Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-27
ALBION FIRE
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one of the windows they ran into
one OF the buildings below and made
vain attempt to save some of the
stock. but the only thing they were
able to get was a small load OF
sheepskins.
The men had Just gotten to work
after their noon hour. going on duty
at 1890 i. NJ. when the confiagra-
ton started. +. +. Drake. a towns
man who happened to be at work
near the mill saw the flames and
rushed with other neighbors in the
vicinity to help save the place. But
few frultless moments of work
near the scorchine flames were
necessary to show that it was i'm
possible to do anything until help
was summoned and Mr.. Drake noti-
fed the Fairfield fire department
which responded as quickly as possi-
BILE considering the distance. Some
time after when they arrived two
lines of hose were laid from the
steamer and all effort was made to
prevent the blaze from spreading to
the Chalmers Mill and into the
northern and eastern section Of the
town.
The fire and smoke could be seen for
miles around, and besides nearly every
one in Albion many people from Fair
field, Benton and Waterville came to
the scene. a busy line of men carried
water from the little stream beside
the tannery and others kept a sharp
watch to see that the fire did not
spread into the woods.
The flames were heavy and the
amount of heat radiating from them
hampercd the speed of the firemen and
helpers. but under the circumsta of
lost time everyone deserves good
| amount of praise and credit.
About 100000 feet of fine pine, hem
lock and spruce lumber owned by G. n.
Chalmers, who owns sawmill near
the tannery, was burned, causing a loss
| of over $500 which WAS not covered by
insurance. Mr.. Chalmers also suffered
| big loss IL years ago when his entire
sawmill plant located in the same place
was destroyed by fire.
| The tannery was plant consisting
or four buildings and was the largest
| industry in the town. Besides this of
! Importance were the Chalmers sawmill
and n corn cannery. Mr. Besse en-
| ployed eight men and kept his bust
\ ness running most of the year round
| The loss Of this industry will be Sc
we're to the town of Albion as we'll as
Yto the owner. When interviewed ne de-
clared that he was undecided as ia
what >his future plans would be, but
he stated that he would probably build
again somewhere.
Among the buildings destroyed was
; dry loft 100 feet long by SO feet wide
,, and the main working building pbout
/ Z: feet by 40. A fine lot of valuable
! machinery was wrecked by the fire and
about all left standing is the huge
| chimney and furnace amongst the
charred mass Of juggled iron and smok-
irg ashes. The brisk west wind doubt
less helped to feed the blaze. but resi-
dents of the town stated that the lum-
Der and buildings were very dry and
thought that IL the town had had fire
| apparatus little could have been done
| to save the place. A small chemical
| fire extinguisher was brought out but
| was found defective and could not be
used.
Mr. Besse stated that he had sma Il
| amount of insurance on his property
$4,000 on the building, $500 on the ma
chinery and $500 on the stock.
The loss on the buildings was esti-
mated at about $4,000 and the stock
OF 20O0 dozen sheepskins We're valued
| at $4,000. Machinery was DESTROYED at
loss OF $500 and $3O0 worth of bark
was burned.