The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1908-11-05
The Northport Fire.
FIVE COTTAGES ON NORTHPORT CAMP
GROUND DESTROYED.

FIVE COTTAGES ON NORTHPORT CAMP
GROUND DESTROYED.
The fire on Northport Campground Oct. 2sth,
occurring Just before The Journal went to press,
we were able to give only brief report last
week. The fire started in what has been known
as the Gray cottage, but owned and occupied
for the past two years by Mrs. Alice Brown of
Old Town, and first discovered by Miss
Althea Mahoney who lives on the Bluff road
below the campground and on her way to
the East Northport post office. The fire was
then well advanced, the flames coming out
through the side of the building. Miss Ma
honey ran to the Hill homestead, half mile
distant and with the aid of the telephone a
general alarm was given, the Belfast fire de-
partment notified and Mrs Henry Hills started
out with team for aid. The Belfast firemen
responded at once. The gasoene engine was
started for the scene, and the chief engineer,
assistant and some of the firemen were taken
down by Mr.. Horace Chenery in his touring
car, making the trip at the rate of nearly a
mile a minute The engine was stationed on
the wharf, drawing water from the bay, and
soon had two streams playing on the fire, stop
ping it with the partial burning of the Haney
store Fortunately there no wind The
Gray Brown cottage where the fire started, was
entirely rebuilt last year and was handsomely
furnished. 1t was valued at about $4,000 and
was only partially insured. The cottage was
closed last September. The next cottage burn
ed was owned and had been occupied for many
years by j. Y Hincks of Old Town and with
~,
1t was partially insured. The cottage Of
Mrs E. E. Shaw of Orlando, Fla, the
next to go. This cottage was formerly owned
by John Bates of Waterville, and was recently
bought and fitted up at cost of about Sl,2oo ,
Insurance, $3.50. The Wharf cottage, bought
last spring by Miss Emily M. Hall of Winter .
port, was totally destroyed with its contents
1t was valued at about $1,000, with $500 in
surance The fire then caught the cottage OF
Mrs W. C. Tuttle of Belfast, used as sum
mer home and souvenir store, with photo
graph gallery in the second story. The con-
tents were saved, but the building, on which
there was $500 insurance, was total loss. The
fire had reached the Haney store when the
gasolene engine got down to business, but be /
fore it could be got under control it had burned
through the roof and into the second story.
The contents of the first floor were removed,
but the household effects in the second story
were partially destroyed. The building cost
S, 400 and was insured for 81 10O0 The cottage
of E. E. Sperry of Orlando, Florida, which was
near the burning buildings was saved with
difficulty. The Sperry family left recently for
their home in the south. A watch was kept at
the ruins Wednesday night.
There seems to be but enc opinion as to the
origin of the fire, and that is that it was IN
cendary. The cottages had not been occupied
for some time. The seectmen began an inves-
tigation and the State authorities were asked
to look into the matter. Last Saturday Insur
ance Commissioner Carr came to Belfast and
had a conference with the selectmen of North
port and C. 0. Dickey, superintendent of the
campground in the office of Field Quimby.
This firm carried the insurance the Haney,
Tuttle and Shaw buildings.
There was much speculation as to the identity
and movements of woman who visited the
grounds Wednesday. She is described as of
medium height, dressed in blue and wearing
brown veil tied on her hat She was seen about
II am Wednesday near Browns Corner walking
leisurely in the direction Of the campground.
She carried nothing. Soon after noon she
appeared at the stable of the Hills Brothers
carrying a suit case, and stated to Isaac Hills
that she was in hurry to get to Belfast, where
she had business to transact before taking
boat from there in the afternoon. Mr.. Hills
hitched up team at once and she was driven
to this city and in the afternoon went on
board steamer Stockton at Lewis wharf for
Bucksport.
The description of the woman tailed with
that of an Old Town woman who was at the
campground last summer, and Saturday Mr.. {.
O. Dckey, superintendent of the grounds, arm
ed with warrant went to Old Town, found
and identified the woman and secured her ar
rest The woman was Miss Vina Tourtelotte
and it is said that last summer she appeared at
the Northport campground and took room at
the hotel. 1t was currently understood that
she was somewhat well acquainted with the ell
der Mr.. Gray owner of the cottage in which
the recent fire started and that his son, DR.
Gray, took extreme and successful measures to
prevent their meeting. Dr. Gray is also said
to have demonstrated with her about her atten.-
tons TO MS IaCnef ana LIldt SIle Hdue LAIedIS
of shooting; so much SO that Supt. Dickey of
the grounds threatened to have her arrested.
[By Associated Press.]
OLD Town, Me-, Nov. l. Miss Vina Tour
| tellotte, aged SO years, who came here some
eight years ago to work in the woolen mills,
was arrested tonight the charge of arson,
the warrant alleging the woman set fire to the
summer cottage of Charles H. Gray of this
place at Northport campground last Thursday,
causing the destruction of five buildings and
loss of $4,000. Miss Tourtellotte occupied
apartments in this city in block owned by
MIR. Gray and passed last summer at North
port campground. The arrest was made to-
night in the Old Town postofice by City Mar
shall Bernettes and the woman will be taken to
Belfast tomorrow to be arraigned in the mu-
nicipa court.
Miss Tourtelotte arrived here Monday on
the boat from Bangor accompanied by Deputy
Sheriff Rackliff and was driven to the Jail IN
a close carriage. A large crowd had assembled
on the wharf for glimpse of the mysterious
woman" She had consented to come to Belfast
without warrant and was not formally ar
rested until she was in the Jail. The warrant
was sworn ont hv Sunt c. O. Dickey OF the