Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-22
BELFAST
Local Garage Well Filled with
Expensive Autos Narrowly
Escape Destruction
from Fire
JOHN COCHRAN CHAPTER,
D. A. R., TO PLACE MARKER

The manner in which the Belfast
firemen handled the fire Thursday
night shows that the city has nothing
to fear so far as they are concerned,
but the fire. fighting apparatus and the
manner of handling the crowds at such
time can be improved upon. Last
night the crowd was unusually large
owing to there being a band concert
which had called out many, SO that
before the fire alarm was given even.
there was a rush for the scene Of the
fire. Hundreds ran down the side
streets and autos were thicker than
flies. 1t is a great wonder that there
were no accidents, but luckily there
we're none. The firemen were greatly
handicapped. however. in getting
through the crowd with their apparat-
US and there should be some extra
policing at such times and every pos
sible aid given the men who work so
hard to save the property Of others.
Had the fire of last night not been
discovered when it was, had it hap
pened at midnight or later, it would
undoubtedly have been one of the
worst the city has known in many
years, for it had already caught on
the back of the big store house be-
longing to the Read Garage in which
many cars were kept, while directly
across the street, Beaver, which is
little more than an alley, is the ga
rage with its gasoline and many cars.
This building is practically connected
with the other buildings which make
up the block in which is the HoWes
building, the Odd Fellows building and
several smaller brick stores, ending
with the Chase building on the corner
of Main and Beaver. The Windsor
Hotel, McClintock buildings and Ma
sonic Temples are opposite the garage
on High street. Everything was par
ticularly dry last night after several
extremely hot days and it would have
been a terrible conflagration had it
gotten underway. AS it was it was
confined to the shed in which it orig
mated, and to one end of the garage
storage The shed was owned by the
F. B. Knowlton estate and occupied
by unk dealer. the cause Of the tre
being spontaneous combustion in old
rags, etc. stored there. The garage
store house had 10 cars in it. includ-
ing a 16-passenger Stanley Steamer,
which brought the Rumford baseball
team here yesterday, and on which the
chauffeur was at work. AS soon as the
FIRE was discovered the crowd was call
ed upon to get the cars out and in less
than five minutes every one had been
run out, only one under its own pow
err, not scratch or particle of water
damaged them. On the other side of
the alley in the brick garage. there
were IS cars, including a limosine,
owned by a Californian who was a
guest at the hotel These cars were
run out under power.
A special meeting Of the John Coch
ran Chapter D. A. R., is called for
Tuesday afternoon a o'clock at the
home of the regent, Miss Amy f. Stod-
dard, Church street, to make arrange
ments for dedicatins the marker which
the Chapter is to place at Fort Pow
nal. Stockton, next Friday. The dedi-
catory exercises will be held in the
afternoon and it is hoped that there
will be a large number Of members
and others from this city attend. The
marker is being made in the shop of
A. S. Heal stone worker, and will be
simple and plain.