Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-06-10
Rayagss Of the asvouring Element
at Quebec Yesterday.
Six Hundred Housas Burned and
the Fire still Spreading.
The firemsn Dsmoralizsd and the
Water Supply Short.
Hsartrsnding Scenes Among the
Panic S:ricsen People. :
0ps thousand Famdies Camped 10
the Surrounding Fields.
bIa BLAZER

/ Thrse-Quarters Of Mill IN In Real Es-
tate Licked Up by the Red Element
Boundary OF sne Burnt Distrses
Nsw YoRx, June s-rhe Herald Q
special from Quebec saws that one OF
those destructive fires to which Quebec
is so subject broke out at II O'Clock last
night in the midst Of 81. John 3 suburbs,
between st. Roche's and the upper
town. The FIRE originated in a small
wooden house in Olive street. and i'm
mediately spread to the adjoining build
ings.
Fhs Fire Brigade Became Demorslised
and lost oil control Of themselves,
and the frsat 2 O'Clock this morning is
unchecked. The 81. Johns Church,
Roman Catholic, the largest in the citv,
worth sl0O. 900 is burning, and six hun
dred houses are destroyed, some ot
them brick and stone. The loss thus
far must be over three quarters OF mil
lion. There are certainly 1000 families
homeless. The fire is still spreading
No loss Of life 10 reported as yet, though
several persons are reported missing.
The houseless are camped in
the fields surrounding the city,
Thieves made off with most. OF
the property saved from the flames and
the fire overlook nearly all of the re-
manning movables. Half of the people
In the town block the streets and the
firemen are impeded. A panic prevails
everywhere. The burning sparks and
shingles are falling al over the city and
its
Total Sweeping Out of Existence
is by no means improbable. A number Ct
local insurance companies are sure 10 be
oaralyzsd by this disaster. The princi-
pal streets DESTROYED are Richmond,
l.abourelle, Olive, Richelieu and Doquil-
lion, running east to west parallel with
the river. Also st. John street. st.
Marie Deligny, St Claire and Supherld,
running north and south. Richmond,
Labourelle and 81. Olivier were princi.
pally occupied by demi mOndcs. la many
instances the parties burned out owned
their residences. Tue ire brigade is
miserably inadequate to the wants OF the
city and the water supply ridiculoasly
small for such an emergency.
QrABsB June O. One Of the most de-
1 Ga ,.,hs..h shio nnfnrfu N Al
city has been afflicted commenced last
| night and got under control this NOM
| ing The first alarm was from the corner
of ST. Oliver and St. Clair streets at lO
minutes before IL O'Clock, and ten min
utes la.er the bells from Blsilica, ST.
Johns and 81 Roeh's churches rang ous
| the second alarm. The whole force OF
the Brigade were soon upon the ground
The rt Election Of the flames were so
brilliant tha. in a short time half the
city appeared attracted to the scene, and
by half past eleven o'clock all the ave-
nties leading to the fire were so packed
With people that it was next TO impos
sible TO force your way through them.
| The q .tne wassIne OF utter confusion In
the yicInity.oi the eonfiagratlon and "
gars description.
Half the People Seemed Pa1ic-stricken
and three .fourths of the others were
only adding to the general confusion by
running against each other and assisting
in the destruction Of property in the
belief that they were rendering assist
anee in saving it. Parents partially
clothed hurried along in every direction
with infants in arms AMI leading other
children by the hands. Cows and horses
let loose from the burning stables
Rushed MadIy Through the Crowd
The IRE originated in stable on st.
| Olive street, near st. Marie's. The
| n tines Immediately spread to the sur
rounding wooden houses and to
the streets sb we and be-
low. 81. Olive, Latourylle, 81.
Marie aud Riclelieu streets were
Quickly mass Of fire for some hun ired
[, ct. The flames from the other sides Of
streets over Tipping in the middle and
completely closing them. The scene
eommon 10 all gr, at fires. were discern.
able at this stage. Even the police and
firemen to great extent were demorsl-
ized.
| Iiaring Robbery Was Carried on Freely
in iull sight Of everybody. The liquor
stores and private dwellings attacked by
| the fAnFs, we're r,nsarktd TOR hQuor
which was openly drank by the 1--we
degree Of society, common To the l0cali-
" in question, aud who frequent holes
whose destruction is one OF the least
rezresa1le features OF the disaster.
The sparks which everywhere flew iron
the burning buildings, were themselves
a teTriole
urce % Danger to the Rest OF the City.
IL wasa common sight TO see mems
coats and hats ab'az, from burning
pieces OF shingles which. lighted upon
them The v ind being from The north,
IL drove the are rapidly in the direction
/ OF st. Johns Church, and various con-
trsry local currenis scattered cinders
around In every direction. and the bri'
gale found the tire more unmanagsable
| than ever. They allege that four
ylcdcn houses were found on fire by
them when they arrived upon the scene,
and that with
Water Absent and Unattainsble.
for some twenty minutes it was impos-
sible for them TO obtain the mastery.
| The hydrants gave good streams when
the water came into the ward. but too
late to be OF much service. When the
tire spread a. above described the men
Of the hrigsde lost al control Of any
portion Of II. The flames swept oa-
ward with lightning rspidity. The fury Of
| the
Devouring Element Knew NO Bounds.
bnt those on the city outskirts, and
none who failed to See them would be
inclined 10 credit the rate at which they
swept all before them. A great part Of
Dxquilloa and West Sc. Gensviye
had been destroyed when the flames
appeared in ST. John street, further
ont At one O'Clock the ringing Of the
bel s OF st Johns church 10 rapid and
Alarming tones, told of the danger to
& at property and summoned assistance.