Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-10
Ar PATTERSON, N. }.
Continued from page -
Il Broadway. Main and Van Houten

StTcttSs =.
The firemen tried to hem it in. but 1t
speedily crossed Van Houten street in
one direction. Main street in another
ard gaining vigor as 1t went. burned
unchecked down into the business dis
trict. Every piece of fire mechanism In
the city was called out. A great torch
Of fame rose high in the air. lighting
up the country for many miles and
carrying n threat and warning to the
people and property in its path.
There were efforts to rescue furniture
and stock. but the speed with which
the fire moved gave the rescuers but
little time. Property was often taken
to place Of presumed safety only to be
eventually reached and destroyed. fne
warning to many was but brief ana
they were forced to flee, scantliy
clothed. into the streets. glazed over
with ice and swept by the keen wind.
Main street was soon arched over
with a canopy Of fire for block. and
then for two blocks as the flames fas-
tened themselves upon building after
building. The firemen fought with cv-
cry resource. but the flames found new
avenues in Ellison and Market streets
and got beyond all control. Calls for
relief went out to every city in this
portion of the state and the firemen
Ia bored OH through the hopeless hours
Of the morning. The City hall. a mag
n'fccnt structure. surmounted by q
great clock tower. situated on Wash
irgtcn. Ellison and Market streets, fin
ally caught and with it went all OF the
| splendid business structures which sur
Gar of
| fire.
There was series of explosions and
| 81 ores of walls fell when the fire left
them strcngthless. Flying firebrands
carried the conllagration over some
buildings and around others. and it.
therefore. burned in an irregular
course. These brands finally cleared the
tracks Of the Erie railroad and Rama
pc avenue and alighting on trait street
started another great area Of fire in
| which the destruction and desolation
wrought was nearly as great as in the
other.
This second great fire started at the
angle of Park avenue and Washington
street and swept almost unchecked un-
| til on those two thoroughfares there
was no more fuel. On the right hand
side Of Market street it encountered
Sandy Hill cemetery as barrier to
check it, but on the left hand side at
Carroll street it claimed st. Joseph's
church, great stone building. 1t was
| in this second great fire that the VOL
! unteer firemen from the outside cities
did their most heroic and effective
! work. They fell back only when they
had to and when the natural obstacle
interposed they seized the chance and
stopped the fire.
The final and one of the most desper-
ate fights Of the day occurred in the
first fire area at the Hamilton Club, sit
| uated at the corner of Church and Eli
son streets. The handsome clubhouse
| arght fire and the exhausted firemen
were rallied around it. They were anx-
| ious to save the structure and, besides.
! failure meant that the fire might take
| new Roadway among the properties adj
joining the club house. The building
| was doomed. however, but a torrent of
water confined the fire to the premises.
The four walls of the club house stood
| but the roof collapsed and the interior
was completely burned out
: Hundreds of persons hurried into the
city before daylight to watch the work
| of destruction and when the day came
thousands more joined them. With the
crowd came thieves and looters, but
there was not much pillaging. Under
orders from Gov. Franklin Murphy,
who hurried here from Jersey City, Cos.
A. c. X and M Of the 5th National
Guard. assembled at their armories and
1>alI nv.
| lice deputy sherifYs. hundreds of spec
ial watchmen and firemen united in
protecting property during the day and
when night came grim order clearing
tine streets was issued by the city and
county authorities. Despite the pre-
| caution of the authorities there was
| much confusion in the streets.
Much destruction of wires left the
city in darkness. save for the dull glow
given off by the acres of embers in the
| two great fire areas. Hundreds of be-
lated visitors crowded around the de-
pots and struggled In the dark for
places in the overcrowded trains. The
street railway system was also severely
impaired through the injury of its
wires.
Early In the day the mayor issued an
order forbidding the sale of liquor. but
1t was not obeyed and there was con-
siderable drunkenness.
The area OF destruction foots up rough
Fly Is city blocks.
From Main street to Paterson street
between Van Houtcn and Market streets,
| there is but little left. On the block
| bounded by Main. Ellison. Washington
| and Market streets. not single BUILDING
excepting that OF the Paterson Savings
| lnstituion, stands. All along the west
| side Of Main street property IL wipe.
out, and on the east side, also, from Mar
ket 10 Van Houten streets.
Along the south side of Broadway. be-
| tween Washington and Church streets
| great damage has BEEN done Van Hou-
ten street is reduced to smoulderiuE
debris for some distance.
\ Ellison street suffered some from III,
neishborh"od of Prospect street on its
north side as FAR as Church street On
| the south side OF this street there is
widespread ruin from short distance
I west Of Main street to the parsonage nf
| the Second PRESBYTERIAN church neal.
| Paterson street. -e ~.
Market street IS a pile Of ruins from
Main street to the Market Street church.
! Nowhere was the scene of devastation
| more marked than north Of the Erie Rail-
| road. in the district bounded by 18th ave-
| nue. and Market. street. ..
I On Washington street above Broadway
| and Market streets tier. is practicail,-
! nothing left Church street is wiped out
on its west side between Ellison ami
I