Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-10-24
ROBBERS AT wopKETHE MIDST
OF THE PANIC.
TERRIBLE SCENES.
The Calamity owing to ~DrunIer
CareleSsness.-

N"S AASbf-A5 hOfL OF Iali-grOggery
where numbers Of low characters were in the
habit OF resorting and card playing. On
Saturday night number Of them had con-
gregated there, and, notwithstanding the
eiFil regulation for the closing Of such places
at midnight, IRUDEL allowed them TO con-
hnue 70 carouse far into the morning. There
is but little doubt, therefore, that the awful
calamity owed its origin to drunkenness and
carelessness, as when first observed between
hali-past four and five o'clock, yesterday
morning, the flames were burning out over
the door Of TRUDEL's bar-room in the lower
Hat. The police raised the alarm, the door
was burst in, and an attempt made 20 stife
the ire, but il proved Intellectual, as the
opening Of the door only served to give vent
TO the flames, and before few minutes had
elapsed the whole interior Of the house,
which was wooden one was in a blaze
the inmates having only time to save them
selves.
BY this time the fire haI ade rapid
headway, having eommunicated 10 the ad-
joining house on the westerly side, and was
burning with great fury-helped on by a
northeasterly gale blowing at the time, and
the tctal absence Of water. Water was not
to be had. For an hour il did not come.
and by that time the fire, driven before the
heavy wind, had spread to the wooden
buildings in rear Of TRUDEL's, and was
moving with lightning rapidity in south
easterly direction across st. Roch's-bpild-
ing after building Of the small wooden gtr.Ic
tures IN that quarter catching and propaga-
ting the fire, while showers of burning Gin
ders fell on all sides on the shingled roofs.
and every moment increased the number of
Nur hs.st L II.
Gated in a northerly direction to the houses
on the opposite side Of st. Joseph street.
fronting TRUDEL's, and was RAPIDLY working
Its way towards the district laid waste bv the
disastrous fire in the same qua rter last year.
and laterally towards the river side. When
the water did arrive the flames had obtained
too strong headway TO save any Of the
buildings already attacked, and the attention
of the Fire Brigade and Sape,ps and the
other fire companies, was turned to the pre-
vention of the spread Of the devouring ele-
ment, by pulling down houses ahead and
drenching Others with water. In rear Of
the Jacques Cartier Hall, their efforts were
efiectually frustrated for time by the acts
of some unknown rufiians, who deliberately
cut the hose with axes, their intention
being, doubtless, to hinder any attempt to
check the progress OF the ERE, in order to
give themselves ample opportunity 70 rob
and plunder. The fire continued TO rapidly
advance 10 the southwest, the infamable
material which it everywhere met in the
small wooden houses in that quarter adding
fuel TO il at every step, until cut diagonally
through st. Roch's, debouching upon ST.
Waller street, at It's intersection with Caron
street, about 81 o'clock On the other side.
hs, huA Id -
with equal rapidity as far as St. Anselme
street, laterally, and as far as King street.
sweeping everything before it over the
burned district Of last year, on which sew
eral new and substantial brick houses had
been erected, and uon which, in front Of the
Congregation Church, a large quantity Of
frewood was also piled-the only building
untouched in this quarter being
the church ITSELF which for over two hours
stood in the greatest danger, being sur
rounded on all sides by the flaming houses
but escaped as if by miracle.
About half-past nine o'clock, valuable
TO the Fire Brigade arrived in
the persons Of detachment Of ROYAL Artil-
lery. The ARTILLERY brought a quantity Of
powder with them, and an attempt was
made to check the flames, at the request Of
the Mayor, by blowing up in the direction
of CarOn street. but il proved Intellectual.
By eleven o'clock, the fire had traversed
Caron street, and was raging violently in
the district beyond, sweeping in one sheet Of
fame from the General Hospital on the
water side, TO st. Waller street, and was
gaining swiftly towards the Cliff following
the west side Of Caron strset, and plunging
into the densely packed mass of houses that
spread through st. Sauveur and Boisseau-
Vile, TO the swamp known as the Bas Bijou
BY this time, so extensive was the confa-
grafton, and so utterlyIinadequate were the
means Of checking it in any way, that all
hopes Of doing so were almost completely
abandoned-it being believed that nothing
could stop the fire in the direction Of St
Sauveur and Boisseauville until il burned
itself ont by reaching the open country.
For some time several large houses along
the south side OF ST. Waller street offered a
stout resistance TO the flames, but they we're
overcome, aud soon wrapped in the general
sweep Of destruction. The fire had now
eaten into the heart of ST. Sauveur, which ii
swept along ON both sides, 20 the ST. Sauveur
Church. For n considerable time the
church withstood the attacks af the fiery
element bat like the rest il was forced at
last also 20 succumb, notwithstanding the
extraordinary efforts made to save il. The
fne new Presbytery Of the Rev. On
LAT FArHERs, aud the Friars schoolhouse
and the Nunnery building next followed,
and the flames continued To spread in the
direction Of Boisseauville, without theslight-
est abatement.
On the other side Of St. Waller street, the
fire after crossing Caron street, directed its
desolsiing course in a westerly direction,
sweeping the whole space comprised between
the General Hospital and ST. Waller street,
10 within a stones throw of the toll-bar,
where il sgain traversed 81. Waller street.
heading the FIRE around the St Sauveur
Church and sweeping of everything before
Il towards the Biiou. About noon there was
a luli in the gale, and the wind shifted round
tn the southwest. bringing the fire back in
The direction Of Crown street, where it de-
loucbed between Prince Edward and Smith
streets, in the immediate vicinity OF the
Marine HosDital. for the safety Of which
fears were entertained, burning some SIX or
seven houses on Crown street. About three
O'clock he conaagration had gained its
beigbf. and Al that time the whole district,
rom Crown street.-the latter not included,
however. with the exception Of six or seven
untouched from Belair street 10 Waller
street as Car as its intersection with Caron
stree. down to the waters edge on the north
side. and 10 Waller street on the other, as
las - the Biiou swamp and the toll bar to
the wesi-a distance across Of about mile
and a half was one complete mass Of roar
ing flames About four o'clock, the wind
orain fortunately shifted back 10 the north
80 driving the ERE back from Crown over
tbe burned district once more, where the
dsmage was already done, and BY six clock
Il had completely burned itself out having
reached the open country below the toll bar
-, he North side Of ST. Waller street, aud
Biiour swamp on the other beyond Boisseau-
vile and 81. Sauvenr--an area Of about
mile and half square-the only building
rcmaini.,g untouched in the whole Of this
Iorce sp,ce being the Congregation Church
h n Rscl's. the General Hospital, two or
,brce small, isolated houses, on the north
side of ST Waller street, some two or three in
,he immediate vicinity Of the toll bar, Nc