The Republican journal., 1921-01-13
A Disastrous Fire

And One of the Most Fortunate Escapes
in the History of the City. Its Damage
Difficult to Estimate.
The fire alarm from box Is was rung in
shortly after 2 o'clock Thursday morning
for fire. that started in the northeast
corner of the coal shed of the Consumers
Fuel Co. At the time the alarm was
sounded the flames burst from the build
ing and the sky was lurid, while volumes
of smoke, sparks and burning embers
were borne on the high wind that was
from the north. Chief Engineer Shute
and every man of the department re-
sponded and in very short time Seaside
was on the scene ready for duty. About
1000 feet of hose were laid r use on the
burning building and nearby property.
Nearly 1900 tons of coal made fierce
tire and the coal shed was beyond saving.
Constant drenching did fave the section
of the shed containing about 400 cords of
wood and kindling. The wind was blow
ing away from this section of the Sheds
The fire soon spread to the wharf of the
Pejepscot Co., about so feet distant, and
caught the large building containing their
electric plant, hosting gear and runways.
Their wharf was also injured and large
quantities of lumber for their wharf ad-
dition was destroyed.
The pile of $500 tons of pulp wood in
the yard caught fire in several places and
the conveyors over it were charred The
wood was green and burned slowly, Civ
ing good opportunity to reach the fires
before serious damage could be done.
Large crowds collected to witness the
spectacular effects and many private citi-
zens did very effective work in assisting
both the property owners and the fire de-
partment. Bucket brigades were formed
and Chief Shute stationed hose carriage
with men on Spring street, where it
seemed most dangerous and liable to
spread
Burning embers were carried as far
west as Congress street, where pieces as
large as mans hand were lodged on
roofs and some in brush banhings. At
the new Radio station large quantities
were put out and the next morning sew
eral charred pieces were found in the
vicinity of the South Belfast cemetery.
The blaze was seen miles from the city
and telephone calls sent in to know the
particulars.
That nearby buildings escaped is as re-
markable as it is fortunate. Cooper's S
lumber yard and large buildings adioin-
ing the Pejepscot plant on the south
were in imminent danger and if they had
caught nothing could have saved the
plant of the Belfast Fuel & Hay Com
pany and Mathews Mill and storehouse
just beyond. Mr. o. E. Frost, proprie-
tor cf the mill, was on the roof of the
building soon after the alarm was given
and said that in less than half an hour
the roofs were actually carpeted with
sparks and burning embers They were
carried against the mill windows with
the force of ha''
The Belfast Foundry buildings owned
by A. C. Hopkins, are Just opposite the
pulp wood yard and MIR. Hopkins moved
out the batteries and other auto supplies,
ETC., stored there.
Bernes o. Norton had large number
Of autoes stored in his building just north
of the Holmes buildings AID he moved
them OIL as soon as possible.
Frank L. Whitten of the firm of Swan
Whitten grain company, moved out his
office goods, books, etc., and said that
he thought it would be impossible for
the tiremen to save the buildings when
he reached them soon after the alarm
sounded. Only the width of the rail-
road track is between the company's
large grain building and the Holmes
woodshed.
That any of the Pejepscot plant and
The 3, 800 cords OF wood remain is also re-
ma. kable. The tug Pejepscot saved the
barge No. 2 of the company and the
lighter Radlum, owned by Bicknell of
Rockland, then aground at the burning 6
wharf. Capt C. B. SWEET, the local
manager, says that his first estimate of
the total damage to the Pejepscot Paper
COMPANY of S1OO 600 was not over eSti-
mated. He also says that the general
public has little idea of the value of what
the machinery, supplies, ETC., of the