Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-01-29
AUGUSTA WOOD WORKING PLANT
BURNS WITH LOSS OF $4,000
(contieyed from Page one)

paper. clapboards, paint, and oil, all
Under Tor the lightning advance of
the Inamec,R ID an effective manner.
Their hrst thought was to save the
dwelling houses which are separated
from the shop on either side by only
the 1arrpwest ~ spans. The whole
interior OF the Hoxie plant. was q
roaring vortex of flame within a few
minutes OF the discovery, and on the
north side giant tongues of envelop-
ing flames leaped out and toward
tho residence on that side, It'll it SEEM
ed that this building must certainly
be consumed. But yielding to the
concentrated attack 9f The firemen
with their i've well directed streams
of water the blaze was forced back
and back and soon controlled, though
not extinguished until early evening.
Started from ovsrheated Furnace
4 The fire started In the basement.
probably from an Oyerheated fur
mace, and the first to become aware
that the building was afire were Mr..
Hoxie and his : steH0grapher, who
were In the Office in the northeast
corner OF the main floor. Smoke was
noticed pouring up into this room
and a hasty Investigation revealed
that the floor beneath them was
ablaze. Mr.. Hoxie te1ephoned the
fire department at once, and spread
ing the alarm to the workmen in the
back rooms of the shop, effdeavored
toeave the business books and papers
By placing them in the big office
safel He had hardly time to close
the safe door and with his stenog-
rapher make his exit from the
building with the workmen, before
the licking flames had broken through
the floor in many places, and rapidly
spread throughout the entire inter-
Tor.
with the arrival of the three
trucks OF the fire apparatus, it was
at once evident that a hard fight was
ahead before the fire could be con-
trolled. The effort was first of all to
keep the destructive flames within
the building, and the firemen took
their stand on either side Of the
structure with two lines Of hose,
staging an attack which was not only
successful in saving the adjacent
residence houses, but also slowly but
surely forced the fire back into the
annex which overhangs the gully on
the west. 1t was in this rear part of
the building that the last stand was
made and the flames finally drowned
out by the tons of water directed into
them.
Though the fire mad it's start in the
front part of the shot 1t was soon
driven back, and while 1t was neces-
sary to play the four streams of
water onto the consuming flames in
the lumber storehouse, only one line
was needed to squelch the frequent
outbreaks in the front Of the struc-
ture. The spread of the fire was not
only aided by the very nature of the
contents of the building, but also by
the type of construction. The flames
found ready channels for their
speedy progress in the outside walls
and in the space between the flat
roof. and the ceilings Of the second
fioor rooms.
Intense Cold Hampered Firemen
In the intense cold of Monday, the
firemen soon became encased in
heavy layers of ice. Each splash
from the hose lines froze on their
coats. hats and boots almost instant
ly. and it was not only difficult but
extremely hazardous manipulating
the stiff and slippery hose on the ice
coated ladders. The firemen at times
presented an almost ludicrouS ap-
pearance with eyebrows clotted with
Ice and rows of tiny icicles hanging
from the brims of their rubber hats.
The crowd drawn'to the scene Shy the
alarm and by the great columns of
black smoke which rolled high into
the sky from the seething interior of
the building, were quick to discern
the intent OF the flank attack by
the firemen, and were ready to aid
In moving the stiff hose or in any
other manner that was indicated to
them by the chief and his able lieu
tenants.
Even after the flames were
coralled in the back part of the