Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-06-25

The following are among the public buildings
burned Postofice, Bank of New Brunswick City
Building, Custom house, Maritime Bank building,
in which were the banks office and those of the
Montreal and Nova Scotia Bank, the office OF
School Trustees, &C.; the Bank OF Nova Scot;s's
new building the Academy of Music building, in
which was the hall of the Knights of Pythias the
Victoria Hotel, odd Fellows Hail. No. Engine
house, Orange Hall, King street. temperance
Hall, King street; East Dramatic Lyceum, Vic
toria school house, Temple of Honor Hall, Barnes
Hotel, Royal Hotel. ST. John Hotel, Acadia Ho-
tel, the Brunswick House, Bay View Hotel, In
ternational Hotel, Virgins Orphan Asylum, and
the Deaf and Dumb Institution.
The churches destroyed Trinity, St. An
drews Church, German street; Baptist Church,
German street; Christian Church, Duke street;
ST. James Church, Leinster street; Bspust-lhe
Centenary Church; st. Phillips Carmarthen st.
Mission Methodist, Pitts street; Mission Church,
St. David's Church, Reformed Presbyterian
Church, aud the Sheffield street Mission house.
The following persons arc reported to have lost
their lives in the fire Benjamin Williams, Ger
main street; Harold Gilbert, near the Victoria
Hotel; William Mcneil, OF Jas. Adams 4 Co.'S
establishment; Garrett Cotter, OF James y. Mays
establishment; the mother of ex-MaYor Reed,
and his two aunts. Two men, whose names
unknown, are reported to have been run and
killed; Hugh McGoveIn, of STRAIT Shore, was al
so killed. The body of an unknown man was
found on Prince William street at o'clock this
morning. Many persons are reported missing,
bat 1t Is though best not to mention names ia the
hope that they will yet turn up all right. Many
persoas were injured, particularly hremen.
No clear estimate OF the property destroyed, or
of the insurance can be given. Certainly Sl0,-
900, 900 Sl2 100000 worth is gone, and iDsur-
auce men think their risks may be ruu no to 3d.
100000. Tue entire portion of the town is de-
stIoyed Not leading establis hme ut has escaped.
All the principal dry good stores, the leading gro
ceries, all the ship brokers, commission merchants,
all in the sale OF qors, Hour, provisions, coal, salt,
lumber, tea, West India goods, ETC., are utterly
wiped out. Forty odd blocks, or nearly 200 acres,
south of King street, have not six buildings re.
naming. The values OF the Bank OF Montreal
and Bank oil Nova Scotia were removed to the
vault aud sales of the Bank of New Brunswick.
1t is not known how the latter stood the test.
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 food or shelter. The International Com
panys steamer New York sheltered and fed l.
900 persons Wednesday night, and the vessels In
the stream have large numbers of people on
board. Thousands had to get away from the low
er palt of the city by boats.
TIE BURNED DISTRICT.
TIE cIrY-PoPuLATIoN- BUILDINGS THAT HAVE
BEEN DESTROYED.
st. John, the commercial metropolis of New
Brunswick, occupies commanding position at the
mouth of the ST John River. 1t is built on
have been followed out at great expense. A
rocky peninsula is formed by the river and hsr
Dor or the west side and Courtenay Bay on the
east, and on the slopng sides the city was built.
North of the city lies the suburb OF Portland, in
the Valley of the st. John, aud beyond are hills
studded with the residences of the wealthy
Across the harbor is the town Of Carleton, which
is built ON a decvity. The harbor is good, being
kept free from ice by the high tides of the Bay
of Fundy and the sweeping current Of the st.
Il nh Nnf tb.fup .it,,.r la -
which the streets were laid out in rectanges, the
general appearance of the place is uneven and
dlngy. The population Of the city and its sub
urbs is about $4,000.
A great many settlements were made in Acadia
before st. John was founded. In 1875 Charles
st. Etienne, Lord of Latom, built fort opposite
Mary Island in the hafbor, and here he and his
wife were besieged by his rival, D'Aulnay Char
nisay. In 1904 the Province wrested from
the French but no settlement of importance was
made on the st. John until l749, when a fort was
built about ten miles from the pr sent site. la
lI45 the French were again driven out by the
English, and III l7jS garrison was established at
st. John, under the command of Concton. The
hrst English settlers went to New Brunswick in
lI64, and the settlement was created a
town by Royal Charter two years afterward. 1t
has grown steadily and is now the first city in
New Brunswick in population, wealth and com
mercial importance.
Tho principal thoroogfsres of the city arc King
Prince William, Water, German, and Charlotte
streets; and these have been laid waste by the
flames King street is the Broadway of the city
AT its foot is Market slip the rendezvous of YES
sells loaded with produce, fish and cord wood {.
Market square, which is close by, is dngy TRAM
gle where the unemployed truckmen, wood saw
yers coal beavers, and odd job men of the city
are TO be found. AT the lower end Of the square
is the spot where the self exed American Loyal
lists landed on May Is, 1888. Handsome stores
fronted on this square, all of which have been
nf ing
street, was the Western Union Telegraph Office
and adjoining was the Maritime Bank, q hand
some building, four stories in hight, with gray
freestone front, granite basement and man
sard roof. The bank of Montreal, the
Bank of Nova Scotia, and the Board of
Trade had offices in the same building. The
police office Is close by. A little higher up Prince
William street is fine four-story granite struc-
ure occupied by the Bank Building in the city
that was not destroyed.
Prince William st. runs south from Market
Square 10 Reeds Point, and is one of the main
thoroughates Of the city. The most important
buildings found on tnis street were the Post Office
and the Custom-house. The new Post Office, at
tie corner of Water ST., was bnilt of gray sand
stone, except the columns in front, woich were
OF polished red granie from the New Brunswick
quartes. The building was 80 feet in length by
% in width, and was four stories in higth 1t
surmounted by clock tower 100 feet high. The
structure cost about $50 900.
The Custom House, on Prince William St., near
the Post Office, was plain, massive stone build
ing. $50 feet in length by 90 in width, which was
buit IN 1912 at cost Of $l20,000 Here were
the offices of the Customs, Inland Revenue and
Marine and Fisheries Departments. On the roof
was station for repeating the signals given on
Partridge Island OF Vessels in sight" "Pilot
wanted" &c. Here was also storm signal sta
ton where dispatches regarding the weather were
received from Washington and points on the Bay
of Fundy.
Among the hotels burned were the Victoria at
the corner of Duke and German st. 1t was
brick structure, four stories in hight, with free
stone front. 1t had accommodation. for over 300
guests. The cupola commanded a fine prospect
of the city and the Bay OF Fundy. The hotel,
which was the largest and most fashionable one in
the city, was owned by joint stock company
composed of enteiprising citizens. The Royal
hotel and several other buildings were destroyed.
The Academy of Music on Horsefield St., oppo-
site the Old Methodist Church, was opened in the
Summer of 1872. 1t was a brick structure and
had seating capacity of 1000. The original cost
was 100000.
Fronting on Duke St. near the Victoria otel,
was the v ictoria School, one of the finest educa-
tional institutions in the Dominion. 1t was
four-story brick building with freestone front
and granite pillars. and accommodated $50