Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-09-04
In the Heart Of Skowhe-
CANS Business Section.
Feared al One Time That the
Whole Must Go.
FIreu,en Do Gallant Work :. Loss
Partially Insured.

Skowhegan, Me, Sept. 3.-(SpeciaD.-
The person, if there is such a person
who has the dealing out of fires to 10.
caIltic< in this State, certainly must
have a grudge against Skowhegan, fol
ON Monday night this town was again
visited with a conilagration. 1t was al
II 20 that the alarm was given and
frem then until 2 o'clock Tuesda Y
morning there was something doing al
the time.
The two persons who first We're aware
that a fire was raging in the most dan
gcrous locality in town, in the heart
If the business section, in a Veritable
fire trap, We're George e. Fairgrjevcs
and the night Waterman. George stew
ard. The latter in making his round;
had stopned for n few minutes CONVEX
sation with L. w. HaincS, landlord Of
Hotel Coburn. CHANGING down the ave-
me he saw smoke pouring over the top
Of 4 small frame building owned Ivy j.
p Merrill. He rushed across the street
and attempted to ring in the alarm
from the box at the corner of Madison
avenue and Elm street. directly oppO-
site the hot" The box failed to re-
spond He then started for IN" box at
the post office, 81, the danger box"
Bnt in the meantime Mr.. FairGricvCS.
who was reading in his kitchen. had
discovered the fire, rushed ont on the
street and meeting TWO young men
sent them to the box at the poStoffieo.
They tried to pull this in. but it failed
to work. Hr this time The night watch
had reached tn" pnStoificc. but his cf-
forts met with no better success. the
box refusing tn do its duty.
There was but one thing left then,
the alarm at fire headquarters on the
island which rings Tie bell in the Meth
odist church. Hut before Mr.. Steward
could reach this others had gone before
him and TN" hell began to clang tho
dire tidinsS that SkoWhCgan was again
in the clutches Of the fire ficnh. Add, 1
to this was tho din Of the whistle on
thte Fox wood working factory, where
is located the fire alarm. and then box
"a began to ring in, but long before this
happened the fire department had ar
rived on the scene and the work Of
fighting the flames was well under way.
Early arrivals at the scene of the
fire We're of but one opinion. that only
a miracle could save that part Of the
business section of Water street. begin
ming at the Ward & PhilbricR brick
block, and that part of Madison ave-
nue.. hc"inDing at Water street. on the
east side. as far north rs Water street.
But luck was with the fire fighters.
In the first place there was no wind.
In the second place the water preSSurs
in the hydrants was never better and
there was plenty Of water. the stand
pipe being reported as running over ut
10 O'clock P NJ. Then the rain which
began to fall in 4 drizzlc at G in the
afternoon continued all the time. This
wet the roofs Of all the adjoining build
incs and prevented their catching from
falling sparks.
1t was soon evident that it would be
impossible to save the corner. The idea
then was to hold the flames in check
If possible Al the FairericveS restaurant
on the Madison avenue side and at the
small store on Water street occupied
by Miss 7. NJ. Withec. And after 2
hattl" royal. after one of the games:
fights ever put IN by the local depart
ment. this seemingly impossible feat
was accomplished and ut 10 Tuesday
just two hours and ten min
ut"s after the alarm was given. the
fire was under control
Strange as it may seem the fire was
not 81 spectacular as one might mag
10 100
and who was not present. The night
was heavy and the vast clouds Of smoke
h'lng low in the streets ana obScured
me view If the flames. This made the
work "f the frcmon douhly hard. At
'lmeS II was impossible to pass down
Madison avenue. 50 thick WAS III"
smoke. Eut the boys stood to their job
and deserve great credit
Just how the fire originated is a
matter Of mere conjecture. Even e2-
actly where it started is a subject Of
dispute. But there is no doubt about
1t starting and gaining great Roadway
IN very short time. II will he several
nays before IN accurate estimate Of the
loss can he made. The following is 4
ist of those affected:
p. r. Curtis. miliner. damage 20
stock by moving. estimated at $500.
Building owned by G. 3. Dodge Of Ia
coma, Wash. not damaged. Mr.. Curtis
was covered by insurance and moved
back his stock Tuesday morning.
Miss g. !. Williams. fancy goods. etc,
and Miss Cora Poulin, milliner. occu-
pied same store. also owned by Mr..
Dodge. Stock more or less damaged ny
moving. Loss covered by insurance. Tho
second floor of these stores was occu-
pied by Charles T.. Dealy. clothes
Cleanser Mr.. Dealv moved out and his
loss was occasioncd ny breakage, loss
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