The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-05-16

burdensome. there was no delay in caring for the immediate needs of the struggling families whose all lay in the snarled fire tract.
 There were few, if any, who lacked shelter and place to sleep during the night. And as fathers and elder brothers and sisters re- turned to the mills and factories to-day for the wages now so sore- ly needed, professional and volur- teer relief workers strained to bring comfort and cheer to the women and children.
 In old Auburn, relatives and friends cared for many of the fire outcasts. Hundreds of cots and blankets were provided at the Lewiston armory, Lewiston Y. M. c. A.. and Auburn Y. M. C. A. Sev- eral hotels accommodated hapless families, and the Maine Central railroad furnished 14 boarding cars with sleeping space for 125 men.
 Many Lewiston and Auburn resi- dents came to Red Cross headquar- 'ters with proffers of sleeping quar- ters for the homeless. The Salva- ton Army was among the first to provide food. and also helping in this ward were the co-eds at near. by Bates college in Lewiston, who put their domestic science training to practical use as they prepared hundreds of sandwiches for the hungry.
 The w. F. Libby company. wool en manufa cturers, furnished q building for storage of salvaged furniture. Le Messager, French newspaper, informed the refugees, a majority of whom are of French extraction, where they might find food, clothing. medicine and other supplies.
 Unlike the Ellsworth fire-in connection with an amateur wrest- Ter is under arrest-the blaze that swept the river side of New Au- burn started from accidental cause in the garage and filling station of Arthur Pontbriand at Mill and Broad streets in the business sec- tion. Ensuing gasoline explosions scatetred the flames over a wide area and, driven by a 30-mile .northwesterly wind. it soon was be- yond control of the local depart ment,
 During the three or four hours that the flames ragged uncontrolled, attachments arrived from no less than IS outside cities and towns Gray, New Gloucester. Portland. Lewiston. Augusta, Waterville, Nor way. South Paris, Rumford, Lisbon Falls, Brunswick. Bath. Bangor Sabattus and Mechanic Falls.
 Handicapped by low water pres sure, the firemen resorted to dyna- mite but in the end it was the width of the Androscoggin river. abating of the wind, and Building Free Oak Hill cemetery that com bined to check the conflagration.
 Sparks floated across the An droscoggin to the twin city of Lewiston but caused comparatively slight loss of only three buildings Workers, however. played streams of water on huge storage tanks of the Lewiston Gas company to pre- vent greates disaster.
 Perhaps the most serious injury suffered in the fire was that of Leon Anclain, sexton of St Louis French Catholic church. who broke his ankle when he fell IS feet from the church roof. where he was beating live embers. The church and a convent housing I5 nuns were saved, but the parish school was destroyed.
 The Rev George E. Cyr. assist ant pastor of the church. helped nuns lead 600 children from the frame school building to safety out side the fire zone. Nearly 400 pu- pills of Wilson grammar school al- so were led out.