Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-08-16
DEAD IN FIRE
Old Orchard Fire Loss Will Be Millions and Two Lives
 Were Lost
CAUSED BY A LAMP

Old Orchard, Me, Aug 1.-Two lives were lost and five persons were injured, three seriously, as result of the fire which swept through this seashore resort last night, causing loss of from half to three-quarters of million dollars.
 The dead:
 Philip Partridge, "A years old, of Pittsburg, Pa,. struck by Boston and Maine train at Kennebunk and killed. while on way to the fire at Old Orchard.
 Unidentified man killed by explos' ion of soda tank; head blown off; nothing in clothing to indicate ideE- tity.
 The injured:
 Rev Rufus H. Jones, pastor Trim ity Episcopal church, Saeo, Me, at hospital, Biddeford, seriouely in. iured by soda tank explosion, wi,h possible fracture of the skull.
 Melvin T. Morrill,, Salem. Mass, Boston and Maine railroad engineer visiting friends, left leg fractured and collar bone broken by soda tank explosion.
 Unidentified man, probably fatally hurt by tank explosion; unconscious since the accident; nothing in cloth ing to show identity.
 Samuel Emerson of Old Orchard, 65 years old, father of William T. Emerson, manager of the Hotel Elm erson; found unconscious in the street from tank explosion.
 Miss Alice Minard, Pittsburg, Pa, severely bruised by being thrown from scarriage at Kennebunk, while or way to Old Orchard with Philip Partridge, who was killed.
 The injured are being treated at hospitals in Biddeford.
 Seventeen summer hotels, sixty cottages and score of buildings oc- cupied by stores were destroyed. The explosion which caused so many injuries occurred in Horgan's drug store, on Old Orchard avenue. It Is believed that the fire started from an overturned lamp in the annex of the Hotel Olympia. The total .n- surance on the burned property, it is understood, will not exceed $150,- 000
 As a result of the fire, the season at Old Orchard Is brought to sud Old Orchard remains. All trains, in- cluding several extra were packed to- day with persons leaving the shore.
 The fire seemed dangerous from the start and many in the searby hotels at once began packing up. As the confiagration spread the baggage was removed. Not a few, however, ,suf- fered loss by having their goods car ried to the beach where they were de- came in considerable property was ruined, and some was swept away. A large number of persons took re- fuge on the famous iron pier and when the flames threatened those on the pier ripped up 75 feet of the planking and in this way saved the structure from serious damage.
 Tn the burned area, which extends east along theN railroad between the tEdCh anu tIit OCtdu luI ucdils uuii mile chimneys here and there were the only things standing to-day.
 The people who were driven from the hotels were compelled to spend the night on the beach. A stiff breeze blew in from the sea and many suffer- ed. especially the children and the aged. Crush wood fires were kept go- ing all night around which the refu- gees sat in shlvering groups awaiting for the dawn and the warmth of the sunlight.
 The street to the westward of the fire line and the lawns in front of the hotels which escaped were piled high to-day with baggage. furniture and goods which had been carried there last night. The Portland. Saco md Biddeford policemen who came here early in the morning renamed on duty to-day, guarding the goods.
 It, is believed to-day that a greater part of the burned district will be re- built before the next season. Fred I. Luce. one of the assessors of Old Or chard, today estaimated that the to- tai loss would reach sS0s,000. with one-third of the amount covered by in-