The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-06-16

bhOMb III lhtltuoO hNASo6N tota
mated at per cent. compared with
last year .15 report weather more
than last year; 16 same;
50 less favorable; 92 report stands
good; fair; 29 not good; crop
reported 16 days later than
last year; 81 report condition
of crop good; "A not good, owing TO
too much rain, crops heavy, grassy
and weedy. A general complaint Is
made about scarcity and insutii-
cheney of labor, caused by hands
going to different railroads now in
course of construction in this state.
No fertilizers are used. Few replies
report the appearance OF worm, but
not sufficient number TO do any
damage.
QUEBEC, June 9.-One of the most
disastrous fires ever this unfortu-
nate city has been afflicted with
commenced last night and was got
under control at 6 o'clock this
morning. The first alarm was from
corner Stalwar and st. Clair streets,
at ten minutes of IL O'clock. Five
minutes later the bells from Basilien,
st. Johns and st. Reaches rang out,
and the whole forco oflthe fire brig
ade was soon on the grounds, The
reflection of the flame was so visible
thet in short time half the popula-
ton appeared TO be attracted
toi the scene, and by ll:3O
o'clock all the avenues around
and leading to'tbe fire were so COM
pletely packed with people il was
next TO impossible to force a way
through them.- The scene in the Vi
cinity of the conflagfationwas one
of utter confusion. Those present
seemed panic-strickeD, and three
.fourtbs of the others, only added to
the confusion, by running against
each other and really contributing
to the destruction of prop
erty, while believing they
were helping to save IL. Par
ents hardly clothed hurried along IN
every direction with infants wrapped
in bed clothes in tleir arms.
Horses, let loose from burning
stables, rushed half maddened
through the crowd on the streets,
.crazed by the uproar and confusion
surrounding them. The fire origin
ated in a stable on st. Oliver street,
near ST. Mary's street, and the flames
quickly spread to the, surrounding,
wooden buildings, andto the streets
aSoye and below st. Olivery La
TonvelIe, st. Marie and RichAliep
streets WeEa quickly o mass of fire,
and for somG hundred feet of each
in extent The HINES from tie other
side Of the streets overlapping in
the middle and completelyf closed
them to all. ap .sEHh3d' 3Gm
The tragic scenes common to ali
great fires were readily discoverhble,
and at this state even the police
and fremeB were TO q great extent
defnoralized. Daring robbery was
carried out freely in full sight iof
everybody, liquor stores and private
dwellings attacked by the flames
being ransacked for liquor, which
was openly drank by low charac-
ters who infest the locality The
sparks which everywhere few from
burning wooden houses, were them
selves terrible source of danger TO
the rest of the city. IL was no un-
common sight TO see mems coats
and hats ablaze from burning pieces
ofsparks which lighted upon them.
The fire brigade allege that
the four wooden buildings
were found on fire by them when
they arrived ON the scene, and that
water being absent and unat-
tainable for some twenty minutes, IL
was impossible for them to get The
mastery. Nothing was saved Of ST.
Johns Church but the solid silver
vessels and some of the most valua.
BILE plates and furniture Of the
sanctuary. The fire had possession
of the noble structure in almost
read space of time than il takes TO
church in the be BE- finest and largest
destruction. The churcfq2med to
at least 100000, ON which the -fh
surance amounts TO only$10,000,
At the foot of Jupiter street, be-
low the Berthlot market, the flames
had crossed from the lower side of
st. John street. and from this point
they had rapidly progressed west
along that to Fifth Avenue, keeping
pace with the other divisions OF
tho conhagration opposite. Nor
was the fire now confined TO
st. John street. At Jupiter street
il spread southwark to Berthlot
market place, destroying the prop
erty on Gabriel, street and st. Pat
rick street rs far out as there was
houses 10 he destroyed. The lower
field alone stayed the progress of
the fire at Scott street. The
fire ran upwards toward Grand
Alley at terrible rate of speed,
there being no water, men or hose
nor other appliances to stay il. Only
the gap caused by aarecent confla~
grafton here stopped the total de-
strUction of the whole street,
1t is impossible to describe the
track of the flames on every side.
The military was called out, and
rendered efficient aid in saving
property and in keeping order. IL
is computed there must be q loss Of
So, 100000, between buildings, stocks
and furniture. Over 1900 families
arc rendered homeless by the confia-
grafton At least 800 buildings have
been destroyed. 1t is impossible 10
give full and correct list of suf-,
ferers, and insurance losses, al the
moment, but all insurance COM
panies doing business in the city
probably will be heavy losers. The
lire brigade apparatus was quite
unfit TO cope with such q. fire, aud
TO its weakness and wretched water
service the whole disaster is due.
QUEBEC, Canada, June 9.-An ex-
tensive fire is raging in the suburbs.
1t is impossible, ut present, 10 give
an estimate OF the losses. The pO-
lice and fire department are de-
moralized. Half of st. Johns is al
ready destroyed. The loss will be
over 100000.
( CONCORD N. H., Juno 1.-THE
opinion of the state Supreme Court
on the question of whether the ex-
isting Legislature has the power and
right to elect person 10 represent
the state in the senate OF the United
States, for the term beginning March
4, 1883, which was sent TO the senate
Yesterday, recifes The next legis-.
lature having no existence Till June,
1885, it cannot elect senator's for
full term OF six years, beginning
March 4, 1888, therefore arefusal OF
the present Legislature to elect
senator for that term would be q
violation of the constitutional right
ofthe state to be represented by two
senators chosen by the legislature
thereof for six years. Such refusal,
4 n. - o.. Il.