The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-08-04
A COSTLY SCORCH.
TORONTO PAYS HER TRIBUTE To
THE FIRE KING
To the Tune of Probably Million Dol.
lars and Possibly More-Half a Mile
of Territory Burned Over
One Fatality.

TORONTO, Canada Aug AT 1918 Mon.
day morning fire broke out in the great
sugar refinery and glucose factory at the
foot of Shelbourne, and in less than half an
hour the place was gutted. A high wind
prevailed and the flames were quickly com.
municated TO the lumber yards AMI wooden
elevators. all Of which were soon laid in
ashes. The fire worked its way to the foot
of Scott street, destroying the coal wharves
of Bayley & Co., aid Crane & Co. and burn.
ing four ferry boats and nine schooners (ev.
eral of them laden) to the waters edge
For destructiveness and loss of property
this fire has probably never had an equal in
the city. Scores Of valuable craft of all
grades, which were moored along the docks
suffered alike with the glucose factory,
foundry, elevator, boathouses, etc. Fifteen
minutes after the fire broke out it was seen
that the big glucose factory was doomed
Fierce flames were shooting from quarter
of thousand or so of windows that
were scattered throughout the factory.
AT this time the heat was so intense that
the fremen could barely go within half a
block of the doomed building, and they
were utterly powsrless to stay the flames
A rumor was soon current that Henry
Wort, one Of the watchmen of the glucose
factory, was missing. He was seen a few
minutes before the fire was discovered, and
is said to have gone after the books of the
company. The most diligent search failed
to obtain a clue to his whereabouts, and be
must have perished.
Sailors on the fine schooner Annie Muley,
loaded with coal, which was unloading at
Rogers docks, adjoining the factory, had a
terrible experiences in attempting to escape
William McCallum, of Port Hope, a sailor,
was burned so badly that he may die. The
men were all in their hunks, and were
aroused by the loud cracking noises 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 furnace to
the east Of them was so intense that cape
to the Esplanade was completely cut off.
The men then made for the south end OF
the wharf, jumped into the water, and
swan to the adjoining wharf In doing So
however they were all more or less burned
William McCsllum suffered a terrible
scorching. The captain of the Mulvey.
Thomas Uglow, of Port Hope, and Jane
McCallum, brother of William, were also
pretty badly scor :hed. The Mulvsy, valued
at $50, 900, was burned TO the waters edge
in less than half an hour.
The rapidity with which the fame, spread
was nothing short Of marveloui. A strong
dead east wind, amounting at times to al
most hurricane, was blowing when the
fire broke out Great sparks and burning
cin a
and by , o'clobk the flames had reached the
foot of Scott street Almost everything in
its wake, stationary and ahoat, from
Princess to Congo street, a distance of over
half a mile was burned 1t is utterly
impossible yet to give any idea of
the amount of loss, but it will
foot up to over $1,000, OOO 1t was nearly S
O'Clock before the fire was got under con-
troll A light rain began falling at about 4
o'clock, and tle wind shifted to the north
west, and the tirsmen were able to check the
flames Just as they reached Yonge street
dock. The flames very luckily were con-
fined to the E-planade, AMI valuable build
ings on the north side, nine blocks over
which the flames travsrsed, escaped with a
scorching.
The following are among the properties
consumed and damaged: Glucose factory
owned by a syndicate. brick building, eight
stories high and cost $500 900 six years ago;
schooner Annie Muivey; Rogers coal docks
with several hundred tons Of coal; q number
of boat houses; Reid & Co.'S lum-
ber yard, Walsh James & Co.'S
lumber yard; Currie Martin & Cos boiler
works; Corporation wharf; Hamilton &
Sons elevator; II. Williams roofing works;
William Poison & Co.'S engine works; J. G.
Boards wharf and elevator; Vale & Vets
flour barrel factory; Ontario Tanners Sup
ply compauy's factory: c. Nelson & Sons
scale factory; J. Adamson's wharf: St
Lawrence wharf; j. Simmington's cigar box
manutactory; William Adamsons wharf;
Scrane & Co.'S coal docks; Sylvester &
Hickman's wharf; Donoghue & Ohvers
lumber yard; J. r. Bailey & Co.'S coal
docks, fleet Of ferry steamers-O Ontario
Mazeppa, Annie Craig and Theresa-foot of
Church street, nearly all destroyed There
we're many other buildings and craft de-
stroyed.