, 1870-05-31
IMMENSE CONGREGATIONS,



A"e F4fe at seaebec.
From tie l1utee Chronicle. HovA
At o'clock this morning the alarm sounded
tron the box ia The yicinity nf 81 Tnch,a
Chu1ch. which called tle Ere Rr;g.1s % nroronta
IL to the spot. Defore lie water en,1a5 h. dI,.
t,;ncd intf, fha direction n who're tho fra S.so
going m, the fames fannut by strono e e,sts
er1y Wini. had cnrnmunicntel to a nun,fer of
houses in the vicinity OF Crown
and Queen streets, and It became evi-
dent to the spectators then that no effort
could saYe st. Hoch's from confagaation,
equal, il not Of greater extent, than those Of
is15 ana 1865. Gnr reporter lost no tine il
reaching the spot, and on his arrival lie found
the houss, OF Nj. Berahe completely envel-
ness as TO drive the fire to tho opposite side
Of the street. The people residing in Tic
vicinity had, at this moment, commenced
to fully spprehen1 tho danger Of their
sitnation, as many OF them could
be seen lur1yiug to and fro through the
furniture and wearing apparel as could 30
conveniently removed to places OF safety.
The sight, in eomo caseH, Was most appalling,
pooT women, with barely glitch OF clothing
On their backs, were met at every turn-most
Of them carrying their chilarcn-rushins in a
The flames gathered strength and intensity,
!eaping NTH fearful violence, from ono build
ing to anotheI;-sweeping before it everything
Of a combustlbie nature. IAe wind blowing
at the time from the cast, directed tho ten-
dency OF the name towards the Marine and
General Hospltais,runang through Queen
and king streets, down IS low as Prince Ed
ward street, which is near on i line with the
waters edGe, ano at me tme our reporter
!e1t, han-Past TINS nolhlng; lens we're Gu
'c1t9lne" u LIS oe1 nsn5 VI LIE Aa'1ae Hos
punk
II an up"ar1 Glfecilon, the IRE had gained
as far as the wall OF tho Jacques Cartier Hall.
On St. tFanc,s street, anu IN Ills direction Lad
carried everything before 1t Up to the street
known As :" pleu1 pont, Or Old Bridge street.
The projecting caves OF the jacques Cartier
Hall caught ire IN sevesal places but. owing
TO its height from the ground, 4 sufficiently
strong pressure Of wafer could notbe obtained
the spot where Tie ase had caught.
after conslderabie ahcuify' ladders
we're sphced togethcr, ana lllted TO tho
sde Wan o. ING nat upon "Men the nose vas
raised, but not before great deal q time lad
i:eeu lost. When We jeit this section Of the
de1s, and there remained probability OF sar-
ibg the building. The forces Of the Fire
Brigade we're next concentrated on Old Bridge
street, which runs from Waller street to the
River st. CHARLES; Here, a. number Of
the Roman Catholic Church, who were
present directing, set to work and tore
Gown all the temporary fencing and other
email, buildings. galleries, railings, &c., that
could be disposed Of By the hands. The fire
had also, in its rayages, continued to syeep
along with terrible force through King and
over fifty houses ut a time.
Az an instance Of the rapidity with which IL
erread, re noticed at one epot where A
family, in its despair, had gathered together
few ecraps Of furniture, which they had a
few moments before removed from their bum
fore they could gather euf1icient composure to
realize their awful situation, they had, with
number of other persons, to fee before this
terrible scourge, which has, for the third time,
befa1len this unfortunate section Of our city.
With considerable difficulty we succeeded
in moving along King street, with tie
view Of getting back to Crown street. 10
an intersectiug point around which tho fra
had passed, bit, owing to the clouds Of dust
and ire, wtic1, seemed to fall with the yelocity
Of hail in thunderstorm, ne found it, for the
moment, impossible to carry ont our intended
wish. In King street, where it would appear
the poorer portion OF the st. Roch's population
reside, the most appalling scenes could be Wit
messed. While passing the door Of house,
few seconds before it feu prey to the de-
vonrpg element, an old man seated
SSeN-|*
not, to remove from bis dwelling his unfortu-
nate bed-rldden daughter. A short time
Afterwards the poot thing Wes removed from
the house on s6etchef and was taken under
the direction OF Mr. a. J. Ma1ham to one OF
the uptown hospitals.
In Crown street, number OF daring and
reck1ee8 vagabonds had collected, Will the
view ct plundering the goods and ef1ecta.
which people had been irving to save. Ne
noticed = gang Of four boys, not over 10 years
Of age, in 4 half-drunken condition, reel.ng On
the sidewalks, draining the contents from
brandy bottles, Everything at the time was
in confusion and disorder, and Of course these
worthless beings escaped arrest and pupish-
ment, which they SO richly deserved. An
other resident had removed from his house 4
e ze glbbstsE bes7 ssesas bes,s of ths va m
up in the confusion. In the ehip-yard Of Lane
q Co., hundreds Of persons had conrregated
to protect their effects; and, as we left they
might be seen clustered around them il
groups Of five and si1. Another poor creature
few worldly possessions, crawled The length Of
a room in the upper etory, out Of which he hid
to be afterwarr1s removed by force. Had euc1,
means not been adopted, the uufortunnte fe]-
low would here lost his life.
II ia c1a.v1r eat,b,;e1,od h.~,,,a .1,o ,..a.-
themeelres hare been the principal and only
them. Had our municipal authorities car
fied out the law, relating to the construc-
tlon Of wooden buildings with effect. this
turning would not assuredly have taken
place. Tho moment the fire commenced to
gain headway, it would exceed eupcrhuman
effort to control or check it. The streets ia
some places exhibited the most awful nn-
rearance Perfect Ehirlwinds Of fire micIt
Ee eeen in every direction-there beipg no
efficient obstacle to ofIer as barrier to the
progress Of the terrible aeyastatiou.
Although, Is No said above. the fire had
heen checked in q westward direction. fiat IL.
on q line with old Bridge street. It Ind. in tho
meantime, made considerable ileadwav down
towards Ill. Dald,fin'a rhin-yanl IA We
left. MIR. baldwin, Was nresnnt himself.
with few men, and. Judging from tho direc-
ton ii which the fire was Then extending. his
fears were OF the worst kind. Should that
gentleman, who has now two vessels On the
stocks, being built under an immense shed,
be unfortunate enough to lose this valuable
property, the ire may communicate to the nd
lotnlnP Eatus IN briaee st5es;, am pr9oanty
s, ea.en1 as ~ i1 ~ tetets Ain: ehoula tnis
.ne less sao u @ pTopetts VIII oe very sleat
ae II s,oseE S3'u, "ortn o1 properly mas
oeen oes1lo5ed; up 70 Inc moment OF or 60
ing 70 pfess' "mch Ii IN part covered oy N
a"neo' .....-
FIRE BRIGADE.
Tho brigade, under the direction Of Mr..
Ferguson. wrought INCREASINGLY and with great
daring throughout the fire. It cannot be ex-
pected for moment that small brigade such
is ours could gropple with 20 extensive con-
fag7Atiop, but what they did do they did well,