Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-18
Augusta Firemen Get Early
Call Sunday Morning.
Blaze in Darby Block Base
ment Well Handled.
The Loss May Reach Se000...
Covered by Insurance.

Augusta firemen have a reputation
for doing good work, but they never
gave better exhibition of their abil-
ity in the fire lighting line than was
shown by them in subduing the, blaze
in the basement of the Darby block at
an early hour Sunday morning. The
department was called out by an alarm
from Box 80, at the railroad bridge,
Water street, at 2.03, which was due to
the discovery of fire in the basement
OF the store occupied by John F. Tur-
her, provision dealer. The fire was dis
covered by Mrs. Nellie Emery, Who oc-
cuplcS q tenement on the third floor of
the building. and who was awakened
by the smell of smoke 1t is said that
the alarm was rung in by Joseph Gro
teau.
On the arrival of the department the
fire was found to be near the east end
of the basement under the Turner
store, and was breaking up through the
street floor around the register and al
SO at the corner of the refrigerator.
There is practically no way of getting
into the easements of the stores on
that section of Water street except
from the interiors of the stores, and
the department is thus badly handi-
capped when q fire occurs in that sec
ton, and considering this fact the
work done by the boys yesterday morn
ing was remarkable. A great factor in
the tight was the cellar pipe. which was
used for the first time. A hole was cut
around the register and the pipe put
through and in this way the fire. which
tim nd
der side of the floor, was drowned out
before it had time to work it's way up
onto the main floor
The fire also worked it's way along
the floor timbers into the basement of
the store north of the Turner store and
occupied by c. S. York, dealer in foot
wear. but Mr.. York, who had been
called to the scene of the trouble,
STOPPED the fire there by the use of two
chemical eNtinguishers which he had
in the store.
The cause of the fire is not known,
but appearances seemed to indicate
that it may have caught around the
smoke pipe leading from the furnace
in the Turner basement to the Chin
ney in the south wall and after run
ming along behind some woodwork.
made it's way along the floor timhers,
which were partly closed in. Near the
part of the basement where the fire
made it's run is a large kerosene tank,
which had been filed Saturday, and had
the oil become ignited the situation
would have been much more serious
but luckily the fire was stopped before
it reached the tank.
1t is impossible at this time to give
anything like a close estimate of the
loss. The greater part of the loss in the
Turner and York stores will result from
the smoking which both stores re-
ceived, and it is possible that there
may be smoke loss to some of the
other occupants of the building on the
upper floors On the second floor are
offices occupied by DR.. Julian Wilder.
dentist; Fl. l.. Strickland, organizer Of
the American Royal Circle. and G. P.
Herrick, harness maker, while on the
third floor are tcnements occupied by
Mrs Nellie Emery and Eugene Guilt
yer and family On the fourth floor is
| Darby hall. which is occupied by sew
eral societies. 1t is probable. in the
opinion of one Of the local insurance
agents that the total loss on building
and contents will amount to between
$1,000 and $1,000.
The building is owned by the Angus
tn Real Estate Association and the in
surance is carried by the Macomber,
Farr & Written agency. Mr.. Turner's
loss is covered by insurance in the
agencies of Charles s. Downing. w. G..
Boothby and G.. II. Blaisdell, while Mr.
Yorks loss is covered by insurance in
the George w. Merrill agency.