The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-06-10
SCOURGED BY fire.
657 Houses Destroyed
in Quebec.
OVER 1900 FAMILIES
HOMELESS.
Total Loss Estimated at
$1,5OO,OOO.
THREE PERSONS KILLED AND
TWO MISSING.
st. Johns Cathedral i'm Ruins.
A DEFECTIVE WATER SUPPLY AND
POOR FIRE BRIGADE CAUSES
THE GREAT LOSS.
st. Johns Cathedral in Ruins.

Oob dp Ii y LII. III Ull6 UlluSU OIL OC. COlQS, a
suburb of Quebec midway between St. Roche's
and the upper town. 1t originated in small
wooden house in Oliver street and spread to
adjoining buildings. The fire brigade became
demoralized and lost all control of thansalses
tiItt of tho firo.- AT 2 this morning St. Johns
church, Roman Catholic, the largest in the
city, and worth 100000, was burning and 600
houses had been destroyed, some of them of
brick and stone, but the majority poor and
SMALL and Of wood.
The first alarm was from a stable at the cor
ner OF st. Oliver and st. Claire streets. A
second alarm soon brought the whole force of
the fire brigade npon the ground. The flames
were SO plainly visible that in short time
half the city was attracted to the scene, and
by half-past II all the avenues around were
so completely packed that it was next to i'm
possible to force way through.
Inc scene OF utter confusion in the vicinity
Oh the confagration beggars description. Half
the people seemed panic-stricken, and three
fourths OF the remainder were only adding to
the general confusion by running against each
other and assisting in the destruction of prop
erty, in the belief that they were rendering as
slstance in saving it, Parents partially
clothed hurried along in every direction with
infants in their arms and leading others.
Cows and horses let loose from burning stables
rushed half maddened through the crowd
[sECoND DISPATCH
The origin of the fire was in a stable on
",
immediately spread to the surrounding wooden
buildings and to the streets above and below.
st. Oliver, Latourelle, st. Marc and Richelieu
streets were quickly mass of fire for some
hundred feet OF each in extent, the flames
from tho other side of the streets oyerlyipg i'm
the middle and completely closing them to all
passage. The police and fremen were to
great extent demoraliZed. Daring robbery was
carried on freely in full sight of everybody.
Liquor stores and private dwellings attacked
by the flames were ransacked for liquor, which
was openly drank by the lowest dregs of society
common to that locality. The sparks which
everywhere flew from the burning wooden
buildings were terrible source of danger to
the rest of the city. The wind being from the
north drove the fire rapidly in the direction of
ed by the rapid spread and large volume of
the flames seemed to divide the wind into To-
cal currents which scattered the fire around in
every direction.
The fire brigade was found more unmanage
able than ever. They allege that four wooden
houses were found on fire by them when they
arrived on the scene, and that with water I'M
obtalnable for some twenty minutes it was inn
possible for them to obtain the mastery. The
MIGRANTS threw good streams when the water
came in, but it was too late to be of much SER
vice. When the fire spread the men of the
brigade lost all control over any portion of it.
The flames swept onward with almost light
ming rapldlty. A great part of Daquillon and
West st. Genevieve had been destroyed when
the flames appeared in st. Johns street little
farther on.
AT 10 o'clock the bells of st. Johns church
summoned assistance from ali who had it to
give. The entire efforts of the fire brigade
was Immediately bent on saving the sacred
edifice, but with no avail. Nothing was saved
but the sacred vessels and some of the valuable
plate and furniture of the sanctuary. Next
after the church came the Friars school oppo-
site, and the fire swept on. The neighbors
around had carried the household goods to the
front OF the church and there piled them at
the door of the sanctuary. All was lost. The
church was worth 100000
1t is impossible to describe the spread
of the flames on every side, and it will
be more satisfactory to- give an idea of the
boundaries of tho burnt district. Tho only
thing that the firemen succeeded in doing
was to curb the fire east of Genevievs
street. From Latourelle street up nearly to
John street on the westerly side of the street
Genevieve street had been swept away. To
the north the fire extended as far as Richmond
street. The western height is a little beyond
the street car stables at Mount Pleasant near
the city. The boundary limit south was at
Burton near Scott and Gabriel streets.
Briefly summed UP. the streets consumed
are-runnipg east and west, Richmond in
part, principally on the south side Latourelle
street, Olive, Richelieu, Daquillon, st. Johns
Montcalm, st. Gabriel, Nouvalla and Breton.
Running north and south the principal streets
were Switzerland, Deliquny, St. Clair, ST.
Marc and st. Genevieve on the west west side,
besides Jupiter street in . Montcalm ward, also
west side.
Among the property destroyed on John
street was large number Of handsome build
lngs used as stores and private residences. "A'
battery was called out and rendered aid in saw
ing property and keeping order. Several re-
markable whirlwinds were caused by the fire.
Men were in some cases lifted off their feet
Ia fha f1a1d ybnpn 4of -
out people had camped with their saved goods,
fire followed, destroying much of the goods.
Burning shingles fell over the city as far out
as Maple avenue during the night, endanger-
ing every part of the town. Several incipient
fires in different streets were suppressed by the
vigilance of occupants.
The loss is estimated at 100000, divided
between buildings, stocks and furniture.
Over 1,5OO families are rendered homeless and
at least 800 buildings are destroyed. 1t is i'm
psssible to give full and correct list of the
sufferers, but the insurance companies doing
business in the city will probably be heavy
losers. The fire brigade and apparatus was
butte unfit to cope with such fire and its
weakness was wretched To the poor water
service is due the whole disaster.
Rumors circulated as to loss of life were not
believed, but it now appears that five lives
were lost. Three bodies have already been re-
covered-those of Mr.. and Mrs. Hardy, whose
children were saved and that of one Marios,
joiner. Mrs. Geo. Lapperriere and two chill
dren are missing and are also believed to have
perished
A subscription list in aid of the sufferers has
been opened. The Governor General gives
5000. the Mayor 500, Bishop of Quebec $1,000
The total loss is estimated at 81, 500, 900; in
surances will probably cover $3.50, 900.
The Governor Generals ball for this evening
has, in consequence OF the calamity, been post
poned.
LATER.
The official list of houses burned given this
evening makes the total number 657