Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-04-27
FIRE AT FAIRFIELD.
Whole Residential Section at
One Time Threatened.
Ten Blazes in Operation at Same Time
for Fiiremen's Attention.
Between $1,000 and $4,000 Loss, With
but Partial Insurance.

leeWay, Saturday afternoon, good
share of Fairfield would have been
smoking ruins, in the evening, for
there were 10 fires in progress at that
time and a very strong wind was blow
ing from just the right quarter to
sweep thickly settled portion of the
town. But as it CHANGED they We're
discovered in time and promptly
squelched so that but small holes were
burned in the shingles.
The fire started in the rear of the
house owned by Stillman Sawyer on
West street and occupied by John By
rons, boss carder in the wooden mill.
Mrs. Byrons had started small bon
fire there and in the strong wind it
soon passed beyond her control to the
barn connected with the house, and be-
fore the fire apparatus could be gotten
there the set of buildings was doomed.
The next house south is owned by
George Pratt, the next by George Rich
ardson and the next by Jefferson Delno.
These four are modern buildings. built
within II or Is years, and set very close
to each other, there being not much
more than a wide driveway between
them. The next house north of the
Sawyer buildings is owned by Mrs.
Mullen and there is a good sized vacant
lot between them. Neither DEMOS nor
Mullen's were damaged.
The wind was blowing almost a gale
at<the time the fire started-about noon
and from the west towards the rear
of all the buildings named. The fire
| forged through the Sawyer house very
RAPIDLY and it was soon beyond all hope
so that the attention of the department
was devoted to the others. There is q
hydrant right in front of the Sawyer
house. but it is so far out and so high
,lp that the water pressure is poor
there. Word was sent to the pumping
station in Waterville as soon as pos
sible, and more power was turned on
that made the pressure better, but it
was not good at any time during the
| fire.
The Tratt house, next south, was
| drenched with water, but the flames
| Jumped onto the roof in the rear and
| succeeded in getting a foot hold there
| in spite of all the firemen could do. The
| heat was intense in the narrow space
between these buildings. So much wa
ter had to be used on this building that
| the interior was soaked. The furniture
Twas badly damaged and the whole in
| terror will have to be replastered.
| A peculiar thing is the fact that the
| Richardson house, although the second
| south from Sawyers, suffered more
severely than did Pratts. Holes We're
| burned in the roof and the whole build
| ing soaked with water.
1 ,.,,I low VIZ
the large vacant field to the east of the
| Sa wyer house, several hundred yards,
| to the roof of the Common barn and sew
eral other places SO that, as already
| stated. there were 10 different fires in
| progress at the same time. The atten-
| ton of almost every one was almost
wholly taken up by the West street
| fires and several others came terribly
near getting beyond control
| Chief of Police Harrington declares
| that he saw the fire on the roof of the
| Conner barn while falling from the
piazza of the pratt house. At any rate
he did fall from the piazza and he was
| the first to see this fire. Men were
rushed over as soon as possible and ar
rived just in the nick of time. The
barn is an unusually large one and is
now filed with hay and other fodder
and has a number of smaller buildings
ATTACHED With just a few minutes
more the fire would have been beyond
control there and would have swept on
| to the large house, the big residence of
| s A. Nye ON the opposite corner, and
on through down to the river. No one
can tell where it would have stopped
| had IL once started in that section. But
as it was but small damage was done.
Fires also caught on the buildings OF
C. A. Cilley. the large barn of f. j.
Lawrence, the buildings of John Har-
ris those of f.. Kelley, just north of
the Conner barn, and in the rear OF a
set of buildings, also owned by Mr..
Conner. and just across the road to the
south of the barn. Thus there were six
| fires in this section. and three on west
street at the same time.
|, As soon as the fires were discovered
in the vicinity of the Conner barn
| line of hose was run from High street
| near the residence of Mr.. Totman down
through to the threatened buildings
| and the fire engine was steamed up and
| placed near the little frog pond where
| there would be water enough. But this
| was NOT needed and it wet no hose. 1t
was inst as WE'LL for the boiler is not
in good condition, and the engine will
soon be sent away for thorough over
hauling. 1t would have been used and
the chances cheerfully taken. however,
had there been any need.
The 10th fire was in the house OF Mr..
Ames next north of the Grammar
scboo, building on Main street. This
started almost exactly at the same
time as the fire on West street ana the
Methodist bell was ringing 1or ina.
while the Universalist bell was ringing
for the other. That did but slight
damage.
- -. ~ west street fires. Mr.. Saw
yers. house with contents will be
800 ,ass with a double loss on con-
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