Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-08-20
Give The Augusta Fifemen,
Tuesday, a Busy Day.
Two Calls Get Them Out in The
early Morning.
Webber 4 Hewitt Store Has Close
Call, tuesday Night.

Augusta firemen had a very busy
time, early Tuesday morning, ana
were called out twice within an hour
and half by fires in the same section
of the city, but which had no con-
neetion with one another In each
case the blaze had its origin in an
outbuildng, and as there had been no
fire in either building, nor stove
or anything of any kind in which
fire would be used, it is the general
belief that the fires were of incendiary
origin.
The first fire was discovered shortly
before o'clock, and an alarm was
rung in at 3.55, from box %, at the
corner of Mt. Vernon avenue and Mill
street. The fire was in a stable owned
by Olivier Quirion, who lives at 81
Mt. Vernon avenue, the place being
known as the Jenness place. and was
we'll underway when the alarm was
rung in, but by quick work on the
part of the firemen the blaze was con-
fined to the building in which it
, originated, and was extinguished
, after the roof had been burned Off
and the building Quilted. The about
was sounded at 4.55. The damage on
account of the fire was about $l23,
with an insurance in the Charles f.
Downing agency. Mr.. Quirion lost
some poultry few nights ago. by
having it stolen. and he was inclined
to believe, Tuesday morning, that the
fire may have been due to the same
2 parties. who perhaps came back to
I look for more pc ultry. and while doing
so accidentally dropped a liShtei
match.
The second alarm came at 5.26
The boys had but short time before
returned from the Qurion fire AMI
completed the reloading of the hose
wagons. when the fire whistle sounded
the call from box rs again, and there
was another quick run to Mt Vernon
avenue. 1t was supposed at first that
the call was due to trouble at the
scene of the first fire. but the second
blaze was 800 feet distant from thu
/, first, and was in a henhouse on the
premises of Joseph \. Shaw, at IS
Mt Vernon avenue. The building
was partially destroyed, with an esti-
mated loss of about 800, and no in
surance The about was sounded
at $50.
= While on the way to the second
fire, John Penney, a member of Hose
and Chemical No. /, was thrown from
the wagon and sustained quite a
severe cut under the chin. Mr.. Pen :
ney was at the time engaged IL staH'i-
ing on the running board and hauling
out a line with an iron ring on one
end while the other end was attached
. to the hose. the ring being used to
: throw over a hydrant as the wagon
+, passes, thus enabling the firemen to
couple the hose to the hydrant more
Quickly. and by some means he was
thrown from the running board. Il
was not known how he received the
cut, but ii was severe enough to re-
, ouire the services of surgeon Chief
/, Engineer Buckley was also thrown
! from the team, but luckily escaped
injury.
Following the fires of the morning. the
old saying that fires come in sets OF
three came pretty near being proven
true Tuesday evening, when at 1905 an
alarm was sent in frob Box 50, at the
corner of Water and Oak streets, due to
the discovery of a brisk blaze on the
street floor of the Weber G. Hewitt store
at 2S5 and 2S7 Water street, but which
was, owing to its timely discovery and
the prompt action of those first upon the
! scene, killed out before any serious dam
age resulted.
The blaze was discovered by some
young men across the street in front OF
the Augusta Trust Co. building, and
whose shouting and hurrying across the
street attracted the attention of Man.
ager. NJ. f. Hobbs of the Woolwortl
store, which adjoins the Weber & Hew.
lit store on the north Mr.. Hobbs, real.
izing that there was trouble in the mex
store, shouted to John Stilphen, one OF
the employees at the Woolworth store
who was working with him, to get some
of the chemical extinguishers In the
store, and securing these the two hurried
to the other store.
BY that time quite a number had as
sembled at the entrance of the Webber
& Hewitt store, and the doors being
quickly forced, it was but the work of a
few moments to reach the fire with the
chemicals and kill 1t out.
On entering the store the blaze was
found to be in one of a number of barrels
|
side of the store and near the elevator.
having been taken up from the basement
for the purpose of setting them out
Wednesday morning, to be taken away
! by the city team, and an investigation
|, showed that the fire had been stopped
! not moment too soon.
The barrel in which the fire had been
burned down for about third of the
! distance from the top of the slaves. and
, the flames had also communicated with
the front of one of the counters on the
| north side of the store and near the ele-
/, vator. A case containing eggs, which set
near the barrels, was scorched showing
how rapidly the fire was increasing its
, area. AS nearly as could be determined
the fire was due to spontaneous combus-
ton. but what should produce such a
condition is not known
j The fire department was on hand quick
ly, but the services of the firemen were
not needed. as the blaze was smothered
before their arrival. The all-out was