1t is very big building and Gov
ers large amount OF ground fire can
work its way over large areA without
the firemen being able to get at 1t
When the firemen got at this fire they
| lost no tima In trying to check Its head
way, but they might as well have tried
TO check the flow of Niagara, At fret
| they seemed to bs meeting with some sue
cess, but the thick, black smoke which
poured out through the cellar windows
and seemed to grow thicker and biacker
every minute, showed that far away be-
yond the reach OF the streams OF water
which were being poured into the base
ment from every available spot, the firs
was having everything It's own way and
making great progress.
This upper stories OF the Rines building
which is a four story brick structure, ID
oeounisd by many neople, not only al
offices, but as sleeping apartments al
we'll. Among those who are given in
the directory as occupying rooms on the
upper floors are Miss Mattie Reynolds,
Edward II. Merrill, who has an Office
there; Miss s. M. Towls, who is dress
maker. and also has rooms In this build.
Ing; Miss q. q. Andrews, Miss Kate Alsx.
andsr, whose drsssmaking rooms are mere