The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-05-22


Editor if you had been here You would
have cried too--these same men are
| holding their right hand high and
say we are going to build and build
better and larger. We are not dis
couraged We are walking forward
not backward.
"On Tuesday night, May goth, the
Chamber of Commerce holds a meet
ing in the town hall, and will there
take steps to rebuild and if any one
has cold water to throw, please stand
on the outside.
yes, We are going to celebrate the
Fourth Norridgewock Agricultural
Society assisted by the Chamber of
Commerce will carry this celebration
through. Our post Office has tenn
porary quarters, also bank. drug store,
barber shop, Burgess and Henderson's
grocery store, and I'm sorry to say
that there are others that cannot
seem to find place to locate.
1.-The new spirit in this town is at
work You cannot down town that
has a spirit of progress" added Mr..
Crommett
BUSINESS RESUMED
Norridgewock, May 20-At about
three o'clock Friday morning. May
16th.. the inhabitants of the town of
Norridgewock discovered that their
fire engine hall was all abaze and
it seemed as though the town was
doomed to be destroyed by fire. Miss
Ruth Mcdonald and friend were re-
turning from dance held in one of
the nearby towns when they noticed
that seemingly the whole front of the
so-called fire engine hall was all
ablaze. They gave the alarm but
one call was sounded before a short
circuit made the alarm useless. Quick
ly the shoe factory whistle sounded
but as this is not shrill whistle but
few people were awakened As it
was the few who had arrived were
so busy fighting the blaze they had
no time to sound other alarms and a
great many residents on Main street
and in fact all over town did not
know the fire was raging and among
these people Were several of the mer-
chants whose business places were in
the path of the fire. The central Of
flee of the New Sharon and Norridge-
wock Telephone Company situated
just across the stream from the burn
ing fireman's hall was in great dan
ger as well as all the other build
ings nearby and caught fire several
times. A big pole just outside the
central office burned and this put the
Office entirely out of commission as
all the lines were broken. or course
the electricity had to be cut off at
once but as daylight soon came it
made things easier Outside telc-
phone wires We're tapped and help
summoned from Watervlle, Skowhe-
! gan and Arson There was mis-
understanding what was needed in the
way of fire fighting apparatus and
the nearby towns quickly responded
but could not use the hose they had
brought as the town has no MIGRANTS.
The boys made themselves useful
however and helped form a bucket
line and also to save valuables from
the buildings After over two hours
the engine arrived from Skowhegan
and as soon as the water commenced
to be pumped from the stream the fire
was under control. There was hard
ly any wind though earlier in the
night the wind had blown a gale. AS
il was big pieces Of charred tarred
paper were carried to places within
radius of nearly two miles but no
other buildings excepting those very
near caught fire. The Huntoon store
caught fire and quite a large place
burned near the roof. Nearly all
the other buildings in the immediate
vicinity Of the fire either caught
from sparks or from the intense heat
but by the aid of chemicals and wat
er were not destroyed. AS 1t was
the buildings completely destroyed
were the fire engine building which
was two story building with store
Carr block, the II N. Carr block. the
Hussey block, the Burgess & Hender-
son block and the residence of Mrs.
Jessie Rogers. The loss was esti-
mated at about $780, 900 partially COW
cred by insurance. In the engine
building was complete fire fighting
apparatus of which the town had been
Justly proud The building erected
by interested citizens about fifteen
years ago cost the town at that time
$1,000 as more than half the labor
on the building was given and at
this time the building could not be
replaced for $2500. In the basement
were the supplies, etc, and on the
street floor a chemical engine valued
between $500 and $500, and gaso-
line fire engine valued at s2400 hose
carriage. ladder truck with 40 feet eX-
tension ladder, a number of hook and
wall ladders, about $1,000 worth of
double covered lined rubber hose. six
teen flreman's coats and hats. and on
top of the building an electric fire
alarm placed there by public subscrip-
ton valued at $3.50. The third floor
was used as a club room and had a
valuable pool table and outfit. There
was no insurance on building or
equipment.
In the next block owned by Misses
Charlotte Greenbank and NJ Louise
Carr of Wellesley. Mass, was, first,
the George Jewell barber shop. Mr.,
Jewell saved the most of his equip
ment and is now located in the F. L.