The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-06-17
A HOLOCAUST.
GREAT FIRE AND LOSS OF
LIFE AT TIE CITY OF
VANCOUVER.
TERRIBLE SCENE OF FIERY DE-
STRUCTION-MEN AND WOMEN
CAUGHT IN THE FLAMES.

NEW WESTMINSTER, B. c., June l5.-Parties ar
irving from Vancouver's state that at 9:30 o'clock
yesterday afternoon the wind rose to gale, and
caused the fires burning on the Canadian Pacific
| railroad to spread towards the city mouse on
the extreme west end caught fire and the flames
spread rapidly to adjacent buildings.
AT o'clock the last house in town was in
ashes
Five persons are reported dead, and several serk
ousy if not fatally injured.
NTotal loss estimated at $1,000 o; insurance,
| Sl0i,O@.
One thousand persons are homeless.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
The city of Vancouver situated at the Pacific end
of the Canadian Pacific railway, is in ashes. Not
half dozen houses remain out OF 500, and worst
of all there is large loss of life.
| Ten bodies have thus far been discovered, and a
number are missing, supposed to have pershed
One short hour did the whole work. The property
saved is insignificant A clean sweep describes the
situation.
A thousand men are at work clearing up the
debris for the railroad company
Twenty contracts for rebuilding have already
been let
Many men lost their all, but are determined to
| start in again.
The loss falls directly upon the pioneer element
of the city. Hundreds of people are camped out
There are meagre facilities for the relief of the
sufferers but the people of this city especially,
openhanded in their efforts to relieve the distress
| Prompt relief from the Canadian Pacific railway
is expected. Families were compelled to abandon
| their homes at q moments warning, and flee tol
| their lives.
BUSINESS men in search OF valuabes were forced
| to rush through flames and smoke, or perish.
The whole populace was panic-stricken num-
Der of persons sought refuge in the water, and one
man was found in well, where he had lowered
| himself to escape the flames. Few people have
more than the clothes they stand in.
| OF ten of the bodies recovered, three have been
identified.
Most of the burned buildings will be replaced
| with brick structures
Contracts for large hotel and other extensive
buildings, representing half million collars Wett
| let just before the fire.
| ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
PORTLAND, June 15.-The Orgonan's Victoria, B
G. SPECIAL says: ''All day SUNDAY there had been 8
| steady wind from the northwest, and brush clear
| ing fires the Canadian Pacific railway lots
were famed to such an extent as to fill the teri
nal town of Vancouver with smoke. Nobody
however, had any idea of danger. Soon stable
near the Colonial hotel was seen to be on fire. The
alarm was given but 80 skeptica were the people
that they paid no attention for some time Inc
| wind, by this time, had increased to gale, and
fam ed the flames to mass of raging fire. One OF
the first buildings TO go down was Mccartney
drug store, followed by the office of the Van
| cOuyer News. The flames shot across Abbo
street with astonishing rapidity and almost before
the people could realize it tine whole western por
| ton of the city was ablaZe.'
| The excitement was intense. Water street Wa'
| filed with dense smoke and flying cinders, an(
| the people were hurrying with what effects the.
| cold gather in their haste to a place of safety
| TLose who endeavOred to save their goods Wer
50 absorbed in their object as to appear needles
! of danger and it was necessary to compel man.
women to reliDquish their effects to save thei
lives. In some cases there was only just time t
place them on impr9 9vised RATS, which pushed on
from shore beyond the reach OF the flame, Whlc
literally seemed to fill the air. Some merchant
engaged in carrying goods to places of safety wer
Obliged to flee for their lives. All hope of savin
any was abandoned
inv 1barl mn nnl
road were glowing with fire and proving as ser1
ous a menace to the fugityss as the burnin
houses of the doomed city. During the confusion
| which prevailed when the rOwdieS and rOughS say
that every one was leaving they entered the sa
looms which had been abandoned, and commenced
drinking. Many one was seen staggering alon!
the streets with keg of beer on his shoulders, o
| carrying as many bottles of liquor as he could ap
prOpriate. Men were sitting completely hemme'
in by the fire, apparently obliyious of their sur
roundingS, drinking liquor. A large number o
fugitives collected at hastings mill companys
building, but large majority collected
| at False Creek bridge. Nothing was to be seei
from either of these points but a lurid bank O
smoke hanging over the city, from which strag
| glers could be seen occasionally fleeing. Ih'
steamer Dunsmuir was at the wharf to receive th
people, and with several other steamers carried
large numbers over to Moodyville.
The dropping of the flames was as suddeI
as their rise, and by p. M. some adven
turous spirits had already made their way alon.
the roads of the destroyed city, and before darl
the work of searching for the bodies OF those over
taken by the fiery element had begun.
Up to 10 a. m Monday nine bodies, some 0
which were burned seyond recognition, had reel
found There was some uncertainty about the eX
act number already found, as in some cases hand
full of charred bones were the only indication of
human life being lost. One of the searchers sal
he thought the number could be truthfully est
mated at twelve. The general sentiment of tn
people appears to be one of hopefuness, and de
termination to at once begin the reconstruction O
the city. Some have already got building materia
| fba