The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-06-29
The st. John Fire.

hC SA'g VI hb' oOilAi, etDOhI ohc iltiAi
of which was destroyed by fire on
goth inst, is the principle city of the
province of New Brunswick. and is the
principle metropolis of the Bay of Fun
day. 1t has been termed from its
favorable situation for commercial
purposes, 1.-THE Liverpool of America
The ridge upon which it is built is COM
posed of solid rock, through which the
streets haze been cut atgreat expense
The plan OF the streets is regular, in
cludlng a succession of rectangular
squares. The general appearance of
the city, however, is dinsy, owing
to the difference in the size of the
buildings and to the absence of paint.
To the north of the city ard on the
other side of the valley which separ-
ates the rocky ridge Of st. John from
Portland Heights lies the town of Port
land. which is connected with the city
by a continuous succession of houses.
Across the st. John River is the town
of Carleton, connected with the city
by a steam ferry. The population of
st. John, by the census of 1871, was
2S, SOC, and that of Portland IL. $40.
The fire which devastated st. John
commenced in the northwestern part
of the city, or that part farthest Up the
river, and near where the Intercolonial
railway reaches the harbor From
that port it swept southwark to Mar
ket slip, used principally for the light
packet-boats and produce vessels from
the adjacent counties which vessels
bring wood and provisions for the use
of the city. When the tide is out the
boats in this Sip are mostly left ground
ed in the mud. Crossing the slip by
traversing the masts of the vessels the
flames swept southwark along the line
OF tie river, destroying on the way
the new Post Office, an elegant build
ing of gray sandstone, ornamented
with columns of polished red granite,
and surmounted with q c!ock-tower
one hundred feet high. The next
building destroyed was the Bank of
New Brunswick, fine structure with
a granite front, and beyond this the
Custom House, a plain and massive
stone building thirty five years old, was
destroyed. The City Hall, in the same
neighborhood, was also burned down.
Continuing in the same direction a
number or the leading hotels and busi-
ness blocks were swept away.
Whilst the fire was sweeping along
the line of tie river and for some
blocks back of it in south westerly
direction it was also making headway
along King Street and adjoining
streets lying between these two boun-
dairy lines. King street is the main
business street of the city and runs
from the harbor on the river, across
the peninsula on which the city stands,
to Courtenay Bay. All the principal
retail stores are on this street, between
the harbor and King square, and along
Prince William street, down which
the fire passed in its southwesteriy
course. King street was swept clear
as far as King square, and that also
suffered severely.
All the government and municipal
buildings are destroyed, with three
banks, eight hotels, eleven churches,
two benevolent institutions, all the
newspaper offices, and large number
of business blocks. In all about four
hundred acres are reported to have
been burned over, about half Of which
space was occupied with important
buildings of brick and stone, inter
spersed with wooden structures.
Among the Eo;els destroyed is the
Victoria, the largest and best hotel in
the Maritime Provinces, and capable
of accommodating three hundred
guests. Close py this hotel was st.
Andrews Presbyterian Church, noted
for its quaint interior. Trinity Church,
which burned early, its spire having
caught from flying sparks, was a large
and plaiu wooden structure, built in
l7SS. and which was interesting be-
cause os the Ipural tablets which
adorned its walls, after the fashion of
old English churches, and for the Royal
Arms. which formerly belonged to
Trinity Church in New York. and was
brought to ST. John by the Loyalists
who emigr ,ted there in 1888, having
been rescued from the New York
church during the great fire of 1776.
The Virgins Male Orphan Institution.
near by, which was also burned, was
a new building in gothic architecture,
of red and gray sandstone, erected at
a cost of 500. 900, and considered the
most elegant and systematic structure
in the Province, but which only &C.
thirty orphans. r /
There were three steam fire engines
in st. John, and a complete system of
fire alarms. but unfortunately very in
adequate provisions for bringing the
into rapid service. The
knowledge of this fact induced some
Insurance companies to reduce their
risk in the city. The Portland suburb
had an engine which was early brought
iCto action, and the Carleton engine
was dispatched across the river on the
steam ferry, but the flames had obtain
ed too much headway ior any of these
TO be of much service. aud the strong
wind speedily increased the
.ontiagration 10 dimensions that set
all the means for checking It at de-
lance.
The loss of property is roughly esti-