Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-09
Persisted IN FLAMES.
Continued from Page One.)

wide. Piers i, 2 and were covered
each by a large warehouse extending
over the entire length and breadth of
the wharves. Between Piers , and 6
was the pier upon which the Grand
Junction grain elevator stood.
The fire originated in the warehouse
of Pier l. In this warehouse was
stored an immense quantity Of COM
bustable material, including wool,
Egyptian cotton, grease and oil. 1t is
believed that spontaneous combustion
or Il spark from freight locomotive
along side the warehouse caused the
fire. First a slight burst of flame was
seen, then Il cry was raised and three
minutes later the entire warehouse
from end to end was mass of flames.
About 100 laborers We're at work on
the pier and with all of them it was a
race for life. Later it developed that
man is missing, Daniel Sullivan,
aged 20, Waterman, employed
by the Cunard Steamship Co. 1t IS be-
lieved that he persisted in the flames.
Within Il few moments from the time
the fire started the flames and blaZ-
ing embers jumped across the slip and
communicated with the warehouse on
Pier 3 A few moments later the grain
elevator burst INTO flames and then the
tire jumped across to Pier 8, of the
| Leyland Line.
In each of the warehouses destroyed
| there were many cars loaded with
| freight for export All of these cars
| and their contents We're destroyed.
Between Pier and the next pier to
| the eastward, that of the MaSsachu-
| sets Coal Wharf Co., a wide stretch of
water interviewed and it was here that
| the fire was checked. Streams from the
| rcboatS, harbor tugs and practically
| the entire strength of the Boston and
Chelsea fire departments We're concen-
trated The coal wharf was in the dl-
rect path of the flames and several
times the pier and the coal pockets
| were on fire, but each time the names
were extinguished and the property
was saved.
Fortunately, the wind was blowing
off shore and the flames did not work
| back from the water front. Had the
| wind blown from almost any other
quarter with the same intensity 1t IS
probable that East Boston would have
suffered the fate which befell the city
| of Chelsea last April.
On account of the proximity of the
fire to its East Boston ferry slips the
ferry boats of the Marrow Guage"
suspended operations completely,
making it impossible for thousands of
suburbanites living in Winthrop, Ike
we're and Lynn to reach their homes.
while thousands of others VINO had
been enjoying a days outing at the
beach resorts were unable to return TO
the city.
From the water front the fire pre-
| scented a grand spectacle as it stretch-
ed half mile down the harbor. the
flames rising from the soggy, SLOW
burning piles at the water surface
to n blazing pinnacle far above the
roof of the towering grain elevator
which stood fairly in the middle OF
the area Here and there blazing
topmast and rings of fire from rope
ends and spar tips glared out from
| the smoke, until the threatened Ves-
| sells were removed by tugs to safe
distance.
For q time it looked as if the fire
could be held in check at the grain
| elevator and fire boats and the crew
| of the revenue cutter Gresham ana
grand service in fighting the element.
| The flames lowered so high over the
| piers beyond however, that shed No.
| 3 soon caught and was in turn swept
| to the piles.
From the time the fire started, at
4t30 o'clock, the ferry boats of the mar
row gllare road were taken off and the
service was not reopened until near
|
the fire ragged and a great cloud of
smoke rose and swept over the lower
harbor, filling the air with burning
embers and blackening the surface OF
the water with charred wood.
Thousands of people attracted by
the cloud of smoke which resembled
the smoke of the Chelsea fire and iaid
in much the same direction from the
city swarmed the water front on the
Boston side and the rigging of the L
wharf fishing fleet was a solid mass
of humanity from deck to tOpmast.
Small boats filed the Mrbor ana
were loaded to the waters edge with
those willing and eager to pay small
| price to get nearer view OF the
| fire.
| While the fire was at it's height the
Leyland Liner Iberan, from Liver
pool steamed into the harbor, barely
| in time to see the last remnants OF
her docking berth sink into the water.
For Is years Daniel Sullivan, 40
years of age has been employed as
| Waterman at the Cunard docks. To-
night he is missing. His relatives and
many friends fear that his body lies
somewhere under the ruins of the Gu
nari Line sheds.
| Engines S and % were rushed up
alongside of the Cunard piers in an
effort to force stream of water onto
the Boston & Albany Railroad grain
elevator, which was located on the
next dock down. 1t was useless at
tempt. The fire had worked itself in
to a roaring furnace and the wind
blew the hot air squarely in the faces
OF the fire lighters. The solder on the
two engines began to melt and at the
risk Of their lives the men OF the two
companies pulled their apparatus to
| safety. ,..t ,.tuu,,,. - II. ma,
.lracv oal their