Zack Leger's barn on fire soon spread
to Arthur Maillet's garage (The old Steve O'Donnel Hotel, Wise Department
Store side parking lot). The catalyst that fueled the flames was in
back of Arthur Maillet's garage. This later was rebuilt and known as
Alan Scott's Garage. A boxcar load of gasoline in 45 gallon drums had
been unloaded the previous afternoon. People rose to the challenger
in an effort to save their home. In back of the garage, Old Hughie Daigle
got on the roof of his barn and began beating back the flames. Suddenly,
there was a large booming sound. Old Hughie glanced up in time to see
a gasoline barrel miss his head by inches. He still kept working to
save his home. John Leblanc who worked for Dick O'Leary rushed across
the street into the O'Leary store this was were Cartier Co-op Hardware
store is today on Main Street. Leblanc had went to save the records.
Leblanc barely got clear than when another barrel went flying into the
store window creating another explosion and still more havoc. Following
the path of the fire is tricky and possibly is why Loyd's of London
sent an investigator. The sleuth stayed in town for three days. «picture»
No criminal charges were ever filed.
The following conversational legend has been handed down through the
generations. I first heard it while playing poker with the rumrunners.
I DO NOT CONFIRM IT. But, one story keeps surfacing that he knew it
was arson and yet lacked evidence to proceed in criminal court. He is
reported to have told two individuals just before he boarded the train;
"You know, gentleman, they say so and so burned this town. But, we
both know better, Don't we?" «picture»
The people engaged in that conversation
are, the story goes, the responsible ones. Both met a tragic end.
The path of fire was like an amateur
chess match, little organization and even less of a logical pattern.
From Arthur Maillet's Garage it jumped to the LeBlanc Hotel (Noreen
Richard's apartments) then back to Nick Mazerolle's tin shop (formally
Donnelly McDermott's store and central gossip section around the pot
bellied stove). Old Donnelly had a cuspidor in the store. The first
man that missed when spitting for the third time was booted out -- Don
followed baseball and strictly enforced the three strike rule. «picture»
One of them to tell tall tales was little
Danny Green. Mr. Green a one hundred and twenty pound wildcat, would
just as soon fight as eat. But, he was second to none when the story
hour rolled around. Green had a lot of practice; he hustled the old
shell game as he traveled with an American Circus. This location later
became known as the Western Tire and today it is Komo Sports. (Same
site - the old building went down in the fire).
Then the fire crossed Queen street (formerly
Water Street and now Main Street), to an empty store from which had
been vacated by Nick Mazerolle. Then it leaped back across the street
to burn a large house where the Foot Loft is today. Next it went to
an old home whose site is used by Gil's Denture Clinic. It then traversed
the street for the third time burning its way to the opposite of where
Stedman's store is today. «picture»