Wednesday, the Fourth of July, 1866, will never be forgotten
in the annals of Portland. It was a day of Terrible devastation and ruin, a day of
mysterious Providential dealing such as no city ever before experienced.
The night of the anniversary of the Nations
Independence, which was to be a day of mirth and enjoyment, was turned to a night of
terror. The leaping flames came on, licking up house after house, reaching out a forked
tongue to engulf and devour. The citizens stood aghast. Petrification appeared on the
countenance of every man, and the utter futility of human edeavors to arrest the destroyer
was inscribed on the countenances of all.
Portland was unprepared for such a calamity. The great
desideratum was WATER. The wells and cisterns were drained early. Water, water, was the
universal cry. Their firemen on account of their almost superhuman exertions were
paralyzed. And yet the wall of fire walked onno check anywhere: PORTLAND WAS DOOMED!
The city was deficient in fire apparatusbuildings were torn
down by ropes, fire-hooks not being a hand. As a general thing the streams of water front
the steamers were feeble and too few.
The Fire Department of the city is below what it ought to
be. It lacks zeal, daring and efficiency, and the blame is not with the firemen, for they
are a hardy and brave set men, but with the City Government. It has been niggard in its
policy. The steamer sent to save the new City Hall got to work ten minutes too late. The
attempts to blow up buildings were too long delayed, and when executed did no good. There
seemed to be wanted a head to control matters.
On the flames came, sceming to gather increased wrath and
devastation as they progressed. A rain of sparks covered the pavements, and the dry
shingled roofs were again and again getting into a blaze. It seemed as though human effort
was idle to save for a moment. Our beautiful city, our home, our delight, our pride, with
its tree-lined streets, its magnificent dwellings, its churches and marts of trade, seemed
to be selected on this eventful night as the victim of the dread fate of the Almightys
wrath.
The fire swept completely through the city from the foot of
High street to North street on Munjoy Hill, destroying everything in its tracks so
completely that the lines of the streets can hardly be traced, and a space 1 mile long by
a quarter of a mile wide appears like a forest of chimneys with fragments of walls
attached to them.
The fire commenced in the Deguios boat shop on Commercial
street and was caused by a lad of firing crackers among some shavings on the outside of
the building, which set them on fire. The flames quickly communicated to the interior of
the building, corner of Maple and Commercial streets also caught fire and rapidly burned.
There was a high wind prevailing at the time and the flames
and cinders were blown directly upon the extensive buildings of the Portland Sugarhouse
Company. Soon these were a 1 on fire, and the large founderies of Messrs, Staples and Son,
N. P. Richardson on Commercial Street caught and though the most strenuous exertions were
made to save them they were entirely destroyed.
From these points the fire rapidly extended to York, Maple,
and the lower part of Danforth streets to Centre Street, destroying everything. From
Centre street it extended to Cotton street, thence to Cross street, running up that street
to Middle street and extended down Middle Street to Temple to Exchange streetfrom Fore
street to the City Hall, and then down Myrtle to Cumberland streetfrom these bounds to
India street, every building, save the Custom House is destroyed on the north side of Fore
street, both sides of Middle street, both sides of Federal street, both sides of Congress
street, all on the south side of Cumberland street from Myrtle to Washington streets,
except the Radford house on the corner of Pearl and Cumberland, together with all the
buildings on the intersecting cross streets.
The fire crossed Washington Street and destroyed a large
number of buildings between that point and North street.
The flames blew over into Oxford Street, and several
dwelling houses were destroyed, and the flames are still raging.
The buildings occupied by the Custom House and Post office
was considered fireproof. But the flames crept into the upper part of the building,
occupied is the Court Room, and the interior was badly damaged. The Post Office part was
not so much damaged and the mail were regularly made up there Thursday.
It is estimated that 1500 buildings have been destroyed. The
loss is estimated, roughly, at fifteen million of dollars. So far as we have been able to
learn there is insurance for upwards of $4,000,000.
As to the names of the sufferers it is utterly impossible at
this moment to give them. The heaviest losers are Hon. John B. Brown and Sons and Mes-rs,
Churchill, Brown and Manson, who estimated their loss at $1,000,000 on which there is
insurance to the amount of $600,000. This does not include the private buildings owned by
Mr. Brown.
Eight Churches were destroyed; 1st Baptist, Federal Street;
St. Stephens Episcopalian, Pearl street; Universalist; Chapel Parish, Middle street; Pearl
street Universalist; Chapel of the Immaculate Conception, Catholic, Cumberland street;
Swedenborgian, Congress street; Bethel, Fore street; 31 Parish, Congress street.
Eight Hotels were destroyedElm, International, American,
Commercial, Franklin, Kingsbury House, Sturdevant House and Freeman House.
The unfinished marble hotel erected by the late Hon. John M.
Wood, was burned down. The beautiful mansion of Mrs. Wood shared the same fate.
Every Newspaper office in the city was destroyed. There is
no exception. The Advertiser, Argus, Press, Evening Star, Mirro, Transcript, Zions
Advocate, and Price Current printing offices are gone.
All the Banks in the City, viz.: 1st National, 2nd National,
National Traders, Casco National, Canal National, Merchants National, and Cumberland
National were destroyed.
Every lawyers office in the city was burned down. We believe
there is not a single exception.
Property Destroyed after being removed.
It was considered by every one that the City Hall would pass
unscathed and consequently furniture and valuable articles were carried here for security.
When the fire caught on the building there was hardly time to remove them and a large
portion was destroyed.
Many persons also removed their furniture and goods in what
the considered safe places; but the fire reached and destroyed them before the owners were
aware of it.
Commercial Street
From the coal Office of Wm. H. Evans, near High Street to
Cotton Street, every building on the North side was burned.
York Street
Every building on the South side from High Street to the
Junction of Danforth Street; and on the North side the three buildings next to Maple
Street, and all below Maple to Danforth
Danforth Street.
All the buildings on the south side, from Maple to Fore
Street, and all on the North side from the Gore House
Centre Street.
The brick building on the Western corner, and all the
buildings on the Eastern side nearly up to Spring Street.
Cotton Street
Three buildings on the West side, near Fore Street, and six
or eight on the other side of the street. The fire here did not extend up Fore Street.
Cross Street
Both sides completely cleaned out form Free to Middle
Street.
Union Street
All gone. All the shoe and leather shops, Winslows foundry,
Grants coffee and spice factory, and everything on both sides of the street.
Plums Street
Every building on both sides gone. Among these, was the
residence of Rev. Dr. Carruthers, and the building of the Portland Athenaeum.
Exchange Street
A mass of ruins. Coreys great furniture establishment, all
the bookstores, jewelers shops, insurance offices and everything, save the Custom house,
from Fore Street to Congress Street.
Lime and Milk Streets
Every vestige swept away, including the Milk Street and
Warren markets. The fire extended clear through to Congress Street.
Temple Street
Everything in ashes from Middle to Congress Street.
Myrtle Street
From Congress to Cumberland, nothing on the West side is
gone but for the City building. On the East side all the buildings but the two lower ones
were destroyed
Fore Street
With the exception of a block of three brick stores
belonging to the estate of John Fox, every building on the North side of the street, from
Centre to India Street, is destroyed. On the North side of the street no buildings from
Cross to India were touched
Free and Middle Street
The Free street block was destroyed, with the exception of
the store owned by Mr. Tulford, and every building on Middle Street, on both sides, from
the junction of Free Street to India Street, with the single exception of the store of
Messrs. D.F. Emery and Sons, which is untouched, though the adjoining stores on both sides
of this were destroyed. Here were all the principle dry goods establishments.
Federal Street
The shops of Messrs, Marr Brothers and that of Dr. Manson,
at the Junction of Federal and Middle Streets, were saved. On the South side of Federal
Street, every building from Chase and Co.s hardware store, to India Street has gone. On
the North side every building from and including the Elm House to India Street shared the
same fate.
Congress Street
From Temple to India on the North side and from the City
Hall to, and including the catholic schools house, above Washington Street, on the South
side all in ruin.
Cumberland Street
On the South side all the buildings from Myrtle to
Washington Street and thence above Washington Street up Munjoy, are down. On the North
side all the buildings from the Radford house, corner of Pearl Street, are gone.
Oxford Street
In this street the fire was raging Thursday, but it was
confined to the upper part near Washington Street.
Washington Street
Several tenements were destroyed but we have not learned the
number.
Other Streets
In Silver, Willow, Vine, Deer, Chatham, Franklin and
Hampshire streets every building was destroyed......
On July 4, 1919, tragedy struck the Chautauqua. “World War I,
the war to end all wars, was over November 11, 1918 ; the flue bug was gone. This was a
beautiful, warm day, big crowds at Lake Madison Chautauqua grounds. With basked after
basket of food, many families decided to celebrate the Fourth of July at Lake Madison
.” J. Ervin Boyd. This was the mode of the day that promised happiness and ended in
tears and sorrow; mourning and loss. This was the 4th of July, 1919 . 
“We heard them yelling and
hollering…we thought they were cheering the fireworks. Later we realized it was a
scream for help.” Melvin Pickard. Melvin and his mother and father were standing on
the shore. His sister, Ruth, had made it on board, but there hadn’t been room for
Melvin and his parents. Two hours later, Melvin and his parents saw the body of Ruth being
brought into shore. Melvin explained later that toward dawn he had to go home to milk 21
cows and do chores. His parents stayed to wait for authorities and make funeral
arrangements. During the long night, Melvin, his family and others were headquartered at
the Red Cross tent that had been set up for the July 4th emergencies. 
Ben Olson, the engineer, had returned from
army duty shortly before the accident. When his body was recovered, the ticket and silver
coins were still in his jacket pocket.