The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1913-08-21
TWENTY-FIVE BUSINESS BLOCKS SHOPS AND OFFICES DES-
TROYED AND TWENTY FAMILIES RENDERED HOMELESS
In the 100000 Fire Which Swept North Anson Tuesday, Far More
Destructive Than the Great ConfIagration of 1863

The most disastrous fire that North
Arson ever had, started Tuesday
morning about four o'clock, in the ell
mart of the Somerset Hotel and swept
out all the business portion of the vii
lage. not store remaining, and rem
dered twenty families homeless. In
a short time after the fire started,
Sayage's livery stable. which formerly
was part of the hotel property, was
a mass of flames. Fortunately the
horses were all saved and also the
stable equipment The flames spread
to the house north of the stable,
owned by the Carrabassett Co., and
occupied by Willie Quint and was de
stroyed. The burning shingles from
the hotel and stable were carried by
the south and southeast wind across
and down the street, igniting the busi-
ness blocks and buildings and burn
ing every building from the house oc-
cupied by Mrs. Nancy, Holbrook to the
iron bridge, and several fires started
across the river but were eXtinguish
ed. All of the houses on the south
side of Center street as far as the
Marshall lot were destroyed. The
library building was cleared of all
the books, but the building was not
burned. On the west side of the fire
district stands the lookup and Grange
Hall, but from Grange Hall to the
iron bridge all buildings were burned.
The losses are estimated as follows:
Porter & Marston, general grocers
and feed, loss $1,000, partially insured
Judge A. Simmons, law office, loss
$1,000. no insurance. A small part of
his law library saved.
E. L. Doyen, carpenter and wheel
wright, all lost in house and shop, eX-
cepting a few TOOLS No insurance.
c. A Pinkham, laundry, loss $500.
Nothing saved No insurance.
w. E. Hilton, harness shop, tools
partially saved. No insurance.
w. r. Wait, general hardware, loss
$4,000, insurance $4,000.
Masonic Hail. loss, $4,000, insurance,
S2500.
F. S. Parsons, hotel feed and sale
stable, loss $4,000, insurance $4,000.
Parsons & Savage, carriage shop
and blacksmith, loss $500, insurance
$500. Some machinery saved.
o. w. Savage, livery horses and
stable equipment all saved. Four
large hogs burned
Mrs. Nellie Collins, dwelling house,
loss $4,000, partially insured.
J. II. Thorne, law office, all furnish
ings saved.
f. w. Bunker, stores and dwellings,
loss $4,000, partially insured.
Odd Fellows building, loss $4,000,
insured for $4,000.
H. B. Hilton, store and tenement,
loss $4,000, no insurance.
L.. P. Lincoln, undertaken, loss $3.50,
saved one-half of stock, no insurance.
F. H. Holley, drug store, loss $4,000,
insured for $4,000.
Joe Salley, dwelling house loss
5000, insurance $400.
Scott & Witham, electrical supplies,
plumbing and general store, loss $4,000
insurance $500.
Carrabassett Sub Station. loss $4,000,
nothing saved.
l. Il lthNhy lNlINdii la APA 700
office and shoe store, loss $4,000, in
surance $4,000
E. E. Sawyer, dwelling house, loss
$4,000, insurance $4,000.
Mrs. W. c. Robinson, dwelling house
occupied by S. Gray and daughter,
loss $4,000, insurance $1,000.
Bert Witham, dwelling house, loss
$4,000, insurance $4,000.
NJ. Weinberg fruit and confection-
cry store, loss $500, insurance $500.
n. w. Murphy, proprietor of Som
erset Hotel loss $1,000, partially in
sured.
H. s. Bickford, general groceries,
loss $500, insurance $1,000.
Wallace Emery, business blocks.
loss $4,000, partially insured.
Charles Crymble, dwelling house,
loss $4,000, insurance $1,000.
w c. Simmons, dry goods, loss
$6000 insurance $4,000.
Carrabassett Hall, owned by heirs
of the late ]. P. Clark, loss $4,000.
E. E. Sawyer, barber shop fixtures
were partially saved.
NJ. l.. French, clothing store loss
$4,000, partially insured.
Morse Clothing store in Collins
block loss $25OO. No insurance
7. NJ. Steward, business block, loss
$4,000, partially insured.
c. w. Rogers, dry goods, loss $4,000,
insurance $4,000.
Postmaster Hovey, loss of $500 OF
personal effects. No insurance.
DR.. Wood dentistry in the Collins
block, and DR.. Kennison in the Stew
ard block suffered total loss.
Frank Crymble, confectionery, ci-
gars, partially insured.
Gardner Savage. loss of Paine block
partially insured All household
goods lost
The people from the surrounding
towns responded quickly to the fire
alarm given out over the telephone
and from Embden and Madison they
came in large numbers. The village
people, as well as those from out of
town, furnished food and hot coffee
IN the early morning hours to all of
the people who had worked so hard
to save the homes and business places
of the town. When the fire was first
discovered in the ell of the hotel, a
small stream of water would have