Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-05-09
Starts in Bruce Concern

The blaze, apparently originating
in the grain store of the Bruce Con-
| Germ, quickly spread to tho stores
which adjoincd to the east and in
GLIDING Smiths grain store, Shaw's
grain store, j. Morris second hand
store. Pierce's Public Market and
Marden's candy store on the west.
~ heavy explosion, apparently from
grain dust, wrecked the top of the
Bruce store shortly after the start of
the fire and partly destroyed the
tenements over the Norris shop. The
tenants. Mr.. and Mrs. Bert Robin
son, Mr. and Mrs. John Day and MIR.
and Mrs. Fred Reynolds, just escaped
ahead of the blast. being forced into
the street in their night clothes.
Fire Chief Small quickly sizing up
the situation and seeing the hopeless
ness Of lighting tho roaring flames in
the two grain stores, directed the
firemen's efforts TO halt the sweep Of
ilamcs at the Smith grocery store
east of Brucc's and the candy shop
VI Maruen on the west.
A brisk wind from the northeast
was blowing and famed the flames
which at times leapcd % or 80 feet
in the air, holding the smoke to the
ground in dense clouds so that for
minutes at q time it was impossible
TO see the burning stores from the
car track on Cony hill. The burn
ing grain made heavy biting smoke
that hampered the fircmen greatly
and there was grave danger OF q
second explosion.
On the back of the buildin. three
streams of water were played upon
the burning wooden buildings, but
so great was the Roadway attained
by the flames that as soon as tho
water was moved TO n new spot the
fire would break out again where it
had apparently been subducd.
A line of hose on the roof of the
building to the east of the fire was
being utilized to keep the flames
from spreading in that direction, rs
were two other lines, one on the
front and the other on the back. In
spite of this at $50 the flames
seemed to be creeping dogedly in
that direction, and 1t seemed that
the Smith grocery store would suf-
fer a very heavy damage. and the
fire would probably be held at that
point. ' a
At the other end Of the block the
flames were checked in the Pierce
NVnlll1
not reach the Marden Candy store,
although it would undoubtedly suf-
fer n heavy water damage.
The property damaged and the
owners and tenants as far as could
be ascertained were: The Marden
Candy store, bad water damage;
above the Marden store a tenement
occupied by Oscar Friedman, which
is also badly wet down: then tho
Pierce Public Market. suffering bad
water damage and probably some
from flames, damage estimated at
! $4,000, with the tenement over head
! occrpied by Fred Reynolds, Bert
Robinson and families: then the
second hand store occupied by John
| Morris with the tenement of John
! Day above, loss about $4,000, due to
| flames and water; these buildings
were all owned by. the Titcomb Real
Estate Co., the Shaw Grain Store.
owned by J.. A. Shaw. Quilted, dam
age SIS, 200: The Bruce. Store. owned
by A. L. Rose. Quilted. damage $16.-
600; the Smith grain store, badly
damaged by water. and fire, loss
about $4,000, tenement over head
\ occupied by Warren Pierce and
! family OF eight, this building owned
by the Augusta Real Estate Associa-
ton. These figures are OF course
approximate and the damage will
probably be at least as high as
stated.