The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1845-06-09
GREAT FIRE AT QUEBEC.

The Northern mail to-day brings further particu-
lars Of the terrible fire at Quebec, which occurred on
the 2Sth. 1t broke out in the tannery Of Mr. Rich
afdscn, In Villere street, and Immediately involved
the buildings in its vicinity. Sparks also set fire TO
some houses near ST. Roche's Church The wind
rising gave irresistible force 10 the fames which
swept block a(ter block before them. The fire ragged
from l in the morning ill midnight, and Its career
WINS not arrested until it had reached ST. Charles
Street, nearly mile from the place Of its outbreak.
The whole suburb of stRoche was entirely consum-
ed Between 2U0 and 1900 houses burned
down, thousands Of persons made houseless, and
it is thought that very many lives were lost. Seuen
dead bodies had been taken from the ruins. One &C
cout says;
eighteen schooners burnt at the Pnlais, al
SO a new vessel; Mum IS ship yard is entirely de-
stroyed The whole of st. Roche is mere wilder
ness of chimueys The loss orpropery has also been
attended with considerable loss OF life. II is concc
tured that not less than one hundred persons haze per-
ishei
The value Of buildings and moveables may be 400
000l., of which but small portion is insured, say,
go ,000l The Mutual Insurance Company in
existence in St. Roche s, but all parties involved
in rum. Dry goods people will be great sufferers
1t is estimated that 7OOOOl OF new goods have been
sold to ST. Roche store keepers since the arrival of
the vessels. In fact every person must suffer
OF less
Another thus sums up the ruin caused:-
"Nohing left, from where you begin to descend
Cote les Braz, at Toumgeau's, running down the
large street towards the Marine Hospital; everything
the right, till you reach the water thence to the
! two distilleries, M'Ca!lums and Loyds, these in
cuded, is destroyed; the fire ending rather being
arrested the point where the roads St. Paul street
and Hope Hill diverge The loss in round numbers
be easily nscertained, but half million will
| not cover the losses, nor perhaps 100000.
"The losses by the mercantile lower town people,
will be heavy. Almost all the bankers were burned
outM' Conkey, Clarihue, Tourangeau, &C. and
nothing saved. What renders matters more disns-
trous is, not house in ten in St. Rcche's in.
surcd, and those insured principally at the Mutu-
al Insurance Company, which, being composed oil
persons residents Of st. Roche the company is de-
funct, for if his neighbor los, and his
neighbor owes him los, and neither has wherewh
to pay, both ruined. Very many lives have been
| lost.
"Six bodies this morning taken out Of the
Church, which fell prey to the FIRE. The Conven,
was saved with great difficulty, although the distance
between them is very arge--but such was the "a
pidity Of the raging element
The Montreal correspondent of Livingston & Co..
suys:-"The loss Of human life must have been very
great, but as yet only twelve bodies have been dis
covered. One painful incident the destruction
ofthe hospital, to which, being considered entirely
out Of the reach Of the conagraton, numbers OF the
sick OF all classes we're carried. when, melancholy tc
relate, the building became ignited by the fakes O.
fire carried from the distance by the wind, the unfor
tunate inmates, unable to help them selves, persisted
mserably The total loss has been variousy esiinat
ed from 8 Il 600 900 to $4,000, 900.