The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-06-28

6. Bank; Richie Building; Academy Of Music.
z Sermain Street Methodist Church.
g. Custom House.
o. TO- II. Hotels.
IL. Old Kirk.
IL. Baptist Church.
4 kkilita.y kdsaS Z Asiiaisgs sIls! gs...., S s..-
B. Kings Square
g. Queens Square.
The thriving City of st. John, N. B.
numbering population in 1871 of nc arly
29, 1000, and about Il, ,00O additional in the
suburb of Portland, was visited by ter
rible conflagration, on the Goth, and by
far the larger portion of the city wal
completely wiped out of existence. a
dispatch of the 21st summarizes as follows
"The entire business portion of the CITY
is destroyed. Not a leading establishment
has escaped. All the principal dry goods
stores, the leading grocers, all ship
brokers, commission merchants; all the
wholesale liquors, flour, provisions, coal,
salt, lumber, tea and West India goods are
utterly wiped out. Forty odd blocks, OF
nearly 200 acres south of King street have
not six buildings remaining There are
no regular postal headquarters in the city
proper. Every street, square and alley
is filled with furniture, and thousands of
people are without either food or shelter
The International Company's steamer
New York sheltered and fed ,0O0 persons
last night, and vessels in the stream have
large numbers Of people on board. Thou.
sands had to get away from the lowerpart
of the city by boats.'
The fire was discovered in a building
owned by Mr.. Fairweather, on the south
OF York's paint-shop, next to McLaugh-
Inns boiler-shop. The flames spread to
various buildings on Howe's Wharf,
which were quickly consumed, and the
flre broke out with a roar, into Smith
street, carrying everything before it.
From there the flames spread into Drury
lane and Mill street, following that into
Dock street, taking both sides. The tim
der boxes on fire, aided by the wind,
formed a. scombination~too much for the
gallant workers, and almost in despair
they saw The flames advancing upon them,
not slowly, but with rapidity that ap-
palled the stoutest hearts. The buildings
We're Qmass Of flames at the end OF Smith
gale took the flames across Union street to
he opposite houses, and then they receded,
but their touch had been fatal. and in less
than five minutes the buildings we're
l'omed to destruction. Both sides of the
the street were soon in the grasp of the
ievouring element.
Proceeding along Smith street in
sautberly. direction the fire soon reached
Nelson street, and then Robertson's place.
It then extended to Robertson's Wharf,
and then up South Wharf. As it gained
Nelson street on the south, it met flames
coming up that street, and the combina-
lion made terrific heat that could not be
borne. Allied with the strong wind from
the northwest, it did not take long for the
entire wharf to be ina blaze sSOme en-.
bers5 lodged ii the steeple Of Trinity
Church, on GefmaiI street, ahdswitf moth
inc to save it, for the fire was SO high as
to be almost beyond reach, and the flames
were left TO pursue their own way.
I A building on Charlotte street had hard
ly become prey to the flames when others
on the Sbther side followed. In half an
hour all but thes German street side of
the square waSsin ashes. The Victoria
Hotel and ST. Andrews Church were in
great danger, and the hotel guests, as we'll
as employees, baran!to make preparations
for seeking new quarters. Very little
time was given them to collect their yalu-
ables, and in majority of cases the in
mates had to leave with scanty wardrobes.
About the same time St. Andrews Church
took fire:aud was speedily consumed.
The buildings at the southern cornefef
Dock and Union streets, and on the, bpss
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