Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-14


which broke out at IL o'clock this
morning in the Palmer building, a
four-story brick structure devoted to
manufacturing interests at Main and
Gibbs streets was the starting point of
a $500,00 conlagration in Rochester
today. The fire spread over a wide
area, at one point jumping nearly a
mile and starting a second series of
fires of such proportions that the To-
cal fire department was for a time UNI
able to cope with the situation.
Aid was summoned from Buffalo and
Syracuse. and both of these cities
rushed companies to Rochester. BY the
time they arrived, however, the local
firemen were masters in both fire
areas. The outside companies were held
on reserve duty in the center of the
city, every Rochester company having
been called out by the long series of
alarms
Hundreds of Rochester people were
made homeless and tonight camped out
near the scenes of the fires with what
ever property they were able to save
from their homes. Over them the local
companies of militia stood guard.
WHICH, "CiC uCoti IVY iiANAoo
co, besides the Palmer building and
the Temple Berth Kodesh, the First
Reformed Church of America, the
Ward apartments on Grove street. the
First German Lutheran Zion church
and so residences. st. Peters Presby-
terrain church suffered some danger
ard there was heavy loss also in the
Palmer lumber yards and to several
small firms on Main street, east, adj
joining the main Palmer buildings
There was no loss of life. Several fire
men were injured by falling walls or
overcome by smoke, but none was Sc
riouSly hurt.
The origin of the fire has not beer
determined. 1T was seen first from out
side the Palmer building. sweeping
across the third story, half Of which
was vacant. There was delay in sound
ing the alarm and when 1t came the
firemen were busy with small blaze
at State street. Ten minutes more
elapsed. it is said, before the firemer
arrived, and in that time the flames
had spread from cellar to garnet of the
Palmer building. A 25-mile gale sent
the sparks in a northwesterly direc-
ton over the city.
On the second floor of the Palmer
building. many girls were employed
Their escape was shut off on the stair
ways and the elevator shaft was a
raging furnace, but the girls came
down the fire escapes in good order
and passed on to safety.
There were many scenes of panls
among the residents. One woman
Mary kirschnamsky, 119 Kelly street
went violently insane and was removed
to the Rochester State hospital. Dray-
men reaped a harvest moving goods
to place Of safety.
1t was the last day of the Feast of
the Passover and many of the Jewish
residents of this part of the city in
terprcted the situation rs the outward
visible sign of the second coming of
the Messiah. Men. women and chill
dren tore their hair and knelt in the
street to pray.
Fires broke out so frequently In va
rious spots in the northeastern part of
the city that companies could not be
dispatched to all of them. Volunteer
brigades were formed and answered
many of the calls armed with garden
hose or chemical apparatus.
Tonight Rochester was terror strlck-
en-. Today's fires are elimination of
an uninterrupted series of fires lasting
for weeks, many of which have been
charged to incendiarism.
Although both of today's fires were
under control by o'clock this after
noon the flames were still smOuldering
throughout the evening in dozens of
places. The wind continued to in
crease in velocity. and both tiremen
anu police were compelled to do all
night duty. assisted by the three COM
panies of local militia. All were fear
FIJI that a fresh outbreak of the flames
might come at any time.