Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-12
WATERVILLE.
SUNDAYS FIRE.
Peoples National Bank Building and
Contents Damaged About $1100 or $1,000

A serious cOnflagration was narrowly
escaped at about II o'clock Sunday morn
ing which might easily with but n few
more minutes Roadway have utterly de-
stroyed the building in which is situated
the Peoples National Bank of this city
as well as the offices of Dr. c. w. Abb
bott on the upper floor. As it was tho
damage will not probably exceed Sl1C0.
not including that caused by smoke to the
Offices and office furnishings OF DR.. Abb
bolt.
At about 105e o'clock the cashier If the
bank, William Knauff, was passing up
Main street by the bank on his way tn
his home from the post office. AS he
passed the door he noticed n strong odor
of smoke within the building and on
opening the door saw that n fire was rag
ing in the basement. On going to the
basement stairway Re saw the janitor,
Joseph Nedeau. very busily engaged In
attempting to quell the fire. Mr.. knauf
at once stepped to the telephone and gave
an alarm to Hose No. /, whereupon the
men quickly dispatched a part of their
number with the necessary chemicals.
the others following with full equip
ment of men and materials in case tho
fire should prove more serious than they
had anticipated.
The action was certainly n wise precau-
ton No sooner than they had had time
to cover half OF the short distance down
the street to the bank building than they
head the alarm. To make things more
serious the burglar alarm commenced
calling it's loudest and the central part
of the city very soon saw that something
besides preaching to be the order OF the
day.
Mr.. Knauff after dropping the receiver
Immediately saw that the janitor was
nearly suffocatcd by smoke which soon
curled up through the alleyway in great
volume. BY the time when the complete
flre-fighting outfit arrived the entire base
ment was filled with roaring flames.
There was not very much in the base
ment of n combustible nature but the fire
was proceeding rapidly along the under
part of the floor and when Chief 1vers
broke through the front basement window
through which to send n stream the
flames burst out. Another line of hose
was taken through the front and still
two moro stationed to flood the basement
from the rear. hole was cut in TIL"
floor of the banking room. as it was seen
that the seat or center of the fire was
the cut made by the register and that tn
flames were already swelling upward in
large and threatening proportions. The
work. all that could be done, was COM
menced without loss of time, but it was
nearly an hour from the time when Capt.
s. T.. Berry pulled in the alarm the all
out" was sounded.
The cause of the fire is question of
speculation. and opinions are strongly d.
vided The officials of the bank think
that it must have started from detective
wires in some manner rs the janftor has
not been near the furnace since the morn
ing of Saturday until he entered the
building and discovered the blaze. The
firemen on the other hand think that as
the flames were seen to be located emery
near the register and as the progress OF
the fire seems to be traceable from that
source, it could not have originated in any
ether way.
The work of Hose No. IS well as the
pro,npt action of Hose team No. / and
the Hook &, Ladder crew deserve n lib
eral share of credit, as it is due to tha
vigorous work of all these men that tn"
business section of the city was saved, or
at least a valuable portion.
Tho loss to the bank owners by fire
and smoke is considerable as the interior
of the front and rear rooms will OF nec's~
sity be thoroughly renovated. kalsomln
ing. painting and the laying of n new
floor being the most important details.
The business of the bank WILL however.