Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-12-27
RUINS REVIEWED.
No Confirmation Of incendiary origin
Reports.

A, fpapection of the ruins OF inc
o., House block. Monday. by the
authorities, failed TO reveal any cue
rbat would lead to the confirmation Oh
Ahe supposition that the early ouiluay
Hra was of incendiary origin. a tnof-
nuph examination OF the bulidiiis
was made yesterday morning, ana az
that time It was discovered that INC
IRE had sprung up anew ana iiaiiI
chemicals and grenades We're Drought
into play by Fire Chief Kendall 10 ex-
itineuish the smouldering einbers. Inc
doors and windows of the building were
boarded up to shut out the curious
ones and 1t is expected that the repre-
teentatives of the 20 or more insurance
companies will be on the scene, tomor-
row. The estimate of the loss caused
nv the fire. $50, 900. as given in Monday
mornings Journal, appears to be con-
Fseryative one, although the real loss
cannot be estimated at this time, as
the extent Of damage sustained by the
building will not be known until pro-
,fessional appraisers have viewed the
ruins. II is certain that the entire
sntock Of the F.. s. Smith & Co. store
IL a total loss, as the few cased goods
that were not destroyed by the fire,
are so thoroughly saturated with smoke
and water as to render them valueless.
Many theories are advanced by the
city officials and others Interested, as
to the probable cause of the fire. Gar
diner folks are loath to believe that
3 the blaze was the result of the firebug' 3
torch and Justly so. With six fires in
the city, one OF which was on the Ran
doiph end of the steel bridge. within
a period Of four weeks, is an unenvia-
BILE record. The Opera house fire may
have been caused by defective wires. a
number OF which ran from the rear of
the Smith store to the basement. fur
Snishing electricity for incandescent and
arc lights. It is barely possible. too,
that q detective furnace pipe may have
been the cause of starting the fire. A
hundred and one other theories, all
more or less probable, have been adj
vanced, but 1t is certain that the city
and State officials. as well as the in-
surance agents, will conduct a search
ing investigation, and. If it is possible,
the true cause of the fire will be made
known.
It IL understood that F. A. Smith &
Co. will open temporary or permanent
quarters on Water street, almost di-
rectly opposite the burned store 1t is
too early to predict that Mrs: johnson
viii rebuild the Opera house. and in
business circles it is not believed that
this will be done. The cost to rebuild
the present ruined structure would be
almost prohibttive. and as the brick
waIlSs now standing. were put up in
1864. 1t would hardly be paying prop
osition to spend even $4,000 in removal
ting the building. when 1t is to be con-
eidered that the johnson Opera house
was entirely inadequate for the mod
ern requirements Of an up-to-date
amusement auditorium.
Detective Edgar Norton inspected the
Opera hodse block. Monday morning
but declined to express an opinion or
the probaDlele cause Of the blaze. Mayor
Russell was equally taciturn. but h
expressed the belief that the fire wa.
not due to incendiarism.