, 1888-07-28

Bison, who were ashore with their pumps,
aided by the fire brigade, kept the fire con-
trolled, and thus saved the City from fur
Their destruc ton. Through this dreadful
calamity hun dreds were rendered hOuseleSS
in a few hours, and whatever articles OF
furniture and clothing were saved from
the flames were pilIaged by those charac-
tiers that are always waiting for such OPP
portunities. The only loss of life so far is
that of an old man, whose charred remains
were disiuterred by the fire brigade.
After the excitement had subsidized some
what, the cause of the confagration was
sought, and failing positive information, it
must be traced to incendiarism, as it does
look like such.
After the fire the Bison landed some men
at the French Legation, ambient some tOthe
British Consul General.
The next day all the employees of the
Chambers were arrested and incarcerated
to give an account of the origin of the FIRE,
but in acco rdance with the Haytian pro
verb "fleas are only seen on meagre dogs"
they have been all set at liberty. A.
second fire occurred on Saturday the
7th, at 10 am, which was discovered to
have originated at the private residence of
the Minister of Justice. AS on the former
occasion, the wind was blowing great guns,
and in a short time the remaining houses
in the upper part of the city were destroy.
ed, hundreds again being rendered house
less and destitute of apparel, your CORES
pendent among them. A man called
ROmulu 8, who was found i'll the ruins with
u wet cloth in his hands, helping Mr.. Mar
mont Flambert, q respectable merchant OF
this city, to remove the hot sheets of zinc
from his burnt house, was seized as the
perpetrat0r of this fire, and shot two days
after, Notwithstanding his plea Of innocence.
The men of the Bison, as OH the former
occasion, worked ZealOuSly. They COntrl-
we'd to save a large building belonging to
the Sisters Of Charity. The men and
pumps of the S. s. VILE de st. NGzGire, COM
manded by Lieut.. Motay, also did all in their
pOwer to keep the fire from spreading.
Conspicuous in the crowd was the Count
de SesmaisOnS, French Envoy, who took
an active part in the whole concern, aided
by Consul General Z0hrab.
Your readers can now guess IN what q
state is the city of POrt-au-PrinCe, where
minor fires are being set daily.
AS You may imagine, there is a deal of
uneasiness experienced, and the discharge
OF occasional shots at night only helps to
alarm. Thousands of people have left for
the interior, as all kinds of rumOurs are
a1Oat.
Your readers may remember that in my
letter concerning SalOmOn'S reelection /
mentioned that trouble was expected but
l hope after all that nothing may COM of
it. In conversation once a Haytian told
me that the Republic is their father,
and the Government appointments their
ather'S horses, and as the children were
all considered equals, no Que was suppOs
ell to ride more than another. This, in
plain words, means that as Solomon has
been seven years President for the first
term, and one year in the second, and
being nearly eighty years old, it is time
he resigned and let another son mount
but the aged ruler is not guided by such
sage maXims, and declares his intention
to die at his post.
Yesterday the Commerce was invited by
one of the principal merchants here to go
to the Palace to f~elicitate the President
on the firm attitude he maintained during
the fire, but the call was responded to by
six out of a couple of hundred merchants
in the place. ue.ea4
Revd. Father Guillard, missionary for
sixteen years here, leaves to day by
the Vile de st. NGzaire. The reason for
his quitting the island, which is done O.
the advice of the Archbishop, is for having,
as rumoured, counselled the President to
resign-a courageous act, to be sure. The
Father may return from France under a