Norwich bulletin., 1911-05-01


 of the city of Bangor is in ruins, thou sands of persons are homeless and a property loss estimated at $6,000,00O was sustained. as the result of con- flagration which ragged for hours to- night Starting in a hay shed on Broad and Exchange streets through the heart of the city, leaving resi- cences, churches, schools business blocks, and all the public buildings, with the exception of the city hall. mass of smoking ashes.
 Dynamite of Little Avail.
 For many hours the firemen of Ban- sor. assisted by men and apparatus from other Maine cities. batMed against the blaze before they conquer ed it. Dynamite proved of little avail Buildings were blown up, but the fIs mes easily leaped the chasms thus made and it was not until the wind, which had been blowing almost a gale during the night. shifted, and a light rain fell. that there was any indica- tion that the firemen would win.
 Checked at Midnight.
 Cheered by the help from this unex / pected quarter, the fire fighting forces were concentrated near the corner of Hammond and Central streets, nearly two miles from the start of the bla1 and there the spread of the flames wa s checked at midnight.
 Pc -pIe Without Shelter.
 But while the rain and shifting of the wind to the east saved the rest o1 the city from destruction 1t only ad a. ed to the discomforts of the thousar sds who had seen their homes go up in flames and whs were huddled toget he1 in the streets. The burning of the churches and public buildings left many of the unfortunates withou a place of shelter.
 Three Lives Sacrificed.
 Three lives are known to have fbeen lost, though the names of none tha victims is known. A fireman ". IS in jured by X falling wall and di ed on the way to the hospital; an un known young man was crushed to deatE when one of the churches collapsed; and an elderly man from Brewer. VI Do had crossed the river to watch u he fire was also buried beneath falling debris
 Both Newspapers Esoape.
 Neither of the oitys newspa. pers are burned and both will publish hs usual tomorrow. Early reports telfl of the burning of The News. but the fire did net reach that building/ The Commer- cisl also was out of the fire zone
 Problem, of Feeding and Hc,using.
 Tho pseblern of housing all h feeding the destitute must he met at i. daylight end will be a serious one, for churche. and public buildsngs, the us nal places af refuge In such disaster s, are ir ruins. and there is hardly ian eating house, bakery, or other st tore where food can be secured. left st anding. AL ready offers of help have bff Jan received by Mayor Mullen, but the l troffered aic cannot be expected to an five in time te prevent suffering.
 Business Blocks Reduceta ! to Ashes. HaH an hour after thu first alarm had been sounded nearly a dozen build ings were in flames and the fire was eating it's way northerly up Broad anc Exchange streets on ithsr side o1 Eenduskeag stream. 1r its pathway were banks office bui1diI ngs. the public library and other stru tctures, all ol which were reduced to jshes.
 Tstsphone Office B. arned Out.
 The city was soon shr t eff from teIe- phonic communication by the burning of the central offfce of the New Eng land Telephone and Telegraph com panv and caias for aid from Portland Lewiston and August were sent ou by the wire chief Of tl la company, whf climbed a pole and ct 1t in on a trunl line.
 Temporary TeIeps pph Stations.
 The telegraph cemxs inies' off1ces weri both burned during u De early stages O. the eon'ias Fetien, but later they estab Hshed temporary cfzc bs outside the nrt Eons and COmmunicei lion was resumed
 Two Fires at ,bams Time.
 There are vsrysngi reports as to tn. kx2G1 spnt where tI he fire originated 2Awesal afarnss wsrI sounded almos simultaneously. In hddAti ticn to the fir, at the corner of Bu pad and ExchanK, etveets. the tireusen found d blaze in { etcycle repair shop in the rear of tn telephone office. Bot li fires spread witt PHch rapfdIty that the firemen wer' helpless.
 City Hall Escaped.
 One Of the few buildings to escap' destrucfion was tf ie city han. T11i was in the direct lath of the fire, bu 9n soTre way the f; bu1es 1eaped over i and tt was hardly Ecorcbed. The eft. hall stands at the junction of Broad State ard Hsn1uno, hd streets. At tIli ps4nt the flames roSeed the Kendus kesE and continued along both sides 0 rhsf stream.
 Flying Sparks ltsrt Other Fires.
 As il burned no rth the path of de Htruc3ion grew wit Ter, while sparks se snnuri era ble fires many of them considerable dists nee from the mail ronfs grafton.
 Several Bloc Ks Dynanited.
 An intellectual ttempt was made t. stay the progress of the flames b, dynamiting sever al blocks, includin, the Smith and EEtrickland buildings 1ocatsd in & trian gle formed by Ham lnond and Centreli streets and Kendus kssg stream, but the fire bridged tn chssn and continued with unabatet fury.
 Help from Other Cities.
 Help from outside cities began {. arrive soon afte g o'clock, the Au Gusta department being the first t, arrive, and to it. was assigned the dut, of saving the resi ideutial district if pos stble.
 First yRui IdinJs Burned.
 Among the bu ildings burned durin, the early stages of the fire were tn, Haynes & ch diners building. tn lsodxkins block. the t'iske building Isiubanks < GO fnpanys building an, the Bangor pub lic library. Then fol 1u~ edthe -phU he office the postoffics fhr6 Morse G1iyar block, @ seven-s stor. strlt-turs In which was located the of fcesf of tnes Ba ngor and Aroostool railroad. rhes Windsor hotel and sev eral churches. Preparations t., Blow Up Buildings. Failing in thefir attempts to stop tn, dre hy .dynamiti nE the buildings at tn. 59nefion of IIa almond and Centra streets. the iips men took their stan,