Morning journal and courier., 1885-08-04
An old Soldier Claims The Victim Is
 His Wife.

man, a veteran now at the IaguS soldiers
 home, claims that the victim of the Charles
 river tragedy was his wife. He says that
 about month ago he went to Boston with
 his wife. He was sent to the Boston city
 hospital the Friday before the body was
 found. The following Sunday his wife vis-
 ited him and since then he has not seen her.
 When discharged from the hospital he says
 learn nothing of his wife. He is not much
 of newspaper reader and only recently
 learned of the mysterious tragedy. He said: ''I believe as firmly as I do in the existence of God that the remains found were those of my wife" Merriman served in the Second Wisconsin regiment commanded by Colonel Fairchild. He is addicted to drinking but has always manifested strong attachment for his wife. He says his wife was s'inno- cent enough to have believed anything"
 A GREAT FIRE AT TORONTO. Half A Mile of Burning Buildings And A Loss of A Million Dollars. l TORONTO, August 3.-The worst fire that has ever visited Toronto broke out at 12:3C this morning in the mammoth eight-story brick building on the south side of the Esplanade at the foot of Princess street | known as the glucose factory Fifteen min utes after the fire broke out it was seen that
 the large glucose factory was doomed Fierce flames were shooting from hundreds of win dows that were scattered throughout the fac tory At this time the heat was so intense ! that the fremen could barely go within halt block of the burning building. They were utterly powerless to stay the flames ru nor was soon current that Henry Wort, one of the watchmen in the factory, was miss ing. He was seen 8 few minutes before the fire was discovered, and, it is said went after the books of the company. A
 most diligent search failed to discover clue to his whereabouts, and he must have per ished. The sailors on the schooner Annie Mulvey, while unloading coal at Rogers dock, adjoining the factory, had a terrible expert ence. In attempting to escape, William McCallum, of Fort Hope, sailor, 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 got out on deck, the cabin and rigging of the vessel were enveloped in
 flames. The great heat from the roaring fur
 mace to the east of them was so intense l that escape to the Esplanade was l impossible. The men then made for the south end of the wharf, and jumped I into the water and swan to the adjoining l wharf. In doing this, however, they were I all more or less burned. William McCallun suffered terrible scorching and the captain l of the schooner Thomas Aglow, of Port Hope, and James McCallum, brother ot 1 William, was also pretty badly burned. The Annie Mulvey, which was owned by Alder
 man Hall and valued at $20,000, was burned
 to the waters edge in less than half an hour l The rapidity with which the flames spread 1 was nothing short of a marvel. strong | east wind amounting at times to almost | hurricane, was blowing when the fire broke l out. Great sparks and burning cinders
 were blown westward with great rapidity l and by o'clock the flames had reached the | foot of Scott street. Almost everything il | it's wake, stationary and ahoat, from Prin | cess to Yonge street, distance of over hall | a mile, was burned. It is almost impossible 1 to give any idea of the amount of the loss 1 but it will foot up to over $1 ,000, 900. Ii
 was nearly o'clock before the fire was go | under control. A light rain began falling a | about o'clock and the wind shifted to the 1 northwest, and the fremen were able to | check the flames just as they reached the ! Yonge street dock. They very luckily were l confined to the south side of the Esplanade l and the valuable buildings on the north sid, ! of the nine blocks which they traversed es l capped with only a scorching. The fir, | started at the glucose factory and went west | ward