The Somerset reporter., 1902-04-17
A Destructive Blaze.

Wednesday morning at Just before
o'clock the alarm whistle blew 81. The
cause was fire in the mill Of Robinson
Brothers on Mill street close to the
bridge across the North Channel, occu-
pied by them as planning mill, a door
and sash mandatory, aud general
woodworking establishment. One sec
ton of the building was occupied by the
MarsUon Worsted Mill, On the ground
floor for finishing and packing goods,
on the second floor by eight looms and
on the third floor by spooling machinery.
This section of the premises of the Mars
ton Worsted Mills was fortunately shut
of from their main brick building by a
heavy brick wall and thus saved it from
damage from the fire, and from the
water with which the wooden section
was deuged.
The fire WAS first discovered by night
hands at the worsted mills and one of
them went to the post Office and pulled
in the alarm Immediately upon its dis
covery. The fire department TUNED out
with its usual promptness but the fire
had got quite start In the dry wooden
building when the men got there and
got water from the hydrants. The by
drant on the corner Of Water street and
Madison avenue proved to be out of
order and of no use, but from other n.y.
n flah pino ofr oP
were produced, two of them to supply
the cistern from which the steamer was
drawing water In front of Dow & Car
ter's store. When these streams all got
In their work on the flames the effect
was plainly perceptible and the fire was
soon under control. The firemen were
promptly on the ground and did excel
lent work. The height of the building
and one side being inaccessible because
bounded by the Kennebec river 20 feet
up from the water, made it hard to APP
ply the water just where it would do the
most good, but fortunately there was no
wind and the outcome was very FORUM
ate.
The Marston Company had about 20
fire extinguishers and these were used
with good effect to deaden the fire inside
the Abbott mill, the wooden building oc-
cupied by the company. They were ie-
charged by F. Fl. Wing at his drug store.
Mr.. Patte1, treasurer of the Marston
Worsted Mills, estimates the loss of the
company on stock $4,000 and on machin-
cry $500. The stock was partially in
sured and the loss on machinery fully
covered by insurance.
Robinson Brothers estimate their loss
on building. stock and machinery at
81, 800, upon which there is no insurance.
They have been In this line of business
in this building and other buildings on
the same power for 30 years and have
never carried insurance. The rates are
very high and of course they have saved
their present loss more than once by not
buying insurance. They will repair
their building and go on with their BUSH
ness.
The Marston Worsted CO. had but
part of their plant wet down, eight
looms only and their other looms were
running all right Wednesday morning
and the eight wet down were in running
order in the afternoon.
The Skowhegan Pulp Company own
that part of the building occupied by the
Worsted Company that was damaged by
water. The loss on this building was
not large and is covered by insurance.
The origin of the fire is a matter of
speculation. We have heard no cause
assigned but electric light wires and this
is simply superstition,