Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-10-26

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From the \ 7. World, 10th.


the past that Of London in September,
1866, will always stand pre-emihent for
its terrible destructiveness.I 1t follow
ed upon the great plague, which had
carried off one-third of the population
in the previous year, and swept over
nearly five-sixths Of the space includ-
ed within the city walls AT that date
It lasted four days, and the ruins COW
cred 436 acres. It destroyed eighty
nine churches Gncluding st. Paul's),
the Royal Exchange, the Custom house,
Guild hall, Zion College, and many
other public buildings. besides Is, :
200 private houses -Four hundred
streets were entirely laid waste, and
about 200, 900 of the inhabitants of the
city we're obliged to encamp for some
time in the open fields of Islington and
Highgate. The most disastrous fire
in London since that occurred on the
25th OF March, 1912, when 200 houses
in the Cornhill Ward were destroyed
Many destructive fires have occurred
in British metropolis at later dates,
the most recent worthy Of special note
being the burning of the cotton and
other wharves of Tooley street in June
and July, 1851. The fire continued
raging with greater or less fury for
nearly month Several persons were
killed, and property WAS DESTROYED to
the value Of $4,000, 600. So
On the 9Th Of May, 1912, a fire broke
out in the city of Hamburg, Germany,
which ragged with great fury for four
days, destroying about one third of the
city. SiXty-one streets, containing L.
TAT houses, were utterly laid waste and
thousands OF people We're rendered
HOMELESS. There were few public
buildings of value destroyed and that
portion of the city was quickly rebuilt
in much more substantial manner
than before
In this country great fires. especially
before the day of improved tire-engines
have been comparatively frequent, and
New York has had her full share In
September 1875, soon after the city
came into the hands of the British, 800
houses We're destroyed, forming at that
time q large part of the town. The
buildings were rather huddIed together
at the lower end of the island, and were
mostly of wood and the district west
of Broadway ana below Cortiandt street
was swept bare. New York was visited
by another great conflagration, the
greatest in its history, on the 10th of
December. 1885. Six hundred ware
houses, and property to the extent of
over $40, 900, 900, were consumed. Our
oldest inhabitants stiI remember the
horrors of that terrible disaster. On
the 9th of September, 1889, the city
had another severe visitation, when
forty-six buildings and property valued
at So 100000 were destroyed The
next contlagration of large extent in
this city took place on the 10Th of july,
1916, when 302 dwellings and stores in
the lower part of the city were destroy
ed. These, however, were of compare
lively inferior value, the whole loss
amounting to $4,000, 600 Four lives
were lost on this occasion. Since that
time. owing to the increased efficiency
OF the means employed to prevent and
extinguish fires, they have generally
been confined to single building or a
small group. a' .' l.'H
In the same year of the last great
fire in New York, 1915, Quebec suffered
terribly from the same destroying ele-
ment. On the 2Sth of May fire broke
out in the Faubcurg ST. Roch, which
destroyed 1,5O0 buildings before it
could be quelled. Several lives were
also lost. Exactly one month later
1900 buildings were burned, and by
these two conhagrations nearly two
thirds of the city was laid in ruins.
The pecuHary loss has been stated at
IS, coo, 900. In the same year, on the
18th OF June, nearly the whole town of
ST. Johns, Newfoundland, was destroy
ed, and 5000 people were rendered
homeless.
Albany suffered from q great contia-
grafton on the 9th Of September, 1913.
Six hundred buildings, besides steam
boats, piers,sand other property, Waited
altogether At $4,000, 900 were burned.
Twenty-four acres OF land within the
city limits were covered with ruins.
st. Louis had great fire III May
1919, when fifteen blocks Of houses and
twenty-three steamboats, were 'consun.-
ed, causing a loss OF over 50, 000, 600.
Philadelphia mas been fortunate in
having few great fires, but one occurred
in that city on the 9th of July, 1850,
which destroyed $50 buildings. These
were OF inferior value, and the whole
loss was but 81, 500, 600, though twenty
five persons were killed, nine drowned,
and l20 injured. >.
A large portion of San Francisco was
DESTROYED III 1851 On the Sd of May
n fire broke out which consumed nearly
,, 500 buildings. causing loss of So
800. 600, and several lives. A little over
a month later, on the Odd of june, 500
more buildings were burned, valued at
S3.ON 900 OF more .---