Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-07-08
FIRE AT WATERVILLE.
A $4,000 Blaze on Water Street,
Monday Evening.
Building Occupied by Beach, Scates
& Co. Scene Of Hot Time.
Winter Harbor Has a $4,000 Fire
Early Monday Morning.

Waterville. Me-, July 7.-(SpeciaD.-
An alarm of fire was rung in from Box
5S ut 745. Monday evening, for a fire
in the building on Main street owned
by Harvey d. Eaton and occupied by
Beach. Scates & Co. The fire was the
fiercest while it lasted since that in the
Friel drug store. The building is little
old one. only about a story and half
high and one of a cluster of wooden
buildings. The fire started on the up
per floor, the exact cause being un-
known. as the occupants of the build
ing did not know there was fire over
their heads until it was discovered by
passersby and the alarm given.
In few minutes the whole upper
part of the building was a mass of
flames. 1t looked decidedly serious for
a time, as there was quite a breeze and
the burning building was adjoined on
either side by other small wooden
structures. The building has been used
for years as a bicycle sales and repair
shop and for general machine work. so
that there was more or less kerosene.
gasoline and other oils used in the
business about the building and some
parts around the workshop We're pretty
well saturated. This with the old and
dry wood made most favorable loca-
tion for very not blaze.
The department made a beautiful
run. but the fire had a big start before
the water reached it and about the
time it did it looked as il nothing could
t,n ,A
Joining buildings and sweeping the cor
ner clean. But once more the efficiency
of the department was demonstrated.
1t looked as if streams of water sprang
up by magic and in very short time
there We're noZzles playing onto the
building from all directions. 1t was
seen at the start that an abundance of
water was the only thing that would
conquer the fire. and this was given to
it with a vengeance. There was fine
head and the powerful streams ripped
and tore through the old building in
great shape. In 10 minutes after the
alarm sounded the fire was under con-
troll and the ''all out" sounded at $50.
Thus in less than an hour a fire that
had all the start in the world and the
most favorable conditions that could
be asked for was dead. 1t was a very
pretty piece of work.
The damage was confined almost
wholly to the building occupied by the
bicycle shop. 1t did manage to get a
foothold in the next building south,
which is occupied on the ground floor
by the Waterville Hand Laundry and
on the upper floor as tenement. The
fire worked its way through the wall,
but. as it happened. near the water fau-
Get and was Immediately squelched with
that Some of the water used in this
leaked down into the laundry below
but did no ma terial damage.
The next building north is occupied
by Il Chinese laundry and the fire didn't
reach that at all. Some water and
smoke penetrated there. but not enough
for serious damage. 50 the buildings
on either side practically escaped, al
though there was a roaring fire be-
tween them and not space enough be-
tween the walls to allow a man to walk
through.
But the building where the fire start
ed is a wreck. The fremen had to pour
water enough into it to almost float it
off it's foundation and to cut holes in
the roof and walls to get at the blaze.
The whole structure was thoroughly
gutted and the contents will be praC-
tically a total loss. A few of the hi
cycles were removed but the fire spread
so rapidly there was no time to get
many. TfWHM
The exact loss could not be deter
mined by the owners of the shop, last
evening. A large stock of bicycles of
all grades was carried and also u big
line of Photographs and records. a
picture framing business was also car
ried on and general bicycle repairing.
There was a large miscellaneous stock
ana n good assortment of tools. Both
the building and stock is well covered
bv insurance. One estimate. tonight,
made the total loss about $4,000.