The Portland daily press., 1877-06-27
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JUNE ~.
The st. John Fire.
A Thrilling Narrative of the Calamity
Gratitude for PoriIand's Aid-The Loss.
es and Insura rance.
SATURDAY NIGHT, June "a, 1877,

smouldering ruins was plainly visible, and
forest of chimneys and tottering walls told Of
vast desolation which had been wro ught in
single night. As the steamer came into the
harbor she was espied by the furnishing multi
tude, and when she touched the wharf thou
sand people, the most of whom had hardly
tasted food for twenty-four hours, gave cheer
after cheer and threw up their hats in their
ecstacy of joy. The gratitude of the starving
people for Portland's prompt and generous
contributions can better be imagined than de-
scribed. They were the first to arrive and were
the first tangible evidences OF the deep sympa-
thy OF the people of the states for st. John in
the houE of her dire calamity. The precious
cargo war promptly 1nloaded and taken to the
skating rink, where it was distributed as rapid
iy as possible to the eager multitude.
When stepped from the boat in the face of
the worst reports and rumors that came before
left Portland, L was wholly uDp-epared for the
scene of the utter ruin which then met nv
gaze. As far as the eye could reach there was
nothing in sight but tottering walls, crumbling
chimneys, smoking ruins, piles of brick and
stone which but few hours before were state
Iy stone warehouses, manufactures, hotels,
schools and churches and dwellings. Square
after square, acre upon acre, to the north to the
east, on the south and the west, from water to
water-the devouring element had spared moth
ing. tried to find what was left of the city
there was nothing left. A small strip on the
north side of the city, an Insignificant rim
is all that remains.
The city of st. John comprised an area of
about 800 acres. At least 600 acres are burned
over so thoroughly that not building escaped,
and of the wharves that we're but two remain,
those of the International and Anchor lines.
These we're only saved by the herculean efforts
of Capt Chisholm, agent, and one other, who
fought the fire on wharf and warehouse as it
caught here and there, themselves burned
through to the skin, and obliged to throw water
on each other at intervals. These two wharyes
were packed solid with living, terror stricken
beings, the only refuge from the sea of flame
which ragged on every other hand. Had these
wharves caught fire the only possible recourse
of that immense throng would have been the
deep murky waters of the Bay of Fundy, God
only knows what power saved them, and in fact
we cannot imagine what prevented far larger
Loss OF life than actually occurred, so swift was
Remember. the fire caught about D. M, and
before midnight the city was nowhere, the Gus.
tom house, post Office, all the public buildings
and banks, dozen newspaper offices, all the
shipping and insurance offices, warehouses and
stores by the hundreds, dwellings by the thou
sands, all wiped out of existence in the short
space of half q dozen hours. The shipping at
the gharves did not suffer SO severely as might
nave been expected, most of those living at the
wharves being able to pull out into the bay be-
lore the fire reached them, though L counted in
one slip, at low water, the charred bulls of four
hot hoI
waters edge, and also was on board of another
noble ship (Capt. Seeley's) that had been pulled
ont and then obliged to cut away all her masts
and standing rigging in order to save her. There
were but three Maine ships in port and all safe.
Yesterday and today the authorities have
and chmneys which stand swaying to the dan
ger OF all, on every hand, pulling some down
Witn hooks and drag ropes, blowing others I'M,
while detachment of the New Brunswick ar.
tiliery has been bombarding with solid shot
those which were too hazardous to approach.
As whole, the city has been safe and orderly
since the night OF the fire, owing, perha ps. to
the fact that precautions were Immediately tax
en- to put the city under such control as would
prevent the worser element from coming to the
surface ana showing its teeth. Hundreds of
special police were sworn in, COMPANY of the
cd Regiment N. B. Volunteers and the New
Brunswick ARTILLERY were called out at once
and camped on Kings Square and Chipman's
Hill: Two hundred men of the 9th Regiment
britisn regulars (the Duke of listers Regi
mens) came in from Harfsx, while last nigh
ID. b. NJ. ship-of war Argus came stesmin o i'm
with ports open and 500 more regulars on board
IN case of emergency
But what of the thousands, aye the tens of
thousands homeless, houseless, disorpanjzed
and discouraged families, the mothers and little
ones, the fathers and sons? They are packed
away 10 the few private houses left here: thew
are slowed away in the suburban towns Of Port
iaud and carleton; they are on the hills in
tents at "the Barracks" are keeping house,
in the Anchor lines warehouse, and at The
RINK. Hundreds Of them are there, and all on
level, all objects of charity, they who were in
easy circumstances as we'll as those who had
nothing, but none, thank God, in need, for the
hearts OF good friends from every where hear
and are responding in 40 generous manner
that there Is enough for all.
Inc hlnk is the distributing depot for the
suppnes which are coming in from all poi nts,
by the boat load and by the Car load. Here
heads OF families come with basket or bag for
their daily rations He. or she has a ticket
issued by the committee, with the name, form.
er residence and number in family. A score or
more are in attendance. "Famiiy of s." Out
comes bread, mo cooked meet this morning,
and sorry we havn't any butter or cheese, but
here's few baked beans and perhaps YOU can
make lot of raw fat pork do, it isn't so bad
you know: Thank you, sir, we are glad of
anything, anu az " goes from morning TO
night, and don't see what is to prevent its 60
ing on In the same way for weeks, yes months,
for the people have no homes the 'better'' nor
the poorer classes, and it will of necessity take
many weeks before even temporary ones can
De put up. Inc supplies that are coming in or
TO be sent will therefore be all needed for it
takes more than five barley loaves and few
small fishes to feed 10000 month or more,
Whatever is sent is being husbanded and well
cared for, and where want is so universal the re
is no danger OF being vlctimized on account of
q lack of discretion in giving out supplies:
though, at the same time, the same precautions
are taken as though the necessity existed.
petition is IN circulation praying the May
or to call meeting to devise ways and means
to rebuild the city. This, when the minds of
meu have recovered from the first depressing,
paralyzing effects of the blow, is to be the ali
important question, and the brains of the BUSH
ness men of st. John will be taxed to their ut
most capacity to preserve to New Brunswick
her metropolis and prevent her from remaining
the wilderness of desolation she is to-day. The
So,ooV'VoO 81 insurance. and perhaps per cent.
age OF wildcat" cannot replace twenty odd
million dollars of property destroyed, and
without material aid from outside, and and
without capacity on the part of her business
men to put into practical operation some f.
nancial scheme which shall secure that outside
aid, she must go down to the shades of oblivion
sure. We weep when we think that perhaps
the worst has not come. She is too far gone to
recover by her own strength. Will that aid
be obtained? When we reflect that it will re-
quire at least two million pounds sterling,
aside from the insurance, to put the city, in.
Guiding stocks in trade. in the same condition
IT was before the fire. the magnitude of the OBJ
lect to be accomplished is rather appalling.
There are, however, indications, which are al
most certainties, that England. more particu-
larry Liverpool, will come to the rescue. If
she studied her own interests she could better
n q un fruin fxrro vv,,1I: Al
st. John. Wv
The following is correct list of the insur-
ance, taken directly from. the books of the
agents of the several companies:
North British and Mercantile ......s100o.0 1000
Xueen: ..'''''.''"s'.'......... $4,000
111nPyiioi' '''s.s''ss..ss.s...,.. 100000
1,o.eno,n. .''''''' 's'''s''......."..... 100000
Ioh0asufe. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 100000
royal. Observation-Disclosures. 100000
Liverpool, London and Globe. .,...,... 10000
Nommerclal Union. .."n".......... 100000
$3,517,OOO
The above are all English companies.
hoyal Canadian. ......................$ 100000
SSouasono''''..' ss''...,....,......... 400,UU0