Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-04
Almost Entire Business Section
of Kennebunk Burned.
Store After Store, With Factories and
Houses Wiped Out.
Whole Town in Danser-Oriain of Fire
Mystery.

100000 fire which ragged H.. three
hours among the mills and business
blocks. The municipal lighting plant,
valued at $4,000 and uninsured, two
mills, five blocks, seven wooden build
ings and two tenemcnts We're burned to
the ground and the stock of ID stores
are total loss. The origin of the fire
is unknown. 1t started in the electric
lighting station and Spreading rapidly
consumed the adjoining buildings
within a short time. Engines and men
from Portland and Biddeford We're
brought here, but the first was well
under control when they arrived, as
there was practically no wind and the
local firemen had a strong hydrant
pressure with which to work. Other
than the loss sustained by the town the
property losses as a whole are nearly
covered by insurance. The losses and
insurance We're:
Town of Kennebunk, electric lighting
plant, loss, $4,000; insurance, none.
Parsons block, loss, $4,000; insurance,
$500.
Henry E. Longe, hardware store,
loss, $1,000; insurance, $1,000.
A. w. Meserve, druggist, stock and
fixtures, loss, $4,000; insurance, $4,000.
Sycamore Tribe, 1. o. r. M. and
Daughters of Pocahontas, loss on para
phernalia, $4,000; insurance. $500.
w. NJ. Dresser, buildings and stock of
clothing, loss, $4,000; insurance, $1,000.
Clark heirs, loss, $1,000; insurance,
$1,000.
f. w. Mason. furniture, boots and
shoes, damage by water, $4,000; insur-
ance, $4,000.
Robert w. Lord, two buildings, loss,
$4,000; insurance, $4,000.
Cousens & Warren, groceries, loss,
5000; insurance, $4,000.
John Smith, tenement, loss, $500; in
surance, none.
Lewis Albert, clothing stock, $4,000
building, $500; insurance, $4,000.
j. H. Cousins, cigar and tobacco store,
loss, $500.
Mrs. j. H. Cousins, restaurant, loss,
5000.
Emery Andrews, leatherboard build
ing, loss, $4,000; insurance, $4,000.
Emery Andrews, grist mill building,
loss $4,000; insurance, partial
Leatheroid Mfg Co., machinery and
stock, loss, $4,000; insurance, $4,000.
Emery Andrews, block and small
building, loss, $1,000; insurance, $1400.
c. H. Weber, grist mill machinery
and stock, $500; insurance, $500.
S. F. Rice, grocery store, loss $4,000;
insurance, $1,000.
Ferguson heirs, loss 5000; insurance,
5000. ~
Frank Rutter, laundry, damage, $3.50;
covered.
C. E. Sawyer, building and stock of
tobacco, ETC., loss, $1700; insurance,
$500.
w. Russell, barber shop, loss, 5000;
insurance, 5000.
Rice & Hutchins, block, loss, $4,000;
insurance, $4,000.
odd Fellows and Masons, slight dam
age.
In addition a dozen individuals oc-
cupying offices, lost from $50 to $500
each.
The four story wooden building
which contained the electric lighting
plant and leather board mill was
mass of flames when the alarm was
sounded and before the firemen arrived
several buildings on the easterly side
Of the Mousam river had caught from
showers of sparks and We're burning
briskly. 1t was apparent the whole
town was in imminent danger of a
confagration. With only two handtubs
and a fairly good hydrant pressure they
went bravely at their task and after
three hours of heroic work succeeded in
holding the fire within a remarkably
-
burned over.
From the lighting station the fire jumped
the street to the grst mill below and to
the three-story Longe block in which the
Red Mems hall was located. These were
soon in ruins The bridge between the
two mills was only slightly burned and
the fire did not cross the Mousam river,
where there is located the large mills OF
the Kennebunk Mfg. Co, the Mousam no
tel and many residences.
BUILDINGS opposite the Longe block
were burned to the ground as were those
further down the river and opposite the
srist mill The fire burned close to a large
brick building occupied by the Masonic
Lodes stores ; ana b 6ces to pne the entecn
Union and New England Telephone poles
and wires were destroyed and all commit
nication toward Boston cut of
hose and a number of the volunteer fire
men had their hands blistered. Merchants
along the three streets winch crossed a:
the bridge moved their goods to places Of
safety.
terious The blaze was discovered at L
O'Clock by a Waterman near the shafting
running between. two els of the electric
light building. This was extinguished.
Shcrtly after 9 O'Clock another fire was
discovered in an entirely different part OF
the building 1t was thought there could
have been no connection between the two
fires.
was formerly used as shoe factory and
after being idle a long time was purchased
bv the town and the lighting plant was es-|
tabiished Part of the building was occu-
MED bv the Leatheroid Manufacturing Co.
Nessrs. GoodalI. the extensive wooden
manufacturers at Sanford intended to-
open a branch factory this month They
attended a meeting of the citizens held,
TO-DAY. and made a proposition that if the
town will erect $4,000 building and estab
fish their lighting plant they will occupy
the remainder of the building purchase it
at the end of the year and enlarge it. a.
special town meeting will be called inn
laediately to take action in the matter.