Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-06-30
Mayor and Aldermen Hold
A Fire Inquest.
Recent Piper and Moody Fires
Are Fully Investigated.
Notes From northport campground
and It's Vicinity.

Belfast, Me-, June 29-(SpeciaD.-A
inquest Of the two recent fires was held
in the Council rooms Saturday after
noon, Mayor Hanson presiding. The
entire aldermanic board was present
and several witnesses were examined
on both fires.
The first was the fire which occurred
at the Elmer NJ. Piper place. about two
miles from this city on LincoInville
avenue, on June q. The fire. which
broke out in the barn at II O'Clock at
night, was discovered in time 10 be ex-
tinguish.d before the building was
wholly destroyed AS the flames SEEM
ed to be we'll up in the shngle. of the
barn, some six or eight feet from the
ground, it was thought that ii must
have been set, for there was no fire in
the barn nor in the house ami build
ings adjoining. The place was occu
pied by Charles b. Slower, whose
household goods were removed in d
badly damaged condition. He had no
insurance. The house and other build
ings were insured for $1,000. There is
every reason to believe that the build
ings were set and the verdict was that
the fire Of June II, at the Elmer NJ.
Piper place, was of incendiarN origin.
There are strong suspicious as to VINO
did the deed although no names were
mentioned at the inquest. Mr.. Piper,
who owns the place, is now living III
Montana and his sister, Mrs. {. +.
Wood Of this city, is his agent. An at
tempt will probably be made 10 find
the miscreant. 1t should be dCne for
the safety of other property holders. a
few examples would cause much OF this
setting of fires to cease. Just now there
is one man in the county jar await
ing his trial for the charge OF setting
Tranquility Grange hall in L"ncoln-
vile, while the person or persons who
set the Seaside Grange hall on fire III
this city on the night of Jan. l is still
at large There is altogether too much
of this destructive work going on and
severe measures should be taken.
The other fire to be investigated was
that which took place last "Wednesday
night in the Nealy house on Spring
street. owned and occupied by Mrs.
Eliza Moody as ii boarding house. The
fire did not amount to much ana only
slight damage was done. The verdict
was that the house caught ire from
the explosion of a Kerosene lamp The
fire was put out before the fire COM
pany arrived. One sleeping room and
it's contents Mere. damaged; The house
was insured for $500 but the furniture
was rot as Mrs. Moody has recently
come to this city from Camden ana
her household goods were insured IN
Talbot's agency in that town aud the
policy had not been changed t" cover
fire in this city.
An alarm was rung i'll last night
about $50 from Box -. This alarm al
ways calls out ii large crowd as the
box is situated on the corner ri Main
and Beaver streets. in the very heart
of the business district The fire proved
to be nothing but smoke coming from
the cellar of W. Il. Jones bakery II;
the Opera House block. Jones had built
up a new fire which smoked ana he
opened the windows to let 1t out.
Someone seeing it coming from the
Dpera house gave the alarm without
investigating a large crowd gathered
II, n very short time and the washing
ton Hose Co. was on the spot at once.
II is fortunate that there was no fire
for the location would be a bad place
for one to start.