Portland, Maine, USA (Deering)
1908 - Million Dollar Blaze this Morning at Portland, Maine

Fire Started in the City Hall, Destroying County Records for the Past One Hundred Years - the Fire Chief Badly Hurt.

Portland, Maine, Jan 24. - A conflagration visited this city early this morning and was not under control till ten o'clock this morning. The flames were fanned by a howling northwest storm, and threatened the destruction of the city. The city hall and the Methodist church were the principal buildings destroyed.

Fire Chief Eldridge was badly injured; he was struck by a heavy piece of pipe.

One thousand people attending a dance at the Pythian hall had a narrow escape.

The fire started in the operating room of the city electrician, at the city hall. The loss of the city hall is six hundred thousand dollars, partially insured. The city records were saved but the county records for the past hundred years, were destroyed. The total loss is one million dollars.

Lima Daily News
Lima, Ohio
January 24, 1908

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