The Portland daily press., 1885-08-04
BIG BLAZE.
Toronto, Ont, Visited by a Destruc-
tive Fire.
A Million Dollars Worth of Property
Destroyed.
One Man Believed to Have Perished
In the Flames.

TORONTO, Aug. 3.-0ne Of the most de-
structive fires that has ever occurred in this
city commenced about 1870 this morning in
q large brick building erected by the Toronto
sugar refining Company on the Esplanade
A strong wind was blowing from the east
and carried chunks of burning timbers along
the Esplanade, igniting wooden buildings foI
distance of five or six blocks In short
time nothing was left of the sugar refinery
but bare walls and chimneys. The building
of Soulter g. Evans, Heakes, Gunsellers &
Abbottson, all boat builders, of Reid & Co.,
and Wash & Co., lumber merchants, OF
Curie, Martin u Co., boiler makers, and
other buildings, were soon in flames. The
works of destruction on the .Esplanade
went on rapidly, and the flames reached the
buildings and wharves were burned to the
ground. At 430 a. m. the fire was under
control
Scores Of valuable craft Of all kinds which
was moored along the docks suffered with
the factory, foundry, elevator, boat houses,
it was seen that the large glucose factory was
doomed. At this time the heat was so in
tense that the firemen could not approach
within half block of the burning building,
and were utterly powerless to stay the
flames.
Henry Wort, one of the watchmen in the
factory, was seen few minutes before the
fire was discovered, and it is said that he
went after the books of the company.
The most diligent search has failed to dis
cover him, and it is believed that he must
have perished.
Sailors on the schooner Annie Mulvey, ly-
ing at Rogers docks, adjoining the factory,
had terrible experience in attempting to
escape. One of them, VIM. MeCallum of
Port Hope, was so badly burned that he may
die. The men were all in their hunks and
were aroused by the loud cracking noise of
the flames. When they reached the deck the
cabin and rigging of the vessel was envelop-
ed in tiames The great heat from the roar
ing furnace to the east of them was so in
tense that an escape to the Esplanade was
impossible. The men made for the south
end of the wharf and jumped into the water
and swan to an adjoining wharf. In doing
this however they were all more or less
burned. VIM McCallum suffered terrible
Sc Scorchlng and the captain of the schooner,
Thos. A. Glow of Port Hope, and James Nc
Callum, brother of William, were also bad
ly burned.
The Annie Mulyey, valued at $4,000, was
burned to the waters edge in less than half
an hour. The rapidity with which the flames
almost hurricane, was blowing when the
fire broke out. Great sparks and burning
cInderS were blown westward with great rap
idity, and by o'clock the flames had reach
ed the foot OF Scott street. Almost every
thing in their path, stationary and afoat.
L6s
of half mile, was burned
1t IS impossible at present to give any
idea OF the loss, but it will foot up over ST.
100000.
Following are among the properties CON
Sumed or damaged; The glucose factory
owned by, syndicate composed of A. I.
Fulton, John E. Eyes, George Gooderheim,
w. A. Beatty, estate of James Miehie q Co.,
and others; the building cost 100000 six
years ago; schooner Annie Mulvey;, Rogers
coal docks, with 700 tons of coal; Sayelen's
boat house; Evans boat house; Heake's
boat house Gunselle's boat house; Abbott
sons lumber yard Walsh, James & Co. s
lumber yards Curne, Martin 6S Co.'s boiler
works; Cooperation wharf; Winan SWIM
ming baths; Mrs. Rennardson's boat house !;
Hamilton IL Sons elevator; G. & j. Warm S
boat house; Adamson's ice house; j. G..
Graham's ice house; III. Williams roofing
works; w. M. PalsOn & Co.'S engine works |:
J: NJ. Boards wharf and elevator; J. Oaks
blacksmith shop; the buildings in Lionel
factory Antansia Tanners Sapply Co.'s fac
tory J. Adamson's wharf; st. Lawrence
wharf and SWimmington's cigar box factory
VIM. Adamson's wharf; S. Crane & Co.'S
coal docks; Sylvester Bros. & Hickman S
X. Bailey y Co.'s coal docks; fleet of ferry
steamers. the Ontario, Mazeppa, Annie
Crery and Thursa, at the foot Of Church
street, nearly all ofswhich were destroyed !;
also the stone hookers, the Madeline and
Mary Ann. Many private houses also were
more OF less damaged, and some were COM
pletely destroyed.
The steamers Chicora and Algerian, which
were moored at Younge street dock, succeed
ed in getting safely away.
LATER
TORONTO, Aug. 3.--Further progress of
the fire on the Esplanade was checked short
ly after five O'Clock this morning. From
Scott street west to Princess street, nine
blocks, there is nothing to be seen but
smouldering mass of ruins. 1t is impossible
yet to give anything like list of losses.
Every insurance company in the city is said
to be losers.