Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1903-12-23
TWO Big FIRES.
How Ellsworth Suffered in the Days
of Long Ago.

How Ellsworth Suffered in the Days
of Long Ago.
The recent disastrous confisgration at
Cherryfeld brings to the minds OF Ellis
worth's oldest in ha bitants two serious
conflagrations In EIsworth's history, one
of which occurred cn Dec. IL, 1876, the
other nine years later, on Dec. "a 1854.
The following sketch is furnished THE
AMERICAN by Henry l.. Moor:
1t WAS just at noon on Dec. II, 1845, that
fire started in furniture shop occupied
by Charles Barton and Thomas Crebore.
This building was on the north side OF
Main street, opposite the old Ellsworth
house, on the site OF the building now
occupied by the Dirigo athletic club.
The fire started on the second floor. In
shorbtime the entire building was in
flames, and the fire spread eastward, burn
ing. besides the building where it started,
stable, blacksmith shop, large three
story building occupied as boarding
house by Abner Lee, the famous mail
carrier. a store on the west side was also
burned.
The fire crossed the street to a building
known as Loweil's Defiance. The frst
story Of this building was occupied by
Edward P. Blood, ss grocery store; the
second story as law Office and other
offices.
A large storehouse and shed adjoining
this building on the west was also burned
though part OF it was torn down to
prevent the further spread OF the flames,
The Ellsworth house, which was on the
site Of the building now covered by the
Manning block, was also badly damaged.
The weather at the time OF this fire was
moderately cold; snow covered the
ground and the sleighing was good.
December "a, 1854, forty nine years ago
tomorrow, was the date Of the most
disastrous fire In Ellsworth's history.
The weather was bitter cold. About
p. m. fire was discovered in a building
on the south side of Main street occupied
by Asa Edwards on the first floor as q
grocery store; on the sscond by B. F.
Thomas as dwelling.
The fire started in the second story from
an over heated stove-pipe that was en-
closed in 3 partition, where the flames
Couiu uot edeiiy De gut dt.
This building was burned, and the fire
spread to the one adjoining on the east,
occupied by Henry Rollins as a harness
shop; thence it spread to the next build
ing, bookstore, and thence to the large
wooden building known as the Hadiock
block, owned and occupied by H. and s.
K. Whiting.
On the lower floor of this block was
Whiting's store, and in the rear was q
At orehouse; t he second floor was used as q
dwelling. This building was entirely
destroyed.
On the west of where the fire started
was large building occupied by William
Somerby as boarding house; this caught
fire end was partially burned,
The weather at the time OF this ire was
extremely cold, the thermometer register
ing 10 below zero all night. The only fire
apparatus in town at this time was Q
small Zimmerman tub; this was used until
1t, as well as the suction and leading hose,
was frozen up solid.
Then bucket brigade was formed, and
water passed along from the river to the
fire. Attempts were made to tear down
the bookstore, but they we're Intellectual.
Many persons were drenched with water,
and some we're badly frozen.
Furniture ana stocks of goods from
the stores were piled up in the street from
the river to the Ellsworth house.
Altogether this was Ellsworth's worst
experience with the fire fiend. The fire
department was poorly organized and, as
already stated, there was but one engine.
But he volunteers on that frightful night
worked DobIy, and to their efforts is due
the fact that the fire was not more disa-
trous.