The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1911-05-01
ONLY TWO LIVES LOST;
SEVERAL INJURED
Most OF the Public Buildings
Of the City We're Wiped
Out, Greater Part of the
Business Section and Many
Fine Residences.

bdllgoIs MC'y MAY lt--t he Htey WHICH
last night destroyed a third Of this city,
causing damage estimated at $6,000,-
600, was virtually extinguished at s
O'Clock this morning, and no further
spread of the flames was anticipated.
But two persons are known to have been
killed, and only half a dozen injured
ones have been admitted to hospitals.
A provdential shift Of the wind and
downpour. of rain at midnight were
the means Of bringing the great con-
1lagration under control.
The part Of the city destroyed in.
cluded nearly all tha public buildings,
except the city hall, the greater part
of the real business section and some
of Bangor's finest residences. Half a
dozen churches were consumed by the
flames. Among the principal buildings
utebIogtu Nhie tllS loitoN1lSs ~ I'll
school, public library, in which were the
banking rooms Of the Bangor Savings
bank, the central fire station, United
States customs house, the post office,
the Gaiety theatre and Tho Morse-Oliver
building.
A canvass Of the burned district this
afternon, although not complete, because
of the impossibility OF reaching all the
places owing to the tangegof debris,
gives the number OF burned residences
as approximately 285, while the business
buildings destroyed, including small
wooden buildings, will not exceed 100.
Other Cities Helped.
For many hours the firemen of Ban
gor, assisted by men and apparatus from
other Maine cities, battled against the
blaze before they conquered it. Dyna-
mite proved Of little avail. Buildings
were blown up but the flames easily
leaped the chasms thus made, and it
was not until the wind, which had been
blowing almost q gale during the night,
shifted and a light rain fell, that there
was any indication that the fremen
would win. Gheered by the help from
this unexpected quarter, the fire fighting
forces were concentrated near the cor
ner of Hammond and Central streets,
nearly two miles from the start of the
blaze, and there the spread Of the flames
was checked at midnight.
But while the rain and shifting OF
the wind to the east saved the rest of
the city from destruction, it only add
ed to the discomfort of thousands who
had seen their homes go up in flames
and who were huddled together in the
streets. The burning of the churches
and public buildings left many of the
unfortunate without shelter.
The city was soon shut off from tele-
phonic communication by the burning
of the central office of the New England
Telephone & Telegraph company and
calls for aid from Portland, Lewiston
and Augusta We're sent out by the wire
chief of the company, who climbed
pole and cut in on trunk line. The
Telegraph companies offices were both
burned during the early stages of the
conhagration. but later they established
temporary offices outside the zone and
communication was resumed.
There are varying reports as to the
exact spot where the fire originated.
Several alarms were sounded almost
simultaneously. In addition to the fire
at Broad and Exchange streets, the fire.
men found blaze in a bicycle repair |
shop in the rear of the telephone Office /
Both fires spread with such rapidity that |
the firemen were helpless.
Thousands Of people spent the night
In the streets, some from choice. but !
many because their homes were either |
burned OF were burning. Outside the /
danger zone they gathered about fires t
built in the streets and there oamped /
for the night. getting what little sleep
they eould curled2up on quilts and blank /
cts that they had gathered up in their /
hasty flight.
The FIRE is considered by insurance /
people. the worst that Maine has known 1
since the Portland FIRE IN lS66. when
large part Of the business section Of |