The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1920-06-10
MERRILL BLOCK TO
Be REPAIRED
Business Firms Sustain
Big Losses
Edward \. Merrill Block Partially
BurnS-Damages Estimated nj
From 1900 TO $4,000

Fire in the Edward n Merrill block
which fronts on both Water and Rus
sell streets, Monday morning. caused
damage estimated at from 10000 to
$780, 600. The origin is a mystery but
the flames seem to have started in
the basement of the block under the
millinery store of Miss Della c.
Bouchard The smoke was discovered
as nearly as can be determined pour
ing out of the Water street side of
the store by John Taylor about
o'clock in the morning. There was a
theory that the fire might have ig-
nited in the basement of the Blunt
Hardware Co by someone throwing a
lighted match or cigarette stub thru
an open basement window, but the
detection of the fire on the other side
of the building and on the other side
of a partition to a certain extent ex-
plodes this theory. The fire depart
ment fought we'll what proved to be a
stubborn fire to handle and the all-out
signal was not sounded until $50 in
the forenoon. The tares were for
the most part confined to the Bouch-
ard millinery store and the Hulares
store but water and smoke caused
heavy damages to the other occu-
pants of the block.
The damage to the building itself
is estimated at 100000 The Law
Offices of Edward f. and William Fol
som Merrill are located on the sec
ond floor. The fine furnishings and
elegant library were removed from
their suite. but aside from the inCon-
vcnience sustained by the firm. the
marring Of furniture. etc. the dam
ages in that part of the buildug
largely result from smoke. The loss
on the building is covered by insur-
ance Work in repairing the struc-
ture will be begun as soon a posi-
BILE
Hulares Eros. who occupied the
west store next to the Philhriek block
valued their stock at $1,000, one
Thousand dollars worth Of sugar be
ing destroyed in the connagration ac-
cording to member of the firm. The
loss WAS about half covered by in
surance They dealt in fruit, con-
fectionary and soft drinks with hat
cleansing aud shoe shining parlor in
the rear Hularcs Bros. came here
from Lewiston about four years ago.
They are to relocate in their former
quarters when suitable repairs have
been made.
Miss Della c Bouchard, the proprie-
tor of The Bonnet Shop sustained
heavy loss She valued her stock at
$4,000 and she was insured for $500.
The fixtures and furnishings of her
store were elaborate and unusually
attractive. She had been in her new
quarters but short time. An ef-
fort has been made to recover some
of the fixtures from the ruins altho
they are badly damaged. Her safe
fell thru into the cellar and the door
was found open. The greater part
of the money which it contained was
found but valuable papers were miss
ing and small amount of cash Miss
Bouchard will continue to occupy her
former quarters as soon as repairs
can be made. Siie was insured with
A. II. Cleveland e. Co.
The Blunt Hardware Co.. altho sus-
tanning but little loss from the actual
destruction of goods by fire lost heav-
ilv from water, the damages being es-
timated at $4,000. The goods in the
store were but little damaged but
their large stock in the basement was
so badly wet down that much of the
stock Is reckoned at a total loss.
They are fully covered by insurance.
j. p. Oak, whose furniture store Is
situated next east of the Blunt Hard
ware store sustained damages amount
ing to several thousand dollars on his
stock. The foot and a half of water
in his part of the basement caused
much damage to goods stored there
while the fire also damaged his stor-
age rooms in the second story on the
Russell street side of the block. He
Is fully covered by insurance.
F. F. Sawyer, candy manufacturer
who occupies the store in the east end
of the building sustained slight dam
ages from the water in the cellar. He
is insured and his total damage will
probably not exceed a hundred dol
lars
Green Bros. tenants of the Phil
brick Block adjoining the Merrill
Block sustained damages to stock
stored In the basement, fully foot of
water standing there. Insurance
covered the loss which was estimated
at $4,000.
The Merrill Block and Hulares
Bros. were insured in the Wentworth
&. Plummer Agency; the Blunt Hard
ware Co and J. p. Oak carrying some