Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-25
By Friday Nights Fire
Will Be Over $4,000.
Several Narrow Escapes -Sp|en-
did Work by the firemen.
Insurance q Little Over One HAIL..
Plans For Rebuilding.

Dexter, Me, Feb. 24.-While Dexter
was dancing in honor of the birthday Of
George Washington, fire burst out in
the very heart of the business section
Of the town.
At the Dexter Club rooms Ladies'
night was being enjoyed to the full and
at the Grange hall merry masquerade
bal was in progress.
The fire alarm caused the men to
rush for their coats and to hurry to the
scene of the fire. hoping to be of some
assistance, while the ladies remained
behind i'll anxious groups, and made
hot coffee in abundance and furnished
that as well as other refreshments 10
the cold ana weary fighters of the fire.
The night Waterman, John NJ. Hill.
was the first to discover the blaze. He
was walking on his beat on Main
street when he noticed smoke issuing
from the building owned by c. f.
Witherell and occupied by II. E. Chris
topher.
The discovery was made at about
1890 o'clock in the evening. Had a half
dozen men been OH the spot the night
Waterman believes he could have put
out the fire with their help, but alone,
as he was. it was hopeless.
He ran to give the fire alarm and
then back to the store. but then it was
too late; the fire was bursting from
the windows and nothing but q hard
fight of hours could stop it.
The fire department responded very
promptly. but with the high northwest
gale tanning the flames. it was impos-
sible to confine the fire to the building
in which it started.
The Witherell block was situated in
one of the most congested portion OF
the business section OF the town and it
locker. at one time, as though this
whole side of Main street was doomed
A long string of about eight wooden
buildings occupied this side of the
street. one joining the other. with but
one brick building. the block owned by
Henry Blethen. 1t was this brick
block which saved everything beyond
it from destruction, it acting as fire
wall
The whole town turned out to fight
the fire: everyone doing all in his pow
with so big a crowd. Fortunately the
fire department was well organized AMI
every man was at his postlof duty. In
short time nine streams of water
We're playing on the flames.
At this point Amos A. Springall, first
selectman, decided that it was neces-
sary to summon assistance from some
Of the nearest cities and Chief Mortar
Of he
municated with and asked to send Il
steamer and men to Dexter to assist
the local department. For what SEEM
ed to be good reasons the Bangor de-
partment could not acccde with the re-
quest Of Mr.. Springall and the Water
vile department was communicated
with and ii is said it would respond at
once with a steamer. The Waterviilc
force was delayed somewhat by the
main line trains and il was about
O'Clock Saturday before the special ar
rived in Dexter with the steamer and
Watervii!e hremen.
The fire had by this time been con-
fined to three blocks. by the efforts Of
the local firemcn and the assistance of
the steamer was not needed. The Wat
erville men, however, were made ready
to render all possible assistance until
nearly C o'clock Saturday morning
when they started ON their return.
The fire was the hardest that the
local fremen have ever had to contend
with. The buildings were all OF wood.
and the upper stories We're divided off
into small rooms. Owing to this fact
the tircmen were unable to reach the
innermost parts and the fire played to
its hearts content through all three
blocks. Tie westerly wind blew the
dense smoke to the rear and it was here
that the firemen had the hardest fight
with the flames and dense SMOKE.
Had it not been for the fact that
Dexter has one of the best volunteer
fire departments in the state. results
would have been much more disas-
uous. and the citizens of Dexter are
thanking their lucky stars that they
have such an efficient fire fighting
force and plenty of water. one ny
drant was frozen, but aside from this.
the town water system took the test
III fine shape. One of the tiremen Suf-
Tered severely from the cold. his hands
and feet being frozen. He kept on
lighting until completely overcome.
o"llS 10 the start tnat the IRE had
nothing of the Christopher stock was
got out. However. the Roberts stock
OF boots and shoes were saved. Prac-
ucaily nothing from the Wheeler mill
inery stock was saved Portions of
the goods from Meig's store We're saw
cd and the goods of the Davis &
wright Co. were removed.
throughout the fire the efforts of
the fremen were given to protecting
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