The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1901-11-28
TIE FIRE IN ODD FELLOWS
BLOCK.
Loss Estimated at 1886, 900,
GOOD WORK OF THE FIRE DE-
PARTMENT.

day afternoon, Nov. Goth, was more destruc-
tive than would appear from a superficial
examination of the building, the stocks of
goods and the Office property endangered
AS stated in The journal last week the
fire originated about o'clock from the ex-
plosion of kerosene lantern in Howes &
Co.'s cellar. The cellar is quite dark and it
is necessary to use lantern there most of
the time One of the clerks went into the
cellar to refill the alcohol bottle for the drug
department. The bottle holds about gal
lon, and when nearly full the bottom drop
ped out and the alcohol flowed across the
floor to the lantern, which stood about 4
feet away. The alcohol probably reached
the flame of the lantern, for blaze immedi-
ately sprang up, followed by the explosion
of the lantern. The flames spread rapidly
and the clerk ran up stairs for help. When
the others arrived it was impossible to get
into the cellar on account of the dense
smoke, and the fire alarm was rung in.
Washington Hose Co. was quickly on hand
and three streams from the hydrants were
turned into the cellar, through a rollway
dows facing High street. The cellar was
full of dense smoke, which poured in large
volumes from every opening. The fire
could not be seen, and the fremen directed
the streams as best they could. The build
ing is very heavily timbered and the fire
working on the under side of the floor tim
bers could not be reached to advantage.
The fire alarm was not heard in the upper
neighborhood and it was some time before
Seaside Hose Co. arrived, but when they
came they put on three more streams, the
two companies playing as above described,
and also through the front windows and a
rollway which led to the furnace room. For
in the cellar, and as the flames did not break
out it was thought the fire was under con-
troll, but it was then found that it was fol-
lowing the water, gas and steam pipes
through the partitions into the upper part
of the building. Holes were at once cut
through in Burkett's carpet room and w.
P. Thompson's law office on the second
floor and in the Rebekahs ante-room on the
third floor, and fire was found in every
place where pipes led up inside the parti-
tons. The hose and the chemical fire extin-
guishers soon had these extinguished, and
the smoke in the cellar having cleared away
so that the firemen could do effective work
there, by O'Clock the fire was practically
out.
Burkett moved part of his stock, and
the Odd Fellows and the occupants of the
offices took out nearly all their movable
property. Fogg & Brown, in the Howes
block adjoining, took their fresh meat and
poultry out and loaded it upon teams in the
street, but did not haul it away. The water
came in through a cellar drain from the
HOwes cellar, and their market was filled
with smoke. The stores on that side of
Main street from c. c. Coombs' shoe store
below to Lockes jewelry store above were
all more or less affected by the smoke, and
the cellars up the street were so full of it
no one could stay in them.
When it was found that the fire was out
the occupants of the block the police and
fire department arranged for caring for the
property during the night. Watchmen
were put on and the hose companies were
held in readiness for immediate work if
needed. Thieves, however, managed to get
away with some goods. The most daring
thieving was done in Burkett's carpet
room. Parties went in through the door
from the front corridor and passed valuable
rugs, art squares, ETC., to accomplices wait
ing in Beaver street. People who saw them
at first supposed they were employed to
carry out the goods, but it was thought
ing out goods at that time, and he was
notified The thieves in some way got
alarmed and left, but carried away mapy
valuable pieces.
Chas. II. Field, insurance adiuster. who
knew of the management of the Milliken-
TOmlinson fire in Portland, says that this
fire originated very much as that did, in q
close cellar where the fire could not be got
at Portland had 12 streams from the steam
fire engines and extra large ones from the
fire boat. The department in that case did
noble work, but the building was complete
ly destroyed. Mr.. Field took occasion to
thank and congratulate Chief Engineer F.
ii. Welch for the able manner in which the
fire in Odd Fellows block was handled.
Chief Welch, Assistant Engineer R. T.
Rankin and the hosemen of the two COM
panes are entitled to great deal of credit
for the good fight they made.
The Municipal officers held the usual in
vestigation Thursday afternoon. They
decided that the origin of the fire was
accidental, from the explosion of a lantern,
and that the totals of loss, etc., were as fol-
lows:
Estimated value of building. $50. 600
damage to building. .... 5000
Insurance on building. ng............ 10000
Estimated value OF contents. $1,000
damage to contents. .. 10000
Insurance on contents. 487OO
The insurance carried on the building,
stocks, ETC., was as follows:
On Dulldlng. ........................ $40, ,OOO
&. W. Rurkett, stock. IA. 600
A. A. HOwes u Co., stock ......... II. 800
Ouu reao"s''''. ................... 900
Seven different companies carried insur-
ance on the property, in the agencies of
james Pattee & Son, Field & Quimby and
M. G. HILL