Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-09-27
And No Insurance on No.
Vassa|boro Shoddy Mills.
Brisk Wind Spreads the Fire
With Resisless Speed.
Narrow Escape Of the ViIIage...Mr. Pease
May Possibly Rebuild.

| North NaSS1lboro. Me, Sept. 26.-
l(SpeciaO The TWO shoddy mills which
have been the support of the small
community known rs Shoddy Hollow
lin North Eassalboro, We're burned,
ITucsday afternoon. practically no,hin.;
being saved. The total loss on both
mills is said /" have been $4,000: no
nsur, ace
| Tho fire the cause Of which is n
|nystcry. started in III" ricking room
OF tn" mill On one side Of the stream
owned by Herbert pcase. Mr.. Pcasc
WAS il this room when the fire was
discovered, but, rs there WAS no fire
| I',ghtniS apparatus nca" ANA as there
Was Il strong n"rthwrst wind blowiu@,
| III" operators were poWcrl-SH to max,
| the least resistance. L" the flames.
The fir" then quickly reached the
other mill which is owned by Edward
Chas,., formerly Of WatcrVilln. Al
though the destruction Of the prorcIty Y
WAS as complete as III the first build-
lug. about l5.o0u pounds IF Snohdy. the
| property Of iii" American Woolcn co,
WAS SAVED. Mr.. Chase. ha,; recently IN .
stalled in this building Il large tank
| III connection with which was an In
| proved automatic sprinkler. but The
| draft of wind was 50 great that abSo-
Mt"ly nothing but 4 complete and sud
| den drtn"hinE would have aVailad 10
save the mill.
The mill owned by Mr. PcaSc was the
oldest ard best equipped and his loss
is estimated ut from $4,000 to $1,000.
| !, fine set Of shoddy cards six new and
valuatc looms and an engine To fur
nish steam power in case of Il failurr-
or water were the equipment. Owing
to the heavy insurance rates covering
suct property th,. mill had never been
insured.
Mr.. PcaSo will feel the loss very
heavily. He had conducted this bust
hess with good business foresight. and.
after having srrat a large part of his
| Iii" at This place left. about three
| month ago, on u trip abroad. lie had
returned only last Thursday, only 10
| face this heavy loss.
Mr.. Chase. ut the time Of the fire. was
| in Dexter and the valuation Of his mill
could not BE- learned with certainty.
Mrs. Cn!Se. however, was able 10 state
| that In" property was not insured, at
| least 10 her knowledge. \ person in
| the lo"'llity. who is somewhat acquaint-
| cu With Mr.. Chase and is in good
| position to understand his loss. csti-
| mates il at about $1,000. Mr.. Chase
undertook this enterprise last spring.
| ana expended, il was said. about $4,000
III putting the mill in the best Of rum
ming order. 1t was running. at the
| time Of the fire, TO its fullest capacity.
,,nd, like its near ncighbnr. was we'll
paying investment. Tine mill was
| started ny Mr.. Chase IN partnership
viii. l.. II. Gilmah. but the partnership
was dissolved Il few weeks ago. Mir.
Gilman selling out his interest.
Mr. P"aSr thinks that he may posSi-
| bly, rebuild. although just at the pres
| cIt he IS undecided.
y great mystery, greater than the
cause oi tho fire. is how the rest Of this
part Of the village of North Nassal-
| horo escaped the same fate. AT the
| timc "hilc the buildings were being
burned. 4 strong north west wind, the
| like Of which has not blown over this
section for months, was carrying
sparks over the little valley to th@
houses on the eastern side Of The
stream. The suspense of the inhabitants
during IN" short space or time can
| easily b. imagined No dwellings.
how, Yer. were damaged.