Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-10-10
BAD BLAZE
At Augusta Lumber Co.'S.
Mill, Last Evening,
SaWdust Shed and Lumber De-
stroyed--The Mil Escapes.
The Estimated Loss is from $1,000 to
$I0,000...fu!Iy Insured.

1t was only by slender chance that
Augusta was not visited, last evening,
by the most destructive contlaSration
that has occurred in the city since the
destruction Of the Meonian and North
blocks in January. 1903. The fire, last
night. was at the plant of the Augusta
Lumber Co. one OF the largest lumber
concerns in this section of the State.
and had il not been for the efficient and
determined work Of the firemen and
the fact that what light air there was,
was from the northwest, the dcstruc-
ton which would have resulted from
the fire can hardly be estimated. AS it
was. thc loss will reach far up into the
thousands, and as nearly as could be
estimated, last night. it will probably
figure up between $1,000 and $40 900.
This. however, is covered by insurance
in the agency of Macomber. FAIR e
Written.
The fire caught in the big sawdust
shed. just south of the mill, and stpa-
| rated from it only by the roadway. AS
to the origin of the fire. nothing is
known, except that il must have
caught from the inside of the shed, as
when it was seer by the men at the
mill, the flames We're bursting from the
roof and the whole interior of the shed
was ublazc. An alarm was sounded by
several blasts from the big whistle on
the mill at AS. and was quickly fol-
lowed by The city alarm. which was
rung in from box As, at the corner Of
Arsenal street and Eastern aVcnuc.
| which brought out the department.
before the arrival of the Trench.
| however. the big shed was doomed. 1t
was filled with saWdust and planer
shavings. which are used tor fuel at
the MILL and was Il roaring furnace
before Il stream Of water was turned
upon it. Near the shed were two wood
sheds and a blacksmith shop, and these,
too. We're soon in flames. At the south
and west Of the sawd,iSt shed We're big
piles Of lumber. mostly pine. while OF
the wharf we're big piles Of plank. Il
was in the piles of pine boards. after
the sawdl,st shed had been destroyed
that the fire was the hottest. The pine
furnished ready fuel for the blaze. and
owing to the way that the lumber was
piled. il was difficult to stop the pro-
greSs of the flames.
At the companyS wharf, 4 short dis
lance west of the blazing building and
board piles. lay the schooner Winnie
gance, Capt. Rlaisdell, partly loaded
with lumber and it was feared during
the early stages Of the fire that tho
vessel. An attempt was made by some
Of the launches on TIL" river, to pull the
vessel down the channel Oil that side of
the river, but the tide was partly out
and the progress was so slow, that the
attempt was abandoned. The vessel was
protected by the piles of plank on the
wharf above here. and although 1t was
said that the heat from the fire made
the rigging smoke. she escaped al
damage. The piles Of plank caught fire
at one end but the firenen at that time
were fighting the flames from all sides
and the plank were saved.
The shed where the fire caught was q
big one and was built about three years
ago At the time of the fire it was full
and from the nature Of the contents
if would have been impossible 20 have
saved il had the discovery of the fire
been made sooner. Everything conSid-
cred. the fire was soon under control
and much praise is due Chief Haskell
and his men for tn" way i'll which II
was handled by them. "Ali out WIS
rung in at 1872.