Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-04
BAD BLAZE AT PiTTSTON.
CONTINUED from page -

teams We're engaged in hauling to the
Shutdown houses, mile or more down
able to throw any light upon the subject.
and to all probability the cause will never
be known. -'t.+
The fire did not end with the destruction
of the ice house and the eight tenement
houses on Erskines hill. Once underway,
the fire made of the ice house a roaring
hell, and famed by q wind that was in
proportions almost Il gale, tire flames sent
blazing shingles and cinders in clouds into
the adjoining pastures and WoodlotS and
threatened a general coniiaGr&tion.
Nearly a half mile below the scene OF
the fire is the residence of Orlando Brad
street. and around it there was shower
of firebrands Twice did they land upon
the barn and ignite the dry boarding, and
the blaze was in each case eNungIIlshed
with the greatest difficulty. Mr.. Bradstrect
said that his buildings and those Of his
neighbCrs were saved ONLY by miracle
The wind which had been blowing the
west, but just as the outlook for saving
the buildings began to look dark. the wind
hauled further into the north and carried
the frebrands another way Had the
Bradstreet buildings burned, nothing could
have prevented the fire making Il clean
sweep of the locality known as Smith
town and causing u loss Of thousands of
dollars.
The destruction of the Hancock house
makes the l1th ice house which has been
destroyed within the past five years nine
OF IucH IdNlIS DECEIT DuIllttu ara TWO
struck by lightning. They are as follows:
Rich houses, Farmingdale. May Il. 1897;
Clark & Chaplin, Sept. 6, 1898; Goodwin's
Point. Jan. II. 1899; Stearns, Bangor, Jan
% 1889; knickerbOckers Iceboro, July p,
1850; Haley So. Gardiner, May 49, 1900;
Dresden, June, 1900; New York. Orange,
Aug. 6. 1900; Water Cove, Phippsburg,
March g. 1901; Aver Bangor, May % 1903
The houses destroyed we're occupied as
follows: In the first house at the foot of
the HILL lived VIM. Holbrook; in the next
Edward Hatch. and then in the order
named We're the homes OF Frank Dry, Ly-
man Neal, Eugene Neal y. Rosenberg and
Allie Neal. The last house burned was
vacant as was the only one left standing
Eugene Neal saved some few articles OF
household furniture. but the rest of the
people who We're burned out lost practical
ly all they had.
But though the dwellings, were spared,
the woods in that vicinity Were not 50
fortunate. The blazing embers falling
among the dead twiss. leaves and under
brush, found plenty of material upon
which to feed and alighting in many
places at the same time, caused acres Of
fame to start up simultaneously And
not only this, but even the grass in the
fields caught, fire and in Il field on the
Charles Bradstreet place a great black
spot several rods wide showed where a
cinder had landed.
South of the place above mentioned is a
fine wOodlot owned by Orlando Biadstrect.
and in this growth the fire started. From
there it ran through woodiuts belonging
t" Arthur Fossctt, Henry Moulton, James
Eailey and Mrs james Cooper. In Mr..
Bradstrccts lot was fine growth Of pine
and other timber, and the estimated loss
ON this lot is between 500 ard S500
III" fire worked its way rapidly through
the woods and fears were entertained for
the safety of dwellings, on the cross roads
leading into the country. BY order of the
Sclectmen a fire guard of men were sta
toned along the East Pittston road, and
by hot and untiring work on their l..rt
the fire was Kept from crossing the road