Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-07-22
over $4,000 LOSS.
a Big Early Morning Fire at
Biddeford, Saturday.
Seven large Buildings in Ruins
Others Have Narrow Escapes.
Gasoline Stove the Cause. Loss Only Partially
Covered by Insurance.

| was visited by a terrible fire early Sat
urday morning. which REQUIRED for its
| suppression the united efforts of the
fire departments of Biddeford and Saco
ana involved loss of more than $40
| 900. Seven buildings We're DESTROYED
and others in the immediate vicinity
were damaged by fire and water.
| The fire, which, originated in the big
three-story wooden structure on the
| corner of Main and Pearl streets. Occu-
pied by the steam laundry of Crowley
| IL Mellon, had gained great Roadway
| before the department arrived
| Chief BonSer ordered a second alarm
| which summoned the reserve engine of
the Biddeford department and the
whole of the Saco department.
The flames quickly spread 10 the
| building adjoining which was former
| ly occupied as the central lighting sta
| ton Of the York Light and Heat Co.
! and. like "A flash. To the next building
occupied by Libby < lngcrsuil, pattern
| makers
When the Saco department arrived
| these three buildings were a mass of
| fire, the flames shooting up into the air
| for nearly - feet.
| The fire men. knowing ii would Dc i'm
| possible to save these buildings. quick
ly turned their attention to the pro-
| lection of adjoining property. the fire
| being located in a thickly settled see
| ton of the city. and in close proximity
| to the Pepperell mills. which employ
| several thousand operatives
| The flames roared through the wood
| en- buildings on Elm street. and soon
aftcrWard sparks set fire to the big
! storehouse on Pear street owned and
| occupied by the PeppereIl Corporation.
Although the tiremen constantly wet
the roofs of tenement houses in the
| vicinity. the showers of sparks ana
| flaming embers which were being
| blown in all directions set fire to half
| a dozen dwellings, owned by the Pep
| perell Co, and soon the fire was sweep
| ing toward Main street on the south
| and Lincoln street on the north.
About this time the roof on the an
mex of the Pavilion church caught fire,
and. the indications being that every
| thing in that section would be swept
| by the flames. Mayor Walker and
prominent citizens held consultation.
and it was decided to telephone TO
| Portland for assistance.
Meanwhile the tiremen, who We're max
| ing gallant fight. reinforced by the fire
departments in the mills. directing power
| full streams of water from hydrants III
| the mill yards. held the flames in check.
and succeeded in extingushing the fire
on the roofs of half dozen tenement
houses.
rh.a # he, to-. no
Pepperell Co, which is located on Lincoln
street, caught fire at this time and it was
! feared that this bGiding, too. might be
consumed
The Dewey house. which was badly gut
ted by fire several months ago. was on
fire many times and several times was
thought to he doomed
The Boston Il Maine freight house was
threatened. the heat being so intense
that paint on the front OF the building
was blistered. \ long line of Boston <
Maine freight cars in the Pepperell yard
were in danger of being burned. and a
lshifting engine was summoned Ia haul the
cars to place of safety.
The lumber yard of Banks Bros. on Elm
street was also threatened. and was kept
wet down by hydrant streams from Main
street.
AT : - the chief decided that there WIS
no danger of the fire spreading further.
and the chief in Portland was notified not
10 come to Bddeford. AZ this time seven
buildings were burning, but the fire was
under control.
The cable of the Postal Telegraph Co..
containing - wires. was burned, and all
communication between Boston and the
east was cut off. y crew OF lincmen was
sent here from Portland to fix the wires.
This cable contained the through wire 10
Halifax. and business was somewhat de
layed.
The occupants of the tenement houses
in tho vicinity lost everything. They had
no insurance. The loss to the Postal Co.
IS estimated at $50 by the local man
aGcr. .
The cause of the fire was a gasoline,
stove. which either exploded or set fire
10 the woodwork adjoining.
Heaps OF Smouldcring ruins. demolished
chmneyS. ciIarred timbers and piles OF
household effects cover a large area in
the business section of the city. tonight.
where, early this morning. stood business"
blocks. tenement houses and big store
house. The fremen were Still playing Oh
the ruins and will probably remain on
the scene all night
A number OF the fremen were burned
about the hands and face. John Doyle.
n member of the hook and ladder comra
ny. was so severely injured that the ser
wees of a physician were required.
II was the hottest fire that the depart
ment ever had occasion to fight and 1t
was with the utmost difficulty that the
iiremen could get up to the buildings in
order to work effectively.
1t was so hot that several lines of hose
burned apart as the lay in the street
with the water running through them.
and one Of the firemen. Almon Hill. had
a hole as big over as a silver half dollar
burned in his right cheek where he hac
stood with the hose pouring water on one
of the buildings.
The losses are as follows:
Mellon & Crowley. 5000 loss on stock
and fixtures $1,000 on clothing. insurance
5000: r. H. Ingersol. $500 loss on ma
chinery and tools. $500 insurance; Brisson
Grenier $1,000 loss on machinery. tools
and finished work. insurance $lwU; G. W;
Kinney. $4,000 loss on house and household
effects. insurance $500: York Light and
Heat Co, 5000 loss on building, no insur-
ance: Bryant heirs. loss about 5000. no
insurance. ,
The loss on the Pepperell Manufacture
ing Co. is estimated as follows: Foundry
building on Pearl street. used as store,
house. Sa5OO carload of nails $3.50. carload
of picks $500. waste lumber and box
a house on Elm street occupied by Pc
ter Larose. Mary Grondin and Arthur
J.achance. totally destroyed. loss 1880; a
house on Elm street occupied by Fred
Guertin was damaged $500: a house on
Pearl street occupied by I. Dumont to-
tally destroyed. loss $3.50: house on
Stone street occupied by F. w. Cookson, |
damaged 5000 -
ket policy. I'LL :,