Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-06-10

says: One of those destructive fires TO when
Quebec is so subject, broke out at IL P. NJ, II
the midst of st. Johns suburbs, midway be
tween st. Roches and Upper Town. The hre
originated in a small wooden house in Oliver
street, and Immediately spread to the adjoining
buildings. The fire brigade became demoraliz-
ed, and lost all control of themselves and the
fire at 2 O'Clock this morning. St. Johns
church, Roman Catholic, the largest in the
city, worth 100000, is burning, and oOO
houses are destroyed, some of them brick and
stone, but the majority poor and small, and OF
wood The loss, so far, must be over three
quarters of million. There are certainly
ONE THOUSAND FAMILIES HOMELESS.
The fire is still speadlng. No loss of life
is reported as yet, though several persons are
reported missing The houseless are eamped
ont in the fields surrounding the city. Thieves
made off with most of the property saved from
the flames and the fire overlook nearly all the
remaining movables. Half of the people in
town block the streets and the firemen are i'm
peded. A panic prevails everywhere. The
burning sparks and shingles are falling all
over the city and its
TOTAL SWEEPING OUT OF EXISTENCE
is by no means improbable. number of To-
cal insurance companies are sure to be paral-
lied by this disaster The principal streets
destroyed are Richmond, Lltourtelle, Oliver,
Rchelieu, and Daquillon, running east and
west parallel with the river. Also st. John,
st. Marie, Deegny, st. Clair and Sutherland,
running north and south. Richmond, Lato-
vile and st. Clair were principally inhabited
by the demi monde. In many instances the
parties burned out owned their residences.
The fire brigade is miserably inadequate to the
wants of the city, and the water supply is
ridiculonsly small for such an emergency.
-4nOther and More Detailed account.
QUEBEC, June 9-One of the most disas-
trous fires with which this unfortunate city
has ever been afflicted, commenced last night
and was only got under control at O'Clock
this morning. The first alarm was from the
corner of st. Oliver and st. Claire streets, at
ten minutes before II O'Clock. A moment later
the bells from Basilica, st. John and st. Roche
churches rang out a second alarm, and the
whole force of the fire brigade was soon upon
the ground. The reflection of the flames were
so brilliant that in a short time half the city
appeared attracted to the scene, and by 1880
all the avenues around and leading 10 the fire
were so completely packed with people that
it was impossible to force way through.
The
UTTER CONFUSION
in the vicinity of the connagration beggars
description. Half the people seemed panic
striol-ar opd tbrnn fO11rfbc nf tho nflnrc yypr
adding to the general confusion by running
against each other and assisted in the destruc-
ton of property in the belief that they were
renderingt assistance in saving it. Parents,
partially clothed, hurried along in every direc-
ton with infants in. their arms and leading
other children by the hand Cows and horses,
let loose from the burning stables, rushed half
maddened through the crowd.
TIM ORIGIN OF THE FIRE
was iG stable on ST. Oliver, st. Mario street.
The flames Immediately spread to the sur
rounding wooden buildings and to the
streets above aud below st. Oliver.
Latourtelle, st. Marie and Richelieu streets
were quickly mass of fire for some 100 feet,
the flames from the other slde of the streets
overlapping in the middle and completely clos
ing them. Scenes common to all great fires
were dscernable at this stage. Even the police
and firemen were TO great extent demoral-
lied.
DARING RoBBERIEs
were carried on freely in full sight of every
body. Liquor stores and private dwellings
attacked by the flames were ransacked for the
liquor, which was openly drank by the lowest
degree OF society, common to the locality in
question, and who frequent the low novels,
whose destruction is one of the least regret
able features of the disaster. The sparks
which everywhere flaw from the burning
wooden buildings were themselves a
TERRIBLE SOURCE OF DANGER
to the rest of the city. 1t was common sight
to see mems coats and hats ablaze from burn
ing pieces of shingles which lighted on them.
The wind being from the north drove the fire
rapidly in the direction of st. Johns church,
and various contrary local currents scattered
the cinders around in every direction. The
brigade found the fire more unmanageable
than ever. They allege four wooden houses
were found on fire by them when they arrived
on the scene, and, with water absent and unat-
tainable for some twenty minutes, it
was impossible for them to obtain the
mastery. The hydrants threw good
streams when the water came into
the ward, but too late to be of much service.
When the fire spread as above described the
men of the brigade lost all control over it.
Their necessary subdivision into so many par
ties was their weakness, and the flames swept
onward with almost lightning rapidity. The
FURY OF TIE DEvoURING ELEMENT
knew no bounds but the city's outskirts, and
none who failed to see them would be inclined
to credit the rate at which they swept all be-
fore them. A great part of Daquillon, west
of st. Genevieve street, has been destroyed.
When the flames appeared in st. John street,
farther out, at O'Clock, the Changing bell Of
st. Johns church in.rapid and alarming tones
told of danger to that property and summoned
assistance. The whole energies of the fire
brigade were immediately bent on saving the
SACRED EDIFIcE,
but to no avail. Nothing was saved but the
sacred vessels and some of the most valuable
plates and furniture OF the sanctuary. The
fire had possession of the noble structure in
almost less space of time than it take. to tell
it, and the finest and largest church in the
city was doomed. 1t was a grand sight to
witness-the angry flames climbing the steeples
of the church and to see them fall a few min
utes later. The more northerly of the two
was the first 10 go. 1t gradually tottered
over and then fell out on to the roof of the
structure. The other steeple gradually sunk.
Next after the church came Friar's school op
posite, aud still the fire swept on
Trusting as if confident that so.
majestic AN EDIFICE
could never fall a prey to any of the elements
the neighbors around had carried their house
hold goods to the front of the church and
there piled them at the very door of the sane
tuary. All twas irretrievably lost. The
church was worth at least Sl00, 900; insurance
only $4,000 At the foot of Jupiter street
below Berthlot Market, the flames had crossed
from the low side of st. John street, and from
this point they rapidly flew west t!along that fine
avenue, keeping pace with the other division
of the coniagration opposite. Nor was the
fire confined to st. John street. At Jupi-
ter street it spreak southwark to Berthlot
Market Dlace DESTROYING Ga abrie1 af St Patrinl