Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-10-05
NIGHTS FIRE.
GIidden Bros. Box Factory
Left in Heap of Ruins.
.t =
Loss, About $4,000, With Only Small
Insurance of $500.
Cause Unknown-FIames First Seer
in Engine Room.

The box manufacturing plant of Gid
den Bros, locatdaJat the North End OF
the city. on the Wilder lot, was entirely
consumed by fire, Sunday evening, This
building ian contents We're valued az
about $4,000 and We're insured for about
$3.50. in the agency of Charles $. Down
ing, Augusta.
The alarm was rung, at SIG, upon the
arrival of the Accommodation train
from Augusta. The engineer and train
hands saw flames bursting from the
roof of the engine room when the train
passed the plant Il few minutes before.
The hose company was enroute to the
fire i'm less than minutes after the
sounding of the alarm, and arrived at
about 5.25, Il quick run considering the
distance.
Flames were bursting from the roof
of the engine room, in fact the entire
south end of the building was burning
when the department arrived. One line
of hose was Immediately laid from tho
| hydraGt on Water street near the resi-
dcncc of u. II. Leighton. The distance
to the scene of the fire, from this poin:
being about 1000 feet SO that every foot
of ;hc hose carried in the wagon was
necessarily used for this line. The
| wagon returned for more hose and
shortly another line was laid from the
hydraiit at the corner of North and
Water streets, the distance to the fire
from this point being 900 feet. These
lines were ''Y-ed' but the pressure was
not adequate to the needs of the minute
and orders We're given by Chief Engi-
neer Quinn for the calling of the
| steamer.
| The fire gained Roadway with great
rapidity, being famed steadily by q
south wind which blew the flames di-
rec:iy into the long building.
The engine room was in the south enc
of the building and Immediately adioin-
| ing was one-story brick structure 100
feet in length, and n wooden addition
of about so feet, both being 80 feet ir
width.
The fact that the building was so fan
distant from the city water service, and
| that the south end of the building was
almost enveloped in flames, famed by
| q high wind when the department ar
rived, accounts for the story of tota
ruin. Chief Engineer Quinn and assis.
|
handicapped. In all about $500 feet OF
hose were in use. AS soon as it was
apparent that no power could stay the
flames from consuming the building the
attention of the firemen was turned to
the saving of the lumber piled in close
proximity. About 100000 feet of lum.
Der was piled on the grounds an6
mostly at the north end where showers
of sparks were constantly falling.
The plant regularly employed eight
men, and at busy seasons as MANY a.
IA. The product of the factory was
finished wooden packing cases which
were supplied to the shoe factories ir
Hallowell, Augusta and Skowhegan
sardine factories in Boothbay an:
other industries on the Kennebec Abou,
four car leads of lumber We're in tbt
building and there We're about 1900 fin.
ished boxes ready for shipment.
The plant was owned by ]. w. Glid.
den. and was operated by his two sons
Frank and William H. The main build.
Inc. 150x30 feet was formerly nart ~
the Wilder oil cloth factory and wa,
purchased from d. d. Sewall tbre,