Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-08

together, their dry shingled roofs We're
easily gniteu by the showers OF
sparks.
Steamers and volunteer fire COM
panies from Houlton and Fort Fair
field assisted the local tirefnen with
their hydrant service, bus even with
this aid the blaze could not be said to
be fairly under control until the wind
had died down after all the northeast
erly part Of the town had been levellcd
and the flames had reached the woods
ana farming country.
1t was 430 o'clock when the fire
broke out in the kitchen Of John
Browns boarding house on North Main
street ana it was nearly midnight be-
fore the work of destruction was fin
ishei. The burned section covers an
area Of half a square mile, including
North Main street, Allen street. Third
street, Blake street and South Main
street
From the boarding house the flames
communicated to the Congregational
church and from that time it was en-
trely beyond control, the wind MAX
ing the hydrant streams practically
useless.
Among the finer residences destroyed
in the vicinity of the church We're those
Of the following:
Former state Senator T.. L. Parker.
Charles Richardson. first selectman
and representative in the Legislature
a. Il. Mcguire.
Nj p. Cook.
Baptist parsonage. occupied by Rev
II. T.. Gates.
f. r. Thompson
Judge George H. Smith.
Richard e. Hoyt.
Frank l.. White
George II. Smith.
Mrs. Mooney.
Il. b. Thompson.
Other residences burned are:
The Free Baptist parsonage. occu-
pied by A. D. Paul and the dwellings,
of viii Frazer. Fred Gagnon j. g.
Meyer, Harvey Burke. Fred Edwards
j NJ Willard, Herbert kierstead, Dan
iel Mckenzie, Henry Ieede, Fred
.'otlthard Charics johnson ana Mrs
Henry bishop.
T.. Il. McElWaynea blacksmith shop
and Fred Edwards machine shop were
also destroyed.
The High school building was threat
ened, but was saved from destruction
by one Of the visiting steamers.
Among the storehouses burned was
one owned by a. M. Smith and con-
tanning Il large quantity Of valuable
hardware and Storehouse owned by
S. Il. Black in which there We're many
tons Of potatoes. Most of the other
..,toto .itDrenouSeS We're nearly empty.
Several persons We're reported in
jured in various ways during the fire,
but there We're no facilities. Miss Ethel
Scott was injured in an automobile
collision while assisting the fire suf-
ferers. She was thrown from her ma
chine, offering severe Commissions and
possibly internal injuries.
Every able bodied man in the village
turned out to assist in fighting the
flames All tie stores and all the fac
tories closed their doors and proprie-
tors, clerks and operatives worked to-
gether TO save property and assist the
unfortunate 1t was feared for hours
that shift of wind would turn the
! flames back upon the principal business
| portion of the town, but this calamity
was happily averted.
! Late tonight, the breeze died down
| and except for an occasional leap of
| flames from smouldering embers, the
| fire was subdued In the woods in the
| outskirts to the north, however, there
was still visible the light of a good
sized blaze. From the south also came
| reports of other fires in the woods
sweeping in the general direction of
the village, though still many miles
| distant.
| Every house in the town which es-
| capped the flames was thrown open to
the fire sufferers and the churches and
: school buildings were also refuge for