Daily Kennebec journal., 1904-03-03

CoE Francis Keefe, messenger to the
Governor and Council, is receiving
mapE words of sympathy this week
from his Capitol friends, for the loss
by Ere. Sunday morning of the beauti-
full and historic old mansion in Eliot,
which has been his home since boy
hood This house. which was the pro-
pcrty and home of Miss Sarah Farmer,
| wh0'faS won Il Worldwide fame as the
head Of the Greenacre movement. was
| probably richer in treasures and heir
looms which cannot be replaced. than
| any other private house in Maine. so
many celebrated people from ell over
| the world have been guests there. and
so many famous people have interested
| themselves in Miss Farmers noble
work during the past decade and sent
ner tokens of their esteem and friend
shin, that the old house. which has
been occupied by three generations,
was yertable museum Of relics.
souvenirs. cUriosities. and valuable
books and pictures. Not only were all
| these destroyed in the fire, but fully $50
| fling cases. containing all the records
| ana correspondence of Miss Farmer in
| connection with her work of Greenacre.
also perished. In the house also were
many models Of most valuable electri-
cal and mechanical devices left by her
| father, the late Professor Farmer. who
| was one of the pioneers of electrical
work in this country.
The Farmer mansion was q place
which all the intellectual visitors to the
beautiful and historic old town OF Eliot
delighted to visit and there was always
a hospitable welcome for all who came.
Greenacre. itself. has only been open
two months of 10 weeks during the
summer months, but the home of Miss
Farmer has been open 365 days in the
year, and the great hosts of friends
will regret it's destruction. Miss
Farmer is in Georgia for the winter
and Colonel !ieefe. says that the letter
which he was forced to write her telling
her OF the loss of her home, and all its
priceless treasures. was about the
hardest thing he has undertaken in his
lifetime. His own personal effects
were all lost. including many Curl
osities and souvenirs, which ne col
1ected while he was in foreign lands as
Il government torpedo expert.
The fire was discovered about II
o'clock in the forenoon in an unoc-
cupied room on the second floor and
its origin is mystery. Six fire eX-
tinguishers We're in the house. and
Colonel Keefe used these and promptly |
put out all the fire in sight, but before |
being discovered it had worked it's way !
between the partitions where it could |
not be reached. and once under head |
way the great house, which contained |
Il rooms, was soon mass of flames. |
Services were being held in the Con-
gregational church. near by. which |
We're promptly dismissed, and every-I
body frcm the minister down worked |
herOically, but to no avail few
pieces OF antique furniture and some of |
the family pictures were saved, but |
almost nothing else. There was a |
small insurance, which will not begin |
TO cover the loss, and q great part of
the things lost We're articles that no
insurance or money could replace.
There is nothing left of this famous
home of one of Names most famous
women. except the chimneys which are
still standing, and of course as vet
nothing Il known as to Miss Farmers
plans for the future.
| State Pension Agent E. c. Milliken,
the new department commander of the
Maine C. A. R., has accepted an in