The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-10-31
Fire on Island Avenue.

The Bacon homestead on Island
avenue was damaged by fire last Sun
day morning, the total loss ON build
ing and contents being about two
thousand dollars.
The fire originated on the second
floor, in the easterly tenement, which
was occupied by Mrs. Sophronia Wy
man and the three ladies who board
with her, Mrs. Mary Sawyer, Mrs.
Frances Flagg and Miss Lillian Smith.
just before eight O'Clock, Mrs. Saw
yer, who is 81 years of age and en-
tirely helpless, was startled to find
her room full of smoke. She sum-
moned aid by ringing her call bell
and was assisted into a chair and
conveyed out of the room to the head
of the stairs, where they were met
by those who had seen the smoke
from the outside and come to their
assistance. Mrs. Flagg is lady of
about 70 years and blind, and for this
reason helpless to great extent in
an emergency of this kind. The
presence of these elderly people
added greatly to Mrs. Wyman's
anxiety and prevented her from
making an early attempt to save her
effects on the second floor, subjecting
her to loss of clothing and valuables
which might have been saved had she
been free to attend to them at the
first alarm. Mrs. Sawyer was taken
in the automobile of her grandson,
DR.. F. o. Sawyer, to the residence of
Sewell Smith on Bloomfield street and
Mrs. Flagg was cared for at the home
of Manley T. Pooler. Both these
ladies suffered some loss, that of Mrs.
Sawyer's being the more complete.
Mrs. Wyman had insurance to the
amount of $500, but her loss will con-
siderably exceed this figure.
The owner of the house, Mrs. d.
M. Bacon, who occupies the westerly
tenement, was at once notified of the
fire and while she was making hasty
investigation the smoke was discov-
cred by William H. Pitts, who was
driving by, and the alarm was given
by him from the box at the electric
light station. In Mrs. Bacon's apart
ments were her sister, Mrs. Susan
Dinsmore, Miss Annie Totman, a
teacher, and Miss Alice Rogers, a
compositor at this office. After be-
ing notified, Miss Rogers took time
to gather up some clothing and, when
she made her way down stairs the
hallway was so filed with smoke that
she could only make her way by COW
ering her mouth and nose with a
moistened handkerchief. There was
sufficient time to remove furniture
from Mrs. Bacon's part and quite a
J portion of it was saved. Mrs. Bacon
had $4,000 insurance on the building
which will be ample to cover the loss.
Her household effects were insured
for $1,000 and this will undoubtedly
cover the loss sustained.
A tenement on the second floor of
the ell was occupied by Chas Kicker
and family and some of their furni
ture was damaged by smoke. They
were fully insured.
The fire was first noted about a
chimney in the east half of the house.
1n6r6 was some llre dU Uile blIlo Ill
: stoves connected with this fiue but
Mrs. Bacon and other inmates of the
house do not think the trouble is
traceable to them. In the absence of
any other theory they are of the
, opinion that the electric lighting
, wires caused the blaze. The fire
proved to be hard to reach. Smoke
, showed itself through the roof over
. every part of the entire set of build
ings, including the stable. This led
, to the use of great deal Of water
, and thorough wetting in most of
the rooms. Mrs. Bacon commenced
to put her apartments in order as
soon as possible and has already
made them habitable. Mr.. and Mrs
Kicker are also able to continue in
the tenement occupied by them, but
the eastern half of the house, the ten
ement occupied by Mrs. Wyman, is
burned to such an extent that it will
have to be largely rebuilt.
The insurance on the building has
already been adjusted between Mrs
Bacon and the insurance company,
| through the Chas. Folsom Jones'
agency at &940.