Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-07-24
Cities and Towns Of Maine
Suffer Saturday,
BiddeioTd Business BIocksBuTns
With Damage Of S2l,5OO.
Bethel Loses $4,000, RockIand,
$1,000; Portland, $4,000.

Biddeford. Me. July 23.-The lives of
dozen people were endangered early
Saturday morning by a fire in the 212-
story wooden business block at the
corner of Main and Alfred streets
which did s21.50O damage, and threat
ened to be as disastrous as the fire at
tho corner of Main and Elm streets.
two weeks ago.
The second floor of the structure was
occupied by the family of Norbert La
chance. All were asleep when an
alarm was sounded at o'clock. The
rooms quickly filled with smoke. and
the sleepors were aroused by the
prompt action of police and firemen.
These who were able fled from the
burning building in their night cloth
ing. without attempting to save any OF
their effects. The stairways were filed
with smoke. and some were almost
overcome before they reached the
street.
With Mr.. and Mrs. Lachance. lived
his father and mother. MIR. and Mrs.
Ferdinand Lachance. his sister-in-law,
"a
G. D. Bernier. Mr.. and Mrs. Ferdinand
Lachance were overcome by smoke
and had to be taken from the build
ing. After all the tenants had been res
cued. including a number of Greeks.
who occupied apartments over pool
room, it was discovered that the two
children of Norbert Lachance were
missing.
Policemen Thomas Cullinan and Bur
ton H. Ellis dashed into the burning
building and CROPPED their way up the
stairs to the rooms above. There they
found the children. one a baby, aud
brought them to the street in their
arms.
This is the third serious fire In the
city within month. The fact that
there was no wind and that the hre-
men we're prompt in responding to the
alarm. was all that saved the city from
another big fire it is believed. The
Sacn department was ready to respond
to a call for assistance.
Assistant Fire Chief ]. f. Bertrand
and Firemen Joseph Ross and Harry
Fnrlcigh had their hands cut by broken
glass.
The fire is believed to have original
cd from an overheated stove In the
Nutshell restaurant. The flames were
leaning into the air % feet when the
firen1en arrived. People in the tenement
houses in the rear made preparations
to vacate. and all the horses and car
riages were taken from the livery sta
BILE of L w Burbank
The first floor of the block was oeeu-
pied nv business firms. The roof of the
building was burned off and the sec
ond story Quilted. The contents wers
ruined by fire. smoke and water, In
the opinion of many citizens the oiock
has been damaged to such an extent
that il should be torn down and re-
placed by substantial business struc-
t,tfs. The site is one of the best in the
ctts.
THE block was built in 1s49 and is
owned Jointly by the John Berry helrs'
the John NJ. Goodwin heirs and the ,.
w Luoues heirs The loss is estimated
at $4,000 on the building and the insur-
ance is $1,000.
The other losses and insurance are:
John r. Pariseau. barber. 300. insur-
ance $500; Norbert Lachance. restau-
rant. $4,000 insurance s210o; Norbert
I.nchance. furniture. 5000, insurance
$3.50; Mrs. Pauline Lublinsky, clothing
and fancy goods. $500. insurance
1880: Ria TENN. pool room, $1,000, no
insurance: James coronois. fruit store
$1,000 Insurance $500: Charles L. Sim
ardy. cobbler. 800. insurance Sseo'
James Coronois. household furniture
$500. insurance $500; George st. onge'
furniture. $500, insurance $500,