Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1917-01-17
BIG FIRE LOSS.
Fifty Thousand Dollar Blaze in Ellsworth,
Business Section.
HEAVIEST LOSS IN G. l. MORANd'S DEPARTMENT STORE
pARcHER'S PHARMACY, DIRI0O CLUB DR.. A. c. HAGER.
THY AND DR.. G. c. KNOWLTON OTHER LOSERS.

I'LL nANO I'm ~ ~ nlNN
The business district Of Ellsworth was
visited by . disastrous fire last Friday
evening, causing . loss variously esti-
mated at from 90, 900 to $4,000.
c. L. Morang's department store SUI
tered the heaviest loss, two Of the three
buildings occupied BY this store being
Quilted, and heavy stock damage being
sus,aiued from smoke in the third build
ing.
The building occupied BY George A..
Psrcher's drug store and the oflices Of DR..
A. c. Hagerthy, and owned jointly by
them, was also badly damaged by fire and
thoroughly wet down.
The fire started in the rear Of the Eppes
building, the lower Of the three Morsng
stores. Chief Engineer Goodwin thinks
the fire started on the second floor, but
Mr.. Morang believes 1t must have started
in the attic. AT all events, it had gained
surprising hesdway when discovered
shortly before z o'clock, less than an hour
after the store closed. The origin Of the
fire is unknown, but is attributed to
electric light wires.
Within few minutes of the ala rm, the
fire had broken out OF both sides OF this
building and communicated with the
adjoining buildings-the Psrcher and
Hagerthy building on the west and the
second Morang store on the east. The
rear and upper parts OF all three buildings
were soon a mass OF flames.
All these buildings are set closely to-
gether, in long row OF frame buildings,
and the only way to get at the flee was
from the front and rear. The three
Morang stores all opsned into each other
with large passageways, which favored
the rapid progress OF the fire. Between
the middle and upper Morang stores is q
spa re OF little more than four feet, the
stairway to the Dirigo club rooms on the
second floor OF the middle store filing
this space in front.
Here Chief Engineer Goodwin saw at
once that the stand must be made. A
fire stop OF carpets and rugs was hastily
erected across the passageway between
the middle and third store and four
streams of water prevented the further
progress OF the fire eastward.
The Ellsworth firemen, augmented by
the Ellsworth Falls firemen and hose,
at the height of the fire had ten streams
pouring into the flames. 1t was stub
born fight, the thermometer at zero add
ing to the difficulties under which the
fremen labored, but gradually they gained
the upper hand, and soon aiter s O'Clock
had the fire under control. Chief Engineer
Goodwin and few men kept water on the
smouldering ruins all night.
The two Morang stores were Quilted, and
the stock practically q total loss. The
lower of the stores, where the fire started,
was the mems department, clothing, boots
and shoes and furnishings. In the second
building were dress goods, silks, dry goods
and LADIES' shoe departments. In the up
per store, where the stock damage was
principally by smoke, were the ladies'
garments, small wsres, hosiery and car
pets.
Mr.. Morang's loss Is estimated at around
10000. He 10 well protected by insur
ance.
DR.. Knowlton, whose offices were on the
second floor OF the lower store, had no in
surance. His loss is about $500. An x
ray equipment, which he had just moved
into his Office, but which had not been
set up, went through the fire, but it is be-
lieved is not seriously damaged. Most OF
his Instruments he had in his cases at his
home.
The Dirigo club rooms on the second
floor Of the middle building were burned
out, with all furnishings. The clubs loss
is about $500; insurance, $500.
The upper part and rear of the Parcher
and Hagerthy building is burned out, but
the fire did not get into the drug store.
The loss on this building is estimated at
1900; insured.
Many articles and show cases were
moved out OF the Psrcher store before the
water reached it, but the store was thor
oughly soaked down. The loss is esti-
mated at p 900; insured.
DR.. Hagerthys' office loss is estimated at
800; insured.
NOTES OF THE FIRE.
The Dirigo club piano has been through
four fires, but it doesn't look good for any
more.
DR.. G. c. Knowlton has his Office tenn
porarily at his fathers law Office on State
street.
This is the third time the Dirigo club
has been burned out. The club has lie ased
Its former quarters over the Robinson
1ewelry store, and will fit them up at
once.
DR.. Hagerthy moved out of his office
the night of the fire, and in again the
next morning. He is loud in his praise
OF the work OF the firemen, and OF the
men who helped move his books and
furnishings.
little blaze like that OF Friday is not