The Republican journal., 1877-06-28
TERRIBLE FIRE IN ST. JOHN, N. B
Two-Thirds of the City Destroyed.

4"O- hiIoS VI lie ClUy DoSlTOyCu
The fire at st. John was discovered Wednesday |
evening i'll a building south Of York Point slip |
next to the Mclaughlin boiler shop, and spread to
the latter building before the tiremen reached the
scene. The surrounding buildings We're all of wood
and dry finder boxes When the engines AZ |
rived two or three buildings We're enveloped in
flames which, fed by the high wind. battled all the
efforts OF the tirencn to overcome them. The |
flames then spread to the various buildings on
Hares wharf which We're also quickly consumed, |
and before the fire could be checked it broke out
with roar into Smyth street carrying everything |
before it, From there the flames spread into Drury
lane and Mill street, following that into Dock |
street, taking both sides Engines continued to |
arrive from all points that could be reached, but
they seemed to be poweriess against the flames
which were borne over the city by the winds |
From the point where the fire started il swept /
across the city i'll south casterlv direction to
Cou.tenay bay, and destroyed every building to
the south Of the line. Two thirds Of the city
burned over, and 400 acres were swept clear Of
buildings.
The great trouble was that the wind scattered
trebrands in every direction. 1t was somewhat
disheartening to the band of workers. to learn that
a building on Main street mile away, had caught
fire from the cinders that were hurled away from
the scene OF the contagration. This was totally
unexpected and the people Of course not prepared
for 1t, so the flames went, no one being able to
offer any resistance. and house after house was
RACED while the occupants had only an opportunity
of saving their effects.
THE FIRE On THE WHAHFS.
Before the fire had assumed formidable shape on
the North wharf the men on the vessels began to
pour pals of water on the decks. The water was
low just then. and something like this was neces
sary 10 eXtlngush the sparks that We're continual
ly showered on them. Those at the head of the
slip We're. i'll a quarter OF an hour. on fire i'll so
many places that it was impossible for each out
break to receive attention. Before the vessels had
been well on fire the flames passed over their
masts, which soon afforded stepping stone TO the
shops on South wharf Not one of these west 81
Word street was capable OF wlthsandlng the IN
tense heat and the sparks All belg of wood,
they went down us if telled by Il hurricane. The
schooners i'll front We're hauled out to Il place OF
safety. Many of the occupants of the stores We're
helping their unfortunate brother merchants. and
some arrived just i'll time TO save their books.
Others were just enabled to witness the destruc
ton Of all their stock Some Of the embers lodged
in the steeple of Trinity church and German
street There nothing to save it, for tie fire
high to be almost beyond reach. The
fire was left to pursue its own way.
rAEALYZEp WITH FEAR.
Hundreds of people were so trightcnd they would
not try to save a thing, but were driven along
ahead OF the fire. Others para wed by fear
and had to carried, us was the case of one old
man over 80 years OF age. whom his son bore away
on his shoulders .Eneas did old AnchiseS In
some eases men and women. to save their
property, were caught i'll their rooms by the rapid
progress of the flames and were seen by the spec
tators To hang from the upper story windows by
their hands until they were compelled to drop into
the cauldron of flames beneath orWere swept away
in a whirwlnd of fire. The mother and two sisters
Of eX-M Mayor Thomas Reed who had been working
to save their property. were caught N the street
and burned alive. The bones We're found where
they were last seen. and where the frantic attempts
of citizens to rescue them proved i'll vain.
PRINCIrAL BUILDINGS.
Among the principal buildings DESTROYED are the
Postot1ice, Bank of New Brunswick, Commercial
Bank. Victoria Hotel. Episcopal Church 1.-THE old
est in America), St John Daily Telegraph office.
Barnes Hotel. express offices. st John Globe,
Stubbs's Hotel International Hotel, Bay View
House. Victoria School, Marine Hospital, Wiggin
Orphan Asylum County Jail, Court House. Acade-
my Of Music. Dramatic Lycenm. Bank OF British
North America Western Union Telegraph office,
Daily News and st. John Freeman Offices. Com
mercial Palace tone of the largest dry goods
adjustments i'll the Donnon} and the Custom
House.
From the Portland Daily ADV. Of Saturday.
The steamer New York of the international
Line arrived at this port from st. John at a. IN.
and proceeded TO Boston. She was lying at her
wharf at st. John at the time of the fire and did
not leave the city until noon Thursday. The fol
lowing particulars were gathered from the passeu
gers and officers by Mr. T. c. crsry. president OF
the line. who came up from Eastport
The fire began at 30 p. m. in Il coal yard al
York Point Slip and caught i'll load Of hay
There was a stiff wind blowing from the northwest
at the time. The slip covered with very old
wooden dwellings,. dry finder at the crossing OF
the lntercolonial railroad with the main road lead
ing over TO the town of Portland. The fire spread
among the buildings with astonishing lapdty
There are no reservoirs in the city, as in other
large places. and when the fire assumed alarming
proportions it did very quickly, every man who
could get piece of hose, fastened it to one of the
hydrants belonging to the water works. The great
demand soon reduced the water supply SO that the
engines could only play weak stream that did
not reach the second story windows.
The flames swept up Dock street from York |
Point, to Market Square. thence up the north |
side of King street about half way when it crossed
to the south side and thence burned clear across
the city to the Bay on the back side ON the front
ii followed Water street.-the new street at the |
head of the wharves- down to the steamboat |
wharves at Reeds Point These wharycs. belong |
ing to the International Steamship Company, the
Digby and Annapolis Company, and the Anchor |
Line, was miraculou> Y preserved by sudden |
freak Of the wind, at about p. m. at which time |
the fire had swept about as far as from the Eastern
railroad station i'll this city to Fish Point. The In
ternaional Company lost 500 tons of coal. valued |
at $1,000 ON which there was slight Insurance.
but this located in another part OF the city. |
The rest of the property was saved
After turning from the steamboat wharvcs, the
fire swept in diagonal line the city to the
Barracks. Thus while the original line of fire was
steadily advancing toward that point in straight
line, there We're this thanking line approaching in
another direction
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