Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-24
A BRISK BLAZE.
Fire on Water Street,
Thursday Evening.
Starts in Green Bros. Store
and Ruins Building.
causes Loss Of About $12.000-Par.
TALLY Covered by Insurance.


sutti"g one of the best business blocks
on Water street, and causing loss
winch will reach into the thousands,
narrowly escaped causing panic
Which would have resulted in casual
Ties too terrible to contemplate. and
without doubt. too, in loss of life.
Happily. however, the presence of
few cool heads in the great crowd that
assembled on the street, and also
among the 800 young men who were
in The hall on the third floor of the
building, prevented an occurrence
Si!ch as never was seen on the cityS
streets. and all were enabled to leave
the building in safety. with one eX-
ception, that Of Homer Davis who UNI
dertOOk to slide down rope from one
of the windows and fell a portion of the
distance. His injuries were slight,
however.
The scene of the fire was the three
story brick block on the east side of
Water street, opposite Hotel North.
and owned by Lendall TitcOmb. B. i.
Parrot and the Bradbury heirs. The
building was occupied on the street
floor by Green Bros. proprietor of a
. and 10 cent store, and L. X. Smith,
tailor. and on the second floor were
offices occupied by DR.. Geo. Walsh
burn. and DR.. c. H. FriZzelle. Optician.
The third floor WAS occupied by the
Augusta Athletic and Social Associa-
ton. as a club room.
1t was in the store of Green Bros.
that the fire was discovered. at 3
o'clock, and an ALARM was pulled in
from box 81 at the Granite Bank. The
two horse hose teams and the hook
and ladder company were quickly OH
hand, and soon had several lines Of
hose pouring water into the burning
building.
The scene which followed the sound
irg of the alarm begSars description.
In The hall in the third story We're
about 300 young men, enjoying an ath-
letic exhibition and the affect of the
cry of fire can scarcely be pictured
For the first few moments the crowd
seemed going wild, and rush was
made for the door. which resulted in
50 crowded that exit that escape that
way was well nigh impossible. Then
some of the cooler heads in the crOw.i
succeeded in restoring something like
order. and although the stairway was
choked with smoke. all succeeded in
making their escape to the street in
safety Some few who could not wait.
lowered a rope from one Of the windows
and made their escape ny that means.
That q panic was averted was to
large extent due to the able efforts Of
Night Officers White and Dutton. who
succeeded i'm restoring order among the
frightened men.
The fire was well underway when dis
covered, and was blazing ficrcely in the
rear of the store, having evidently
worked its way up from the basement.
Hose was laid to the rear of the build
ing and the blaze was fought from both
sides. but the fight was destined to be
a stubborn one.
Realizing the gravity Of the situa-
ton Chief Kicker at 9.24. pulled in the
general alarm. calling out the entire
department. The rear part of the build
ing. in the basement and in Green
Bros. store was a glowing furnace.
AMI the flames were working their way
to the floors above.
Lines of hose were laid from nearly
every hydrant between Bridge street
and Rines hill crossing. and torrents
of water were poured into the burning
structure. The hose was so thick OH
Water street that the electric cars
were stalled for some time.
But in spite of the efforts Of the fire
men. the fire kept eating its way up
ward and the clouds of black smoke
which poured from the building envel-
oped Water street like pail. and was
ut times almost choking.
The fire was fought from every
available point. Torrents of water
were poured into the front of the
building from water street ana
streams were also directed into the
-ear windows from the roofs Of the
coal sheds on the wharf. A line was
also taken up into the high building
north of the burning structure. and
stream was directed downward on to
the roof.
In spite Of the volume of water that
was pourcd upon it. however. the fire
continued to eat its way through the
walls of the building until it reached
tho roof IT was the most stubborn
blaze that the firemen have had to con-
,a,d with for years, one of the great
difficulties being the height of the
hui,diu. on the rear side. which rem
dared reaching the fire with water
very hard.
The fire vas confined to the build
ING in which it started. there being
God fro walls each side of it, but the
ders. smoke worked it's way into the
buildings both north and south. 50 !
that there may be some loss on that
account.
As to the origin of the fire no expla- !
nation can vet be given. That it caught
in the basement there is no doubt. as
10 i;ah, of it was seen by people on
the e5st side of the river, but as to !
how i, caught nothing can be said.
and if is not probable that the cause
will be ascertained.
II was thought. last night. that the 7,
,osso. aocruing from the fire would foot
10, ,nsS ano aae! $1,000 The estimated loss On
t np ' building is about $500 with insurance
- oouar !, in the agency of Macomber.
rarr Z. wbitten. The Augusta Athletic
ca;,, associations loss will he $1,000.
and midn Social sn insurance Of IS" in Downinr's
s ~sm Green Bros were said to have
"seh'H' ,-alued at $500. with an