The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-06-27
ST. JOHN. N. B.. IN ASHES.
&c, 900 People homeless. $40
600, 900 Property Destroyed.
80 Lives Lost and Ma
ny Missing.

A destructive fire broke out in st.
John, n. b., Thursday, June 2l, by
which at least three-fourths of the
city was consumed, but one house be-
ing left standing south Of King street.
Nothing could have burst more sud-
denly on the unsuspecting citizens
than the fire which destroyed so many
valuable lives, wasted property by the
millions worth, laid an arrest on many
and varied forms of industry, and
spread not only desolation but horror
and CONSERVATION all around. Public
buildings, palaces of commerce, tenn
pies of religion, banks, palatial resi-
dences, newspaper and telegraph oiii-
ces. school-houses, almost everything
of which the citizens of st. John felt
proud, were in a few hours laid in
ruins. The loss of the hotels, church
es, schoOl-houses, banks, ETC., was
made thousand times more painful
by the lamentable destruction of life
accompanying it.
The fire was first discovered in a
building owned by Mr.. Fairweather,
on the south side of York Point-slip,
next to McLaughlin's boiler-shop. To
the latter building the flames had
spread before the tire-men had reached
the scene. The engines arrived and
did their best to stop the flames, but
all efforts were in vain. Nothing
could be done. The fire, it would
seem, spread toward the upper part of
the city, raging through Main, Parker
and King streets, in which were many
of the largest dry goods houses, banks,
commission houses, and hotels. 1t is
certain that the Victoria Hotel, the
largest hotel in the Province, has been
consumed. St. John was noted for
its dry goods houses and nearly all OF
these succumbed to the flames. The
fire swept away nearly the whole bus
mess section of the city. York Point
was largely occupied for mechanical
purposes and was filled with wooden
buildings, many of them very old and
of combustible nature. Dock street
runs from York Point to Market
square, and was built Of brick, stone
lined. Reaching Market square on
the northern side, the fire swept away
some of the finest stores in the city;
among them was the London House,
the Oldest dry goods establishment IL
the city, two or three other large dry
goods houses, a large hardware and
cutlery store, and large drug store.
As soon as the news reached our
cities that 10000 were homeless and
without food, the same prompt meas
ures were taken to supply their needs,
as have ever been the case in like cal
antilles.
Carloads of bread, flour, pork and
all kinds of provisions,-supplles of
clothing and whatever was deemed
necessary to alleviate the distress of
the people, was promptly forwarded
from all our northern cities and those
Of the provinces.
The following is brief estimate of
losses to insurance companies: Ma
tional, $40, 900; Citizens, 500, 900;
St. Adacona, $3.50, 900; Royal Cana
dian, $276,000; British American,
$4,000.
Many of the companies have as yet
but little knowledge as to their losses,
but probably, altogether they will not
exceed So, 100000. 1t is said that all
the offices will pay. Robert Marshalls
offices, the Imperial, Etna, etc., lose
$2,O00,000; North British Jacks Of
flee, 81 900, 900; Queen, 100000;
Northern, $500, 900; Royal, st. Ada
coma and others, heavy, but not as
certained; Commercial Marine, $780,