Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-12-23
oad Fellows' Block Badly Damarod.
FIRE STOPPED AFTER IT HAD xArrN
THROUGH ONE END OF BUILDING.

4 $500 S4o<<60 AfTGh II HAD GATG
THROUGH ONE END. OF BUILDING.
Fire which started around the chimne
In Odd Fellow Block Tuesday nigh
was stopped only after Il had worked it
way through the partitions and th
floors, and had spread over . GOOD par
OF the west end Of the building from th
nrst door to the third. Tons OF waite
were poured into the building, and bs
sides the damage done BY the burning
doors, ceilings and walls had to b
smashed to pieces to hunt for the flr
and drown It. Besides the damage don
by water and smoke In other parts o
the building, the west end of Il Ia badl
wrecked inside.
The 6remen worked outside In o tenn
peraturs ct zero and below, and inside Il
smoke 90 thick that IL 10 q marvel hov
they could stand 1t, even with the respI
rators that some Of them wore. Tha
the building is standing 10 to be credite,
to the good work done. At one periot
OF the fire good gamblers would no
have given over twenty. five dollars TO
the building, not to mention the con
tents. 1t was about an hour and q hal
before 1t was felt that the fire was unde
control, and number of hours before 4
was regarded as all out. To add to tn,
difficulties, the lights at one time wen
on, but fortunately they came on agar
In four or five minutes.
It was q little before half past fiy,
when the fire was discovered breaking
through beside the chimney in the cor
ridor on the fret floor, near the door tc
the assessors office. An attack wa,
made on it with chemical extinguishers
and the flames were subdued, but wher
it was found that the FIRE had spread up
ward and was working In the partitions,
an alarm was given by bell and whistle
and the firemen promptly responded
Five lines of hose we're laid, two of them
being carried up stairs, while the others
worked from the outside.
Notwithstanding the extensive spread
OF the fire inside the building, only once
did It break through the outside wall.
This was on the back side. opposite the
G. r. Penley stable, and . stream of
water quickly subdued 1t.
Soon after IL was real ized that the fire
was spreading through the building, the
stock was removed from the jewelry
store of john Pierce, which was next to
the place where the fire was discovered
on the ground floor. The show cases,
fixtures and stock from this store were
taken to the store of w. o. rockingham
across the street. The Fletcher barber
shop, which Is the next room, was clear
ed q little later. Several automobiles
which we're In the show room of the
Paris Auto Sales Co. and the basement,
were run out, and the things In the
assessors Office were either put into the
vault or carried out. Nothing was re-
moved from the Stevens drug store, or
from the upper floors Of the building.
About the time the blaze broke
through the back wall, the smoke had
pretty we'll filled the building and was
rising in cloud from the western end,
and the prospect of holding it looked
1ubious, but soon afterward things be-
gan to look better. By seven o'clock It
to be under control, though
L was some hours later before the last
spark was hunted down and drowned.
One line of hose was left connected, and
he water flowed through 1t all night, as
I would quickly have frozen if the water
had stopped.
This building was erected In 1878, and
vas at that time and ever since has been
he largest and highest business build
ng in the place, housing Q variety Of
hings. Besides q full basement, occu-
pied for several purposes, there are on
he ground floor the assessors Office, the
swelry store of John Pierce, the Fletch-
IT barber shop and pool room, the show
.oom of the Paris Auto Sales Co., and
he drug store Of A. French Stevens.
rbe second floor, for many years known
Is New Hall, is now the Savoy Theatre,
/ moving picture house. On the third
loor are the hall and adjoining rooms OF
Mount Mica Lodge, I. o. o. F., used
llso by Aurora Encampment and Mount
Pleasant Rebekah Lodge.
As the result of the fire, the assessors
,fice and the Pierce jewelry store are 81
BADLY wrecked that they can not be used
Until repairs are made. The barber
Ihop and pool room are less damaged,
md are disable. The Paris Auto Sales
20. room practically escaped damage
wen from water. In the Stevens drug
tore a little water came down in the
middle OF the room and did damage to
Iome Christmas goods, but otherwise
here was no loss.
Not much Of the equipment of the
savoy Theatre was damaged, but the
how Is of course temporarily suspended,
md the rear wall, places In the sides OF
he room, and . section OF the floor,
we're torn up, besides the damage done
,y water.
The Odd Fellows hall on the third
loor escaped without damage except by
Imoke, which was not even there so bad
Is In some other parts of the building,
,ut the auterooms, which are at the
vestern end of the building, are badly
oru up, and some of the regalis OF Mt.
Pleasant Rebskah Lodge was practically
uinsd by the smoke.
The building Is owned by the Mount
Mica Building Association, corporation,
,ut q large part OF the stock is practi-
ally owned by Mount Mica Lodge.
The loss will amount to several thou
and dollars.
Even with water system In which we
rave confidence, and no wind, 1t Is fortu-
late in more ways than one that the fire
vas stopped where It was, because this
Is 80 high and OF such construc-
ion that II II were sblsze 1t would make
/ very hot fire, and 1t would be difficult
% prevent its spreading to other build.
ugs which are near.
There is insurance on all the losses.
Mr.. Pierce, whose store 10 not In con-
iition to use, moved bis jewelry stock
md outfit into the show room OF the
Paris Auto Sales Co. on Wednesday, and
has the use of the show window and q,
portion of the room, where he 10 doing
business as usual.
The barber shop equipment has also
been moved back into the former quar-
ters, and Ralph Perkins, the barber, Is
attending to business there.
Insurance on the building has been
adjusted, and work on the repairs 10 IN
progress, in charge of W. G. Pratt. 1t
10 planned to lay another course OF orick
around tho chimney which 10 used for
the boiler, and around which tho fre
started.
The Savoy Theatre show will DO sus-
pended for while, during the time that
repairs are being made.
Mrs. Rilla Durham.
After an illness OF about six weeks,
longer period of gradually
failing strength. Mrs. Rilla Durham died
Thursday morning at her home on Gothic
SL..>k NJ. nunhsun had haau n real.