Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-07-29
BAD FIRE.
ELLSWORTH HAD A SCORCHER
MONDAY AFTERNOON.
MILL BOARDING HOUSE, TWO STABLES,
AND DWELLING HOUSE ALL DE-
srRoYED-FIRE SPREAD RAPIDLY.

Ellsworth had bad fire Monday.
The property loss was not much, but
the danger was the greatest since the fire
on the corner OF Main and Franklin
streets two years ago.
At Just IL O'Clock the alarm was rung In
by men sent down from the Ellsworth
Lum Der Co.'s mill at the head OF Grant
street. Horses were sent, and In few
minutes the firemen were on the scene.
The boarding house, where the hre
started was SO far gone that 1t was impos-
sibIe to do any good, so the attention OF
the firemen was turned to the surround
ing buildings, which we're afire In dozen
places.
Next to the boarding house the stable
belonging to the company was the first to
go. This, too, was completely destroyed
The house occupied by Hollis Munson
caught fire several times, but by great
effort on the part of the fremen, VINO
formed sort OF bucket brigade, the
buildings were saved.
The house occupied by Arthur Patten
was the next to catch, and before the
firemen knew 1t, 1t was in flames. lie nre
burned so fiercely that 1t was Impossible
to save any of the household goods.
The stable Adjoining the house was
burned with its contents.
Several other buildings caught hre, but
beyond a few burned shingles no damage
was done.
The only pressure the firemen had to
work with was the old hand-tuo, whlch
was brought into use, and the small iorce-
pump in the mill. There was high wlno
blowing-a gale-and 1t carried the sparks
to the surrounding buildings faster than
the firemen could extinguish them.
About O'Clock, and while the hremen
we're in the heaviest part OF their work,
second alarm was rung In Tor the oio
Cushman mill on the shore road. Inc
fire here was caused by flying sparks from
the fire up the river.
Several of the firemen were sent to this
blaze, and in short time had two lines OF
hose laid, but it had gained such headway
that It took them all the afternoon to-
extinguish it.
At 6 O'Clock the firemen returned, and
a tired lot of men they were. Everything
was up hill work, but they went az IL
with a will, and, as they usually do, got
the better of 1t before it got beyond con-
troll.
The boarding house was run oy Eiias
Armstrong. At the time the fire was DIS
oovared the men were at dinner. The
fire had gained such headway that OF
their persopal effects nothing was saved.
In taking a ladder from the truck one
q, the hooks csug bit in the horses rump,
and caused a bad but not dangerous cut.
Much credit is due the firemen for the
wav in which they handled the fire. For
an hour or more there was no chieI or
assistant, both being out OF town. First
Assisstsnt Austin, OF the Falls, arrived
about O'Clock, and found everything IN
1rst .csss working order. Many OF the
men worked all the afternoon without
their dinner.
For fear that the fire would get beyond
tho control of the iremen, ex-Chlef
Brown had line Of hose run from the
hydrant on Grant street up arouho 'ne
turn. 1t was not used
The financial loss caused by the fire was
NOT great. because all OF the buildings
burned were old and In bad state OF re-
nair. The Ellsworth Lumber Co., wnicn
owned the buildings, estimates us loss ~
from 5000 to $500 No insurance.