The Portland daily press., 1901-01-23
The Building Was Badly
Wrecked.
Owned by Rufus Deering and
Delano Lumber Co.'S.

Two alarms from box 81 calisd the de-
partment to the corner of Maple and
York streets at 10. 40 clock last night
where a fire had obtained great start in
the brick building occupied by the Rurus
Deering Lumber company and the
de lano Lumber company as planning
mill. The building was completely
guttsd. The loss is about $4,000 partial
Iy covered by insurance.
AS Patrick Foley and Thomas Quin-
cannon, two young men were coming
from the thsairs at twenty minutes to
eleven O'Clock last evening they saw
flames booming up in the vicinity of the
corner OF York and Maple streets. The
young men at once hurried to the place
and Mr.. Foley pulled in an alarm from
box 81. The department made quic
run but did not arrive any too eArly, for
1t was Immediately seen that one of the
worte fires that has occurred for a long
tiIns was raging, At first 1t was thought
that the men at hand woult be able to
handle the blaze. but the danger of big
coniiagration as increasing every min
ute. so within a very shog time after the
brst alarm had been sounded MIR. Everett
X. Jossslyn, at the order OF Captains
Hatch ard Hodgdon, who were in charge
during the absence or Chief Engineer I'll
bridge, pulled In n second alarm Then
for upwards CT four hours the tirsmen
worked away pouring oceans of water in
the building and not getting the flames
we'll under control until after midnight.
The fire was in the two story buildiug
on the southwssterly corner of York and
Maple strests, IN which is a planning mill
Jointly occupied by the Rufus Deering
Lumber company, and the Deano
Lumber company. 1his building last
evening was filled to about its utmos
capacity with lumber OF all descriptions
which being extremely dry, made very
hot fire. 1t was about the boiler room
that the fire started but the origin is a
mystery. i he last man to leave the build
ing wRs Jekn Foley, the night watch
man, who made the rounds at half rast
nine clock. He says that everything
was in It's usual good order at that time.
The start, however, was good one,
spreading through all OF the rooms and
seemingly consuming everything in its
path. At first the dense clouds OF smoke
poured out through the crsyices of the
doors and windows SO that 1t was I'm
possible for the tiremen to determine
where the heaIt Of the fire was The re
ult was that vigorous attention WIS
given to all parts OF the building. A
couple of itreams from the lire beat were
soon at hand and these were directed TO
the rear of the building, being taken up
from Commercial street to Maple and
then around into the rear. The streams
were poured on with all of their force
sn1 then the axes We're applied to all Of
the doors and windows, once the f1remen |
were able 60 get through the thick smoke
and make their way No little difficulty |
Was encountered IN this line and several |
times tisemen who started out to ascend |
ladders in order TO reach the windows OF /
the second story were forced to give up in /
their atremts. On the York street side |
ths smoke poured out In heavy clouds /
ard every few minutes would be accom-
panied by huge columns of flame that
blowing way out into the street drove /
back the hremen Hearing the second |
alarm Chief Eldrldge arose from a sick
bed and went to the scene TO direct
affairs. tie found his hands full in order
ing his men about to prevent any of the
adjoining property from taking fire. IL !
the rear OF the mill through the alley way |
on the Maple street. side was long row |
of Boston and Maine freight cars, But |
fortunately there was no wind ana they |
were saved. Nor wers sny OF the other |
buildings IN the least damaged. The
walls of the factory being .throughls |
built, were saved frcm destruction This
building was erected number OF years |
ago and is one of the most substantial in |
that vicinity. 1t was formerly wholly |
occupied by the Mcdonald Lumber COM |
Tany of which sx-Alderman Charles
Mcdonald was the president and man
agsr. About three years ago Mr.. Nc
Donald sold out to the Rufus Deering
Lum her company ana the Delano Lumber
company. These two compa MES bought
~.kr,n A TER q a n