The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-01
HALF OF BANGOR in ASHES;
LOSS AT LEAST $5,O0O,OOO;
FOOD PROBLEM IS SERIOUS


Everything worked against the fire.
men in the fight against the flames.
At first 1t was the wind, then failure
of the lighting system. The city was
plunged into darkness, relieved only
by the ominous red glare of the con-
flagration, throwing the work Of pro-
tecting the unburned area into the ut
most confusion. Sparks flew hundreds
of feet into the air, sailing across the
stream dividing the city into two dis
trictS, and soon there was double
line of fire sweeping confidently
through the city.
One of the first buildings to go was
the Western Union Telegraph office.
By this time the fire did not appear
office went and all outside communi-
cation cut off, the problem Of getting
outside aid became a serious one. 1t
was solved, finally, by sturdy line
man, who climbed a pole, tapped the
wires and sent first news Of the dis
aster to the surrounding towns. The
appeals for aid met ready response.
Shortly after o'clock the first outside
apparatus arrived and as the fire fight
ers continued to arrive, some remark
able railroad runs were recorded.
Failing to stop the flame by dyna-
hitting buildings at Hammond and
Central Junction, the firemen retreat
ed north to make a determined stand
at the outskirts of the residential sec
ton. BY 10 o'clock however, the de-
vouring flames crept over the hill and
within a few minutes the entire sec
tiOn was mass of flames, homes top
ping into heaps of blazing embers al
most as fast os one could count. Ev-
erywhere, buildings were dry and
burned like tinder.
One remarkable escape from destruc-
ton was that Of the city hail. one Of
the few public buildings not destroy
ed. The flames came to within a few
feet of the structure, leaped around
and over it but it did not take fire
At 1890 the fire ragged as fiercely as
at any time since it started. Through
out the city householders were moving
their effects beyond the town limits.
The roads leading into the country
were choked with refugees afoot and
travelling in all descriptions of ve-
hicles For a time they stood silently
watching the fire and then some of
them bivouaced on the outskirts Of
the town. building bonfires with which
to keep warm. When dawn, came, to-
day, the camps were still to be seen
but few had slept, the sufferers walk
ing disconsolately through the streets
about the burned area.
Numerous escapes similar to that of
the city hall were noted. today, build
ings standing almost unscorched amid
acres of ruins! A better general idea
of the fire-swept area could be OBJ
today, also. 1t was seen that
the general shape of the charred dis
trict was that Of a huge open fan,
the widest part representing the resi-
Dental section that was laid waste.
A severe blow to the State as well
as city was sustained in the destruc-
ton of the public library where there
was stored the historical society's
collection of books that can
never be replaced The destruction of
the churches and other public build
ings made the housing Of the home
less difficult and camps are being es-
tablished today, in parks and open
spaces. Those, whose homes were not
destroyed, have opened wide their
doors to their stricken neighbors but
Of course these accommodations are
necessarily limited.
OF the known dead two have been
They are George Abbott,
Al, of Brewer, killed by falling CHM
ney; John n. Scribner. an aged man
Oliver building and was killed as he
The entire building was
afire and the firernen had been driven
out by smoke when Scribner's clothes
caught fire. In a moment his BODY
was enveloped in flames from head to
foot. JUST as ne TuSdAeu IEoIil LAC
building the walls toppled and he was
buried in the debris.
Several firemen are still missing but
1t is not thought that all of them
are dead. The most accurate estimate
Of the dead, this morning, was four,
to the authorities.
The Bangor patrols from nearby
towns came in for much praise, to-
day. for their manly conduct in Of
fering their services to Mayor Null
lin. The youngsters were found avail
able for messenger service and caring
for frightened women and girls and
they nobly performed the duties as
signed them.
Many tales Of ileroisrn were related,
today. Several telegraph operators re-
NAMED at their keys with the flames
only so feet away and in the telephone
exchange 40 girls worked with fever
ish haste while across the street the
flames were shooting toward the
building in which they sat- Not one
girl showed fright and when the man
ager hearing the building was about
to take fire, gave the word to leave,
the 40 reluctantly marched to safety.
A moment later the exchange was a
roaring furnace.
The speed with which outside cities
and the railroads worked to bring aid
TO the stricken community was the OBJ
ject of commendation, today. Perhaps
the most remarkable instance was the
run made by the Portland firemen
whose apparatus was whisked up to
Bangor a distance of 1876 miles in less
than 200 minutes.