Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-25
pExTER's LOSS.
Continued from Page One.)

the nearby buildings, and it required
a constant fight to keep the fire from
the buildings owned by Mr. Merrill Of
Skowhegan, and occupied on the lower
floor by James H. Kerby, fruit and
confectionery dealer, and on the sec
ond floor by the family of Edwin
Bunker.
1t is no doubt due to the fact that
there was a few inches of space be-
tween this building and the building
in which the fire started that the fire
was stopped in this direction. 1t was
necessary though that Mr.. Kerby re-
move part of his stock and the interior
of the store and the fixtures were con-
siderably damaged by water. On the
other side of the fire was the brick
building owned by Henry A. Blethen
and occupied by himself as a jewelry
store. In the second story was the law
office Of +. D. Dearth. Esq. The oc-
cupants escaped with large part Of
their property and the building was
not damaged by the flames.
Over the store of Mr.. Meigs was the
office Of DR.. F. E. Burgess. On the
third floor was the old hall of the
Knights of Pythias. Most of their pro-
perty had been moved during the past
few days into the new hall so that but
little of value was lost.
Over the store Of ]. A. Naddeau was
the wife of Mr.. Naddeau, who had re-
Gently given birth to a child. Physi-
clans in attendance thought she should
NOT hn ran,Ova6 i,, har Ial;
ton but she was made ready to go,
however, and a cot bed was kept in
the store throughout the fire.
AT one time it looked as if the fire
might get through to Wall street to
several stores and two livery stables
and all the horses We're removed from
the stables to places of safety. Sparks
flew with the wind to all parts of the
town but owing to snow on the roof.
the other buildings were protected
from danger from this source. The
residents of Wall street were ready to
Vacate at moments notice.
The guests at the Exchange hotel
were all ready to vacate and things
looked extremely dark for that section
several times during the night.
The water kept up its force well and
the pumps were kept working getting
water into the reservoir. Had it NOT
been for the new water system the
whole business section would have
been totally DESTROYED hevond n doubt
SO far as can be determined, the fro
vas caused by defective chimney in thu
building owned by Charles F. WithereIl
and occupied by R. L. Christopher on the
ground floor. The chimney in Mr. Chris
topher's opinion was the cause, he claim
ing to have noticed that it was unusually
warm when a hot fire had been started
in the stove.
As near as could be ascertained Satur-
day. the amounts Of the insurance are
about as follows:
Charles D. Roberts, shoe dealer, stock
5000, insurance $500: Harry z. Hale.
cIothier, stock 5000. insurance 5000; Ma
than Daggett, shoe dealer, stock about
$4,000. insurance about $500; Robert E.
christopher, fruit dealer, stock $1,000. IN
s,lrance $1,000; Mr. and Mrs. F. r. Wheel
er stock of millinery and house furnish
ings $1,000, insurance $1,000; Davis &
Wright, druggists, stock $500, insurance
SfUTl, n. T.. MeiSS, CiotHlei, SUM o"ONN
$1,000 insurance about 5000.
Amounts and insurance Of the other
small losers could not be ascertained. The
building owned by Charles F. Withereli
was valued at about $500 ard was par
TALLY covered by insurance. The Roberts
building, owned by Mrs. ]. w. Halnes,
was valued at $500 and was partially
covered. Mercantile block. so-called,
owned by Abel Davis of Pittstield and
Mrs. f. r. Horton of this place, was val
ued at $1,000 and had an insurance OF
$500 in Mrs. Horizons name and $4,000 IN
Mr.. Davis name. The damage to the
property owned by the knights of Pyth-
las is fully covered. Mrs. Lander had
no insurance; neither had Mr.. and Mrs.
Parkman.
A surprising thing in connection with
the fire was that many people in town
were unaware of it until Saturday mora
ing. Bells were rung, whistles were
blown and every known method of alarm
was tried.
Saturday the business men damaged by
the flames were busily engaged in making
preparations for opening up business In
new locations, which in itself is hard
task owing to the scarcity Of rents here.
but the merchants expect to be ready for
business again as soon as possible.
The work of the members of the fire
department cannot be praised too much
for they fought like tigers until obliged
to drop with cold and exhaustion. Frozen
faces and frost-bitten fingers and fec
We're the rule. and lucky indeed was the
member of the department who got off
wthouth being caught by the zero
weather.
Although the loss Is very heavy. up
wards of 100000, with an insurance of
about half that amount. already Dexter
is getting some grains of comfort out of
the disaster. Without doubt before an
other year is ended handsome brick
blocks will take the places of the wooden
buildings now lying in runis.
The fire was not even under control be-
fore plans were being made for rebuild
ing. Not only this, but one of the worst
menaces to the towns business section
has been swept away by the fire.