Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-01-28
Destruction of Portland City Hall.

Portland had its most destructive fire
since the big confagration of 1856 last
Friday morning, when the city hall was
burned. The fire started in the city
| electricians room, where it was dis
covered from the outside about 80 in
the morning. 1t had not then got a
great start, but as it was in the heart of
the electrical equipment of the city, the
fire alarm was out of commission, and
the alarm was given by telephone and
by whistles, 80 that there was some de-
lay about getting out the call men of the
department. Then the fire, which was
in the upper part of the building and
near the particularly inflammable struct-
nre of the dome, spread rapidly and was
soon beyond control.
At the time of the fire Pythian jubi-
lee was in progress in City Hall, and
from 800 to 1000 Knights of Pythias
were assembled there. The fact of the
fire was quietly communicated to them,
and they left the building at once in an
orderly manner, securing practically all
their clothing from the check rooms,
though some of them did not have time
10 remove the costumes which they were
wearing in the degree work. Some Of
them then assisted about handling the
hose before the whole of the fire de-
partment had arrived.
There was high wind blowing, and
sparks were being swept over the city,
so that it looked at one time as if con-
flagration would result. In fact two
or three other buildings were several
times on fire, but all these fires were ex-
tinguished without extensive damage.
Help was summoned from other ciGies,
and as rapidly as possible engines were
sent in from Lewiston, Bath and Bidde-
ford In all nearly a dozen engines
were stationed, and for hours poured
ton of water on the burning building.
1t was bitterly cold, and the work was
severe on the firemen, but no serious
accidents happened, although the men
had to work from the roofs of about
every building in the vicinity. Much of
the hose which was used had to be cut
out of ice into which it was solidly
frozen, when the fire was out.
The fire was got under control about
noon, and the fighting force was reduc-
ed, after about nine hours of hard work.
At that time the walls of the building
were standing, but the roof and most of
the inside floors had gone down.
The building was occupied by both
the city government of Portland and the
county of Cumberland. A county court
house is now under construction, and
the county will occupy it when COM
pleted, which will not be for year or
so. In this fire perhaps the most seri-
Gus loss was the destruction of the pro-
bate records, which are entirely gone,
not having been kept in a fireproof
vault. The other county records, while
damaged are not destroyed. The most
of the city records were carried
out of the building while the fire was in
progress.
A portion of the loss it is impossible
to restore by any outlay of money, but
the actual money loss is in the vicinity of
a million dollars, while there was an in
surance on the building of about $780,
900, and some small insurance on con-
tents.
The Portland city hall was an impos-
ing structure of stone and brick, erected
about fifty years ago, at cost of about
s650,000 1t was damaged in the big
fire of 1866, but the walls were not in
jured, and it was restored within year.
Besides the large public hall, it con tain
ed eighty rooms.