The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-06-16
The Loss Estimated at over 81 ,ooo,-
ooo-A Very Small Insurance.
Vivid Pen Pictures of the Thrilling
Scenes atth Great ConfIagration.

NEW WESTMINSTER, B. c., June 15.-Par-
ties arriving from Vancouver state that at
2.30 yesterday afternoon the wind rose to
gale and caused fires which were burning on
the Canada Pacific Railway reserve to spread
toward the city. A house on the extreme
west end caught fire, and the flames spread
rapidly to the adjacent buildings At four
O'Clock the last house in town was in ashes.
Having saw mill and the Royal City plain
ing mill, being situated on points of land out
side the town, were saved. The total loss is
estimated at 81 100000, and the insurance at
$4,000. One thousand persons are home
less.
The city Of Vancouver situated at the
west end of the Canadian Pacific Railway, is
in ashes. Not half dozen houses remain
out of 500, and, worse than all, there is
large loss of life. Ten bodies have thus far
been recovered, and number of persons are
missing and are supposed to have perished.
One short hour did the whole work. The
property saved is insignificant A "clean
sweep defines the situation. A thousand
men are at work clearing up debris for the
railroad company. Twenty contracts for
rebuilding have been already let. Men lost
their all, but are determined to start in
again. The property loss falls directly on
the pioneer element Of the new city Hun
dreds of people are camped ont There are
meagre facilities for the relief of the suf-
ferers but the people of this city are especial
" open handed in their efforts to relieve the
distress. Prompt aid from the Canadian
Pacific Railway is expected. Families were
compelled to abandon their homes at
moments warning and flee for their lives.
Business men in search of valuables were
forced to rush through flames and smoke or
perish. The whole population were panic
stricken. A number of persons sought re-
fuge in the water. One man was found in
well, where he had lowered himself to escape
the flames. Few of the people have more
than the clothes they stand in. OF the ten
bodies recovered only three have been iden-
titled. Most of the burned frame buildings
will be replaced with brick structures. Con-
tracts for large hotel and other extensive
buildings, representing $250,000, were let
just before the fire.
PORTLAND, Oregon, June 15-The Oregon
ian's Victoria, B. G., special says: All day
Sunday there had been steady wind from
the northeast and the brush clearing fires on
the Canadian Pacific Railway lots were fam
ned to such an extent as to fill the terminal
town of Vancouver with smoke Nobody,
however. had any idea of danger. Shortly
after p. M, several persons began to con-
smoke was SO dense they found it impossible
to direct their steps to the exact location OF
its source. Soon stable near the Colonial
Hotel was seen to be on fire. The alarm was
given but so skeptical were the people that
they paid no attention for some time. The
wind by this time had increased to gale and
famed the flames to mass of raging fire.
One of the first buildings to go was McCart-
drug store, followed by the office Of the Van
couver News. The flames shot across Abbott
street with astonishing rapidity and almost
before the people could realize it the whole
of the western portion of the city was IL
blaze. The excitement was now intense.
Water lstreet was filled with dense smoke
and flying cinders and the people were flee
ing with what effects they could gather
in their haste to a place of safety. The gen
raldirection of flight was east though many
ran to the elevated ground owned by the
Canadian Pacific Railway Company. Others
made for False Creek. Those who endeav-
ored to save their goods were so wrapped in
their object as to appear headlesS of the dan
ger they ran, and it was found especially
necessary to compel many women to relin-
quish their effects to save their lives. In
some cases there was only just time to place
them on the improvised RATS which were
pushed out from the shore beyond the reach
of the flames which literally seemed to fill
the air. In less time than it takes to describe
it the fire had reached Carol setreet. Some
merchants in this vicinity and Ferguson
block were engaged in conveying their goods
to place of safety but SO rapid was the con-
fagrati0n that before their horses were rea-
dy the teamsters themselves were obliged to
flo for their lives. All hope of saving any
considerable amount of property was now
abandoned, and each contented himself with
hastily putting together what he could carry
| in his hanps without seriously impeding his
speed and hurried from the spot. But even
after leaving the houses danger was not over
| for every street had become an avenue of fire,
Falling timbers on each side of the street
glowing with fire, proved as serious men
ance to the fugitives as the burning houses
| of the doomed city. During the confusion
which prevailed when crowds of roughs saw
that every one was leaving the city, entered
the saloons which had been left entirely un-
protected and commenced drinking. Many
| were seen staggering along the streets with
| a keg of beer on their shoulders, or carrying
as many bottles of liquor as they could ap-
propriate. Men were seen sitting completely
| hemmed in by the fire and apparently oblivi-
| Gus of their surroundings drinking liquor.
| They were of course intoxicated. A large
| number of fugitiyes had collected at Hast
| ing's wharf and also at False Creek bridge.
| Nothing was to be seen from either of these
| points but lurid rolling bank of smoke
| hanging over the ashes of the city, from
| which stragglers could be seen occasionally
| fleeing. Steamer Dusmusmucer was at the
| wharf to receive the people, and several 9th
| Moodyville. The dropping of the flames was
as sudden as the rise, and by p. M some adj
venturous spirits had already made their way
| along the streets of the DESTROYED city, and
| before dark the work of searching for the
| hodiae of thnsp ovprtakpn hv tho firarv eln-