Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-01-10
HOT GARAGE FIRE
MENACES BUILDINGS
OF GRAY HOSPITAL

VI Oul0U hVVu H&
A fire alarm from Box A. at the cor,
ner Of Western avenue and Cod.
street at Ills Friday forenoon callcl
the fire department to the NescQt.
garage on Western avenue, Of which
Wallace Wescott is the proprIetor
proprietor. The garage is part 1t
the Gray hospital buildings and It's
proximity to the latter made tIe
danger seem imminent as the wind
was drawing directly towards tie
hospital. A space Of eight or ten Zee!
between the buildings. however. mad,
the situation easier to handle and the
burning building was qn!chE
drenched with water.
Mr.. Wescott and Ray Gctchcll had
been working in the garage and had
left it but a few minutes before to
go across the street to a store. On
their return they opened the door an
found the place full Of Smoke and a
fire in progress. Mr.. Wescott applied
the contents Of a fire extinsu.sAe'
but quickly saw that the fire was
out Of his control and Mr.. Getchel
ran to the fire box at the corner .,
Cool street and pulled in the alarm
Mr.. Wescott jumped into a SedaA
belonging to his wife. who is the pre-
prietress Of the hospital and eve,
though the roof of the vehicle va'
afiame he coolly backed it out Of tn
garage and ran it out to safety. TIL
tank Of the car contains SOM hin;
like 10 gallons of gasoline and tbs
helped to Lessen the danger of the fir,
J. E Hutchinson Of the Hill g.
rage, who lives near the scene Of I'll:
fire ran across and rolled a gasoIn3
tank out into the street, but accord
ing to Mr.. Wescott, the tank wa
empty as he made it point to keep
no gasoline or Oil in the building.
The fire department was quickly
on the scene and three streams Al
water were turned on the flames, The
thick, black smoke Rugged III
ground, enveloping the firemen and
yantageously. But the men. nothir;|
daunted. poured water through TIL
and doors from which shees
Of flame We're darting for 20 feet O
more into the pillows of smoke tha
were rolling up from the building
1t seemed almost certain at ons
time that the patients would have
be moved from the hospital and ar
were on foot in neighbcf
ing homes to receive them. But in
few moments the water had done i.
work, the flames had been reduces
and the smoke cleared away, so tha:
1t could be seen that the fire was uA'
der control by the flremen and tr'
imminent danger was a thing Of t-a
past.
Inside the hospital everyone man
tested magnificent control of the ST
uation. One patient. Mrs. Roscoe 40
hey was on the operating tall. Ui.
der the hands of DR.. 8. P. hna
while Mrs. Wescott was admirisf'
ing ether. Neither the physician
nurse faltered at their task, altho-;
the smoke was creeping throus-
about the windows and doors. Nh
Abbey's husband, who was At T.!
hospital, also exhibited great pre-
ence of mind and helped to carry y
WIFE from the operating table 10
bed. One man. Frank Shaw Of PNsE1
held, who is to leave the hospi.a! n
day, was in a room on the corner
the house nearest the burning ga
age and prepared by himself 10 lsa'' y
the house should there be necessn
In the garage. besides the sedan
Mrs. Wescott's, were several used az
tomobiles which Mr.. Wescott had y
sell and these were burned Fo..s'
nateiy, a new car was out for e.. ddm
at the time of the i.Ge 'H'
was unharmed. In the baseHe'.
were two pigs, but thcy passfa
through the fire without harm. lR
building was badly burned t.!roas
the eastern side of the roof and "
entire surface of Sthe walls N''
honeycombed by the flames.
The fire department fought :"
names desperately. so much was y
stake. Ladders were raised at boz
Tho front and rear of the buiidns
which was two and half stories hIS'
ana water poured in from a3o'S
after the situation was cleared up ee
ow. The dangerous character Of Ia,
lire from tho nearness of the hospl'''
and the infiammablc material Of IN
garage construction. the wood 31iu'
very dry. made 1t hard one to ;'ssl
The floor of the garage was of haF'
wood and towards the last belan Z
1urn through in the main part ri 4.
building. Chief w. w. Berry,
'peaking OF the fire in the aftern1e@
aid that there must have been s'n'
behind the fire at trst !,
he flerceness of the flames indicate.
else besides mere Woo
He stated that a garage should ~,
DO built so near a hospital ~ To-
nueh was at stake In case of ne
Mr. Wescott could not estimat+ h'
oss and said that he had a small II
,urance.
frhn al ~,,x .s~-- NJ az