"This picture was taken on the morning of March 5, 1918. The fire caught in the upper story, and very slowly spread to the floors below. There was a good deal of anxiety for fear this large structure might communicate the conflagration across Madison Avenue diagonally toward the business section. The Waterville Fire Department were notified and entrained, ready to come to Skowhegan's aid, but were held at Waterville and finally advised that their assistance would not be needed.

~ Roland T. Patten, Custodian of Historical of Views, 1929"