Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-01-28
Continued from Page one.)


flames, which had made theiI way
through the roof and party wal
simultaneously. and the s250,ooo stock
of boots and shoes was. completely
Quilted by flames and water.
The fire burned within block Of tho
scene OF Fridays great confiasration
when the City hall and Police build.
inrs were Quilted and the sparks were
swept by a wind which later developed
into a gale, right over and dropped
into the area covered by the disastrous
fire of Friday. After the firemcn hat
lost control of the flames with the ne
newed breaking out in the Cox estab.
lishment, IL seemed to all that the en-.
tire wholesale business district was
likely to be destroyed. as the wind was
changing at the time and strewine
the sparks in all directions.
The First National Bank, the post
Office and Federal building and tht
temporary offices Of the city depart
ments were all within the area covered
by the flying sparks. and many times
during the progress Of the fire it was
feared that any one CT these buildings
might pe the scene OF another blaze.
Az in the fire Of Friday, one of the
most remarkable features Of the later
fire was the almost entire absence OF
human injury, today's fire causing no
known accident whatever. One mar
row escape is recorded. which, had not
sufficient warning been given, might
have resulted seriously for some eight
or ten men connected with Engine ..
The crew was standing beneath wall
on the Market street side Of the nurnet!
block, when an explosion was heard,
followed by the wall breaking out ana
falling directly beneath, on the ground
occupied by the engines men. The eX-
plosion had warned them. however, and
all were out OF the way when the de-
bris fell.
Several companies sustained extensive
damage TO their stock by smoke and wa
ter. notably Parker, Themes & Co, whose
building was threatened many tunes by
the flames The only precaution against
it was a thorough drenching and this was
applied. but the damage was estimated
ut about 10000. An aggregate damage
Of sloG 1000 was caused by smoke and water
to the nearby firms :. Cook. Everett &.
Pencil Co. wholesale druggists; F. o.
Eailcy & Co, carriages: Lewis 6, Co,
wholesale clothiers; A. III. Berry & Co.
boots and shoes: NJ. 4. Waterhousc &;
Co. hardware dealers. and Russ, Eveleth
e. Ingalls,. wholesale dry goods dealers
The First National Bank building caught
fire several times. but the blaZes were
small and easily extinguished.
The fire assumed such serious proper.
tons after it broke away and caught on
the opposite side Of the block in which
it started that Mayor Adam p. Leighton
called for help from 10 cities in Massa i.
chusetts. New Hampshire and Maine.
The Lewiston department got its appar-
atus on the ground in time to do much
good and it's crew served in good stead in
relieving the tired fire fighters of tho
Portland department. many of whom had
been engaged on the City hall fire during
the past two days The Boston apparatus
was stopped on its way here when it was
seen that the fire was losing ground. but
some of the other departments were al
lowed to come to Portland. so that the
crews could engage in place of the Port
land firemen.
called we're Boston. Dover. Portsmouth.
SHco. Biddcford, Lewiston. Faith. Gardi-
ncr and Bangor. while that Of South
Portland responded to the general alarm
which was rung In within Is minutes af-
ter tho first discovery Of the blaze.
The fires origin is unknown and as
there were no known causes for it it
is regarded rs suspicious. The building
in which II started. that OF the Millikcn.
Cousens Co. is heated by steam from
an outside plant. and tho electric power
is turned Off each night. The blaze was
first noticed near tn. second landing of
the elevator shaft. from where it COM
municated up and down through the four
The only available way to light the
flames was from outside buildings and
hose on and the building was soon mad"
the object for the streams of more thar:
4 dozen lines Of hose. The absence 0;
the ladder truck. which was damaged by
falling walls in Fridays fire. was felt,
and although most of the ladder appar-
atns was demolished. tie truck WAS
brought on the scene and ladders mount
cd on 1t. -
The flames were viewed through the
night and morning by more than 2000o
people. who packed the area outside the
fire lines in all directors. The flames
were even more spectacular than was the
fire If Friday, which consumed the City
hall. as most of the goods which were
burned were part Of dry goods stocks and
were inaammabla and burned brightly
Ave
of the stock burned in tie Milliken- Cous-
ems & Co. establishment