Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-10-19
TERRIBLE FIRE IN QUEBEC.
NEARLY $500 HOUSES DESTROYED,
AND $4,000 PERSONS RENDER
ED HOMELESS.
QuEnEc, Monday, Oct. Is. 1s6l

QUEBEC, Monday, Oct. Is, 1866.
AT O'Clock yesterday morning fire be
gan in the house of Mr.. Trundel, grocer, on
81. Joseph street, near the Jacques Carter
Market. Owing 10 the early hour in the
morning few people were about. The wind
which had blown half gale from the east
all night had slightly abated, but still con
tinued with such violence as to cause serious
apprehensons which were afterward un-
fortunately realized. BY the time the fire
brigade reached the scene Trudel's house
was envelOped in flames. The sappers were
already there, but there was some delay in
laying the hose and getting sufficient water,
which was not remedied for nearly nm hour
Meantime the fire made rapid progress; no
less than 10 or IL houses were on fire, and
the lumber and wooden sheds on all sides
were ignited. By 81 o'clock so houses,
all built of wood, were in a blaze. The
flames, driven by the wind, were spreading
in all directions. At o. over 150 houses
were consumed.
The fire by this time had run along ST.
Joseph and Notre Dame des Anges streets to
the junction of ST. Waller street, carrying
everything before it, The church OF La
Congregation stood in great danger, but
sudden varying of the wind saved it, Cross
ing st. Waller street the fire soon afterward
spread into st. Souvour, and among its hun
dreds of wooden houses ragged with defiant
fury. House after house fell prey to the
flames. II was thought that the houses to
the eastward would be saved, but the fire
crept back, continuing Its work of destruc-
tion. At II O'Clock the whole centre of the
district lying between ST. Sauvours and the
lower streets running parallel with the river
was charred and barren waste, and having
nothing TO feed on there, the conllagration
distributed itself in opposite directions, the
wind increasing again, and blowing in gusts
from every direction. Three separate con-
tiagrations were observable Mt one time. St.
SAVIOUR Church, Dunn's soap and candle
factory, Rice's rope walk ana other large
buildings were in flames Along 81. Waller
street toward the tOll-gate and the streets
surrounding the General Hospital and Con-
vent, another terrible fire was raging with
even greater fury, while at the backof Crown
street, along Prince Edwards, Jesuit and
Rilard streets, the flames were creeping back
and enveloping street after street in spite of
the almost superhuman eXertions of the
soldiers and the seamen of the Aurora. The
conilagratiOn ceased al about o'clock, when
there was nothing more for it to feed on. A
moderate computation places the number of
houses destroyed at $500, and the loss of
property at from $2, 300, 900 to 81, 900, 900.
The number of persons rendered homeless is
estimated at $4,000. The body of man,
burned almost to crisp, was dragged out of
a house in ST. Souvour, near st. Waller
street. 1t could moi be identified. Sergeant
Hughes of the Royal Artillery was blown
up and badly, though not dangerously burn
ed. Lieut. Douglas of the Aurora was
severely hurt by falling building. Several
of the seamen received contusiOns, but, so
far as is known, no one was seriously injur-
ed. Lieut.. Benin of one of the regiments
had his arm broken by falling beam.
AT OTTAWA.
OTTAWA, C., W., Oct. 15.-A destructive
fire occurred here Yesterday Many tene-
ment houses burned and large number of
families turned out of their houses, losing
everything.