Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-06-09

|
Buildings We're threatened all day
by the fires which spread into the
woods, especially in the vicinity of the
High school. They We're famed by
heavy wind which did not subside un-
til after sunset. Firemen and volun
teers worked all day wetting down the
| burning cmbers.
The High school and buildings own
Cd hy q. II. Collins, George Larrabee,
| s. T. Pennington, Mrs H. f. Robin-
son, T.. J. Smith, Mrs G. G.. Chandler,
f.. W. Fernald, A. II. jerks. f. +. Allen.
T.. $. Perry, Jerry Holt and $. Fried
man caught fire many times, but were
| saved.
Pressure Isle, Me. June S.-This town
with its population of 1000 people
awol.c loday to a situation as trying
| as could be presented to one of it's
size over night there had been wiped
out l25 buildings, mostly of frame con
struation and occupied as residences,
ana the loss reached approximately
| $50 900. Like other prosperous towns
! in Aronstook county the citizens were
|
| there is no question but what the de
strcyed buildings will be replaced
speedily. Although there We're several
accidents of Il minor nature and Il
number of men were exhausted from
their efforts in fighting the fires, no
one was fatally hurt. Assistance from
Fort Fairfield, Caribou and Houlton
ANA Il Favorable wind saved the town
from more extensive damage.
| Ths confederation is the worst of its
Kind In Maine since May II, 1902, when
/ the town of Houton, also in this
| county, lost about as many buildings
I and suffered heavier loss, the build
ings including number of business
and more expensive structures. Aside
| from the 10 potato storehouses, the
congregational church, Masonic hall
ANA the Canadian Pacific Railway
freight station the fire was confined
to residences, which with few eXccp-
tons cost on an average of about
| $4,000 each. A number of the better
residences in town, including that of
judge George Fl. Smith were destroy
ed Many tons of potatoes were burn
Cd in the 5torehouses grouped about the
Canadian Pacific station. The burned
area covers half of a square mile and
Includes North Main street, Allen
street. Third street. Blake street and
South street to Main street.
Between 500 and 1000 people We're rem
dcred homeless and turned into the
night They were. however. gladly
given shelter by those who had been
fortunate enough not to be in the path
of the fire.
| besides Miss ethel Brown, who was
thrown from an automobile III col
liSion ara suffered severe contuSiohS,
two children We're run over by teams
land . man was injured. but none OF
the injuries was considered critical
The fears that shift of the wind
! would turn the flames back onto the
principal business section of the town
were realized and no further damage
was done after midnight. at Which
time the fire was under control IN the
| thicklN settled portion of the town
| 1T had spread to the woods, however
and was hurting this morning in the
vicinity Of the water works, but 90
ling no particular damage
Rep rts as to the cause OF the flre'
which started at the boarding house OF
John Brown on North Main street. near
lthe Pangor 4 Aroostook Raiiroad
crossing. were conflicting. one was ina,
il originated from bonfire IN the Earo
and another that fire was being punt
| in the kitchen with what was sup
nosod to be kerosene, but lhSteau
proved to be gasoline.
Judgc Smith, whose $4,000 residence
vas burned, is recorder of decisions
| of the supreme court OF Name anu
was. delegate to the last Republican
national convention.
The people whose homes We're burh-
ed for the most part owned t'elf
buildings. They distributed themselves
TODAY among friends and relatives III
, this and adjoining towns and VIII DC
provided for until they can rebuild
little furniture was saved. so quickly
did the flames run before the WIND. IN
a number of instances where mousse
hold furnishings were being loaded on
to teams they caught fire ana We're
burned in the streets.
Much piled lumber was destroyed
None of the potato houses at the Ban-
cor &, ArooStooll yard were burned.
s1ecial train, which brought steamer
and tiremen from Houlton. covered inc
46 miles to this place in 43 minutes.
heavy wind from the north kept
the residents uneasy today. The forest
fire to the south of the High school
building. which caught fire seVerai
times. was spreading and threatened
the farm buildings of Charles Wilson.
Henry Clark and others. Woodland
on the John +. Hayden farm was In
danger, also on G. W. Perry's place.
The fremen worked all night and to-day
in the burned district.