Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-02-15
FIRE AT ORON0.
Loss of About $4,000 Early
on Sunday.
Town Hall, University Hall and a
Stable Wiped Out.
Several Residences Slightly Damaged
Cause of Fire Unknown.

of the worst fires which has visited this
town in years occurred, early this
morning, in which the Town hall, val
ued at $4,000, University hall, valued
a $1,000, and other property to the value
of over $4,000 was destroyed.
At O'Clock. this morning, o. r.
Goodrich, whose domicile adjoins the
Town hall on the south, discovered
smoke issuing in great volumes from
the ell of this building and at once
spread the alarm. With the help OF
the few citizens who Immediately APP
peared, the hand tub of Eagle Hose Co.
No. l. was drawn out from it's house
which adjoincd the burning building
and Il lille of hose run from the raser-
vor at hand. But such Roadway had
the fire gained and so fierceiy did it
rage that long before the local depart
ments arrived the building was one
mass OF flames. Attention was at once
turned to the immediate buildings.
The Orono house is situated next to
the Town hall on the north and 50 in
tense was the heat from the burning
| Building in spite of the wind which was
blowing in the opposite direction, that
| the occupants hurriedly packed their
| effects and left the house. 1t was only
| by keeping I. stream of water constant
| ~ on the hotel and by the aid of the
| wind that it was saved.
| BY this time the flames from the hall
| became so intense that the reservoir
had to be abandoned, which nccessi-
| tated much longer lines of hose from
| the cisterns-tWo of about 100 hogs
heads each-in front of the post Office.
The Monitor Hose Co. boys arrived and
run q line from the reservoir on Main
| street nearly opposite the residence Of
DR.. Mayo. but the supply Of water from
| these sources was far from being suf-
| ficient and cisterns III the direct Vicini-
ty had to be brough into play. As soon
as one was emptied the hose vas drawn
up and connected with another, neces-
| stating q painful loss of time and al
! lowing the fire big advantage. 1t was
then that the necessity OF an adequate
municipal water supply vas painfully
brought 10 mind and those Of the cit
liens who had thrown down. the pro-
ject when it was voted upon at the Ia It
town meeting must have felt the pricl.
of conscience-just the least bit in the
world.
| Soon the cllpola on the Town hall
was seen to WAIVER and hardly had the
warming cry of the crowd 10 those be-
meath been sounded Wncn il came
i crashing to the grorni just two feet
from man By the name Of Sullivan
Iyyho had not heard the warning in
time to get to q place Of safety and
thad by the Intervention Of Providence
escaned certain death. The buildings
10 the south Of the hall q stable val
ucd at about $1,000. owned by O. T.
| Goodrich, and the small house of the
Eagle Hose Co., caught and were
burned. the attention Of the depart
uent being directed to the house of
Mr. Goodrich next to the stable which
Twas saved by the help Of the firemen
land the wind which had shifted to the
northwest.
l Sharks from the burning buildings
land large pieces of blazing shingles
land clacbolr6S were carried for hum
dreds Of wards. threatening obstruction
to the whole ncighborhOod and it was
only Nv the fact tnat the roofs were
covered with snow that other houses
did not catch fire.
About zoo feet from the burning
structures. across the main street. was
University hall. a building leased by
the authorities Of the University Of
Maine as 4 dormitory, where about AZ
students found homes. About an hour
after the outbreak Of the fire. sparks
lfrom the blazing buildings across tbs
WAY entered a room in the third story
1.-The window Of which careiessly had
been left open by some of the student
watching the conhagration, and soor
the top part of the dornlitory was il
flames A large number of the stu
:, dents were at the time on the
sitop of the roof engaged il
l. beating out with broons the sparks
! that fell Oh it, and the flames p-otrud-
- inc through the shingles beneath the;l
/, fleet gave them their first knowledge tina
I the building was on fire. a scramble fol
II a safe means OF descending ensued il
4 which all successfully reached the lowe
stories and began to take out their be
/ longings.
Al Just here is the hard luck chapter O
l the whole tale. The fire had gained sucl
I Roadway in the Town hall before it wa!
I discovered that it was impossible for thu
1 fircment to have saved it even though
I there HAD bean a good supply of water
I but in the case of the dorElit0ry the re
verse was true. Even with bat on
j stream of water under average pressure
the fire in tire latter building could hav,
- been nut out and a loss CT 5000 prevented
f;ut as It really was, the pressure frGn
the hand tubs was insufficient q reach tn
fire and. with the exception OF numhe
of buckets of water, nothing was don
10 or could be done. The result was that il
IS 4 remarkably short space Of time TIL
&c whole structure was consumed.
- The burning of the dornitory threa
L ened for a time to wipe out the who'll
la section of Main street 10 the south
al which consists of dwelling houses bull
mile. The house owned by @. F. Abbot
r lay NEXT to. the dormi,ory. drivewa!
Is. il was by means of the good, old-tim
he bucket brigade that Abbott's residence
ed was saved A similar feat was accom-
as plished on the, home Of Pr, Hamlin
I'd, north. Roth DIR. Eamiin's house and Mr.
It. Ahott's received severe screenings an,
seemed miraculously saved. 1t was no
u-hi