The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1911-05-04
BANGOR, Me-, HAS
100000 FIRE
Practically All of Business Dis.
trict Is Wiped Out.
HEAVY WIND FANS FLAMES
Many Public Buildings Are Ruined
and Large Portion of Residential
Section Is Destroyed--No
Loss of Life.

Bangor, METRE destroyed prac-
tically every bull ag in tract
two miles long 2 nd half mile
wide which contained the wholesale
and retail business district and the
best residential section of the city.
Shortly after midnight the blaze was
under control as a result Of the use OF
dynamite by the Bangor fire depart
ment and the firemen OF half dozen
other cities who had been rushed here
upon special trains. The loss is esti'
mated at between $4,000 900 and
100000. Hundreds OF persons spent
the night In the street because their
homes had been destroyed by the
flames.
The efforts of the fire department
from the time the fire started were
absolutely futile The flames swept
north along Broad street from Union,
then jumped the Kenduskeag stream,
running along on the western bank
along Exchange street.
The Smith and Strickland blocks at
the junction OF Hammond and Central
streets and the Kenduskeag stream
were dynamited, in vain attempt to
keep the flames from leaping the
stream
After the first rush of the fire to the
north, the back wind set up by the
fire itself famed the flames toward
the south, threatening that part of the
city that at first seemed safe.
Early In the advance of the flames
the post office, on sort OF promon.
tory. between branches of the Kendus-
keag stream. fell before the onslaught
of the flames. The Maine Central
railroad was obliged to vacate It's de-
pot. the retreatng Office force and
crews seeing the building engulfed al.
most before they were out OF danger.
For long time the city hall, at the
foot Of Main street, was saved by a
slight shift In the wind. The Haines-
Chalmers block. the Hodgkins block,
the Fiske building, the Fairbanks g.
Co. plant, the Morse Oliver block, the
offices of the Bangor e. Aroostook rail
road, the Offices Of the Bangor News,
the Windsor hotel and the public IL
brary were destroyed with many 9th
er less prominent buildings.
In the residential district the people
started to move out early, fighting for
conveyances on which to pile their eff
fects. The people were panic strick-
en-. Running wildly, carrying all sorts
OF useless articles, snatched up in
their frenzy. they poured out of the
city toward Old Town.
One fatality Is known, man named
Scribner Of Brewer having been bu-
ried under the falling walls OF the
Morse Oliver building and II is report
ed that several other persons have
persisted.
Neighboring cities were appealed to
and responded by sending fire appa-
ratus and men.
Among the additional buildings
burned are the Tarratine club First
Baptist, Uniyersalist and Advent
churches, Jewish synagogue, post Of
fee and custom house, Central fire
station. forty TO fifty business struc
lures and upwards OF 100 dwelling
structures. all Of the better class.
The city was in darkness, all sources
Of light having been cut off and the
greatest confusion prevailed, the en-
tire population being in the streets
Already II is difficult to obtain food
many restaurants were burned, To-
gether with one large and several
small hotels.
AS the fire spread many deeds of
heroism were enacted. The first calls
for aid to Augusta, Portland and
Lewiston were made by wire chiefs Of
the New England Telephone and Tele
graph company, who climbed the
poles, cut the wires, attached instru-
ments and clicked of the messages.