The Prescott daily news., 1911-05-02
THIRD OF CITY DESTROYED ANC THOUSANDS LEFT WITH
 OUT HOMES.
TWO KILLED BY FLAMES
Blaze Lasting Seven Hours Drives Women and Children Into Street and Destroys Property Valued
 $6,ooo, ,ooo-Stopped by Rain.

bdHSoT, Me, May l.-1fOmeleSS; wet, hungry and exhausted by the long fight against the fire which de stroyed practically third of Bangor thousands of persons faced the prob lem of providing themselves with food, shelter and clothing, while city and state authorities began the con. sideration of plans for the rebuilding of the city.
 When dawn broke over the stricken city hundreds of groups of men. wo. men and children could be seen hud. dled around smoldering bonfires or stretched along the edge of the smok, ing ruins endeavoring to- warm and dry themselves.
 Rain Puts Out Fire.a
 Although the rain brought discom. fort to the homeless, it was the means of bringing under control the fire which ragged for more than seven hours. At a time when the battle against the flames seemed hopeless, a providential shift of wind and a downpour of rain drove the fire back over the burned district and drowned out the flames.
 At 7.45 a. m. the fire was virtually eXtingushed The thirdsof the city destroyed includes some of the finest homes in the residential part of Ban gor, all of the public buildings with the exception of the city hall and the greater part of the retail section.
 Estimates of the probable loss va. ried, but it was generally thought that at least S6,0o0,ooo of property had been destroyed. The loss of life. so far as known, was confined 10 two persons, and only half dozen injured had been admitted tothe hospitals.
 Help for Homeless.
 The rain cld change of wind hay. ing solved the problem of controlling the fire, the attention of the authori. ties was directed toward housing the homeless and feeding the hungry Ev- cry householder in Bangor. whose home escaped destruction, opened his doors to less fortunate, but in spite of this thousands were forced to spend the night in the streets, surrounded by the few articles of clothing and utensils they had been able to save from the flames. Many of these suffered greatly from cold and exposure.
 Fire Fought in Darkness.
 The city lighting plant went out of and throughout the night the fire was fought in darkness. When | 1t became apparent that water was of little avail in combating the fast spreading fire, Mayor Mullen ordered | the tiremen to use dynamite.
 About midnight the wind shifted | and light rain began to fall. But | while the rain and shifting of the | wind to the east saved the rest of | the city, it brought muh misery to | the homeless compelled to swalk the | streets without shelter. Burning of | the public buildings and churches had | left these unfortunates without shel- | ter, and it was not until daylight that | hey could be provided for.
 By order of the mayor, the troops | on guard and the city police obtained | provisions for all the homeless. It is | certain that all will be provided with | both food and shelter.
 Mayor Mullen, after survey of the | ruins, sent out the following appeal | Tor relief.
 The situation is worse than any | body can realize. More than 200 | dwellings, have been destroyed and | Iheir occupants rendered homeless | Although most of these are people of | means, their present. needs are great. | At the sama time many are absolutely | destitute as the result of the fire"
 There is hardly grocery, bakery | pr restaurant standing