New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-31
IN THE RUINS OF ST. JOHNS
MANY PEOPLE LIVING IN HUTS AND TENTS.
THE CHAIN OF ACCIDENTS THAT MADE THE
DESTRUCTION OF THE CITY BY FIRE POS
s1BLE-MFAsUREs OF REIIEF-T1lE

slBIE-MFASURES OF RELIEF THE
WORK OF REBUILDING BEGUN.
ST. Johns, n. f.. July 2O.-The leading facts con
nected with the confederation Of July :. by wmch
twotbirds OF St. Johns was laid Ia ashes are known
IN The world We are sufficiently recovered
from the shock be able to review the catastrophe
to follow its and 10 some extent 10 eS"""'o
its results. one thing strikes Us at me outset
There Is not perhaps ON this side OF the Au"h"o'
any other city having better water-suppN IMAM
ST. Johns large lake called "Windsor four ana
n half miles from the city. and 400 feet above 'he
s.alevel, furnished an unlimited supply OF ""'t'
The pressure is so great that the street ydrhut
the water could be thrown the highest Du nsS'
30 that FIRE engines, except for locat"s u W"'," Wv
water mains did not reach, were not req''ieu' "
1916 a FIRE destroyed about twothir1s OF 'ie CIV
as IL then stood. But such a ca'asrophe Is eas'"
understood when We remember that the CITY was 'h'
q mass Of wooden houses. that the streets "o''
narrow and that the supply of water was iiss
nifcant When rebuilt, the streets were wu'eu'
fire breaks arranged: far better CLASS vi no''''
many of them. especially In Wa'er-S''' SUM
and brick structures. were erected ana nii"iN,
splendid wnter-supply referred TO WIS
We naturally felt secure. and used 10 say p'o''
that M such fire es that OF 1916 coud ever re''''
Wa had an excellent volunteer hreprIeuue'
performances when fire broke out enci''u pou'',
.rcon,rms from the press in which the cohvehtoha.
FIRE fiend was often set at dehahoe' anu .
that he had no chance against our oor .''
Our confidence further sNeusV"e" " =,
penence No fire Of any great extent Voo" p
recent years Even when 1t broke out at n'-a' 49,
ths heart NJ a wooden district. closely crowded. our
- ,uars managed 10 keep It within moderate
u,,,ts ond noured on IL such dcuges OF wafer '"''
., ems sneedily extnplsbed. without causing "W
very serious damage. 49,, - +. u,ere
A.. Gov buman foresight In mockery, as IL were
sf our security and self confidence, IRE prone "d
~ rrday Jnly 8, at 5 O'Clock in the afternoon "u'
y, 49,. bou-s more than two Thirds OF 81 john
n. mass OF smoking ruins. everything Won
ao,rn bcfore the fiery onset OF the oesoo''' VIZ
s,ot.,v Cathedral OF the Church of Ehgiah"' "" "
Gilbert SCOTS masterpieces when was 'ho"t"'
,nvu,ne1able being built In the most s"''"
,ash,op: ST Andrews Church and the A'hcnaeu"'
h.,b sold structures: the massive warehouses IN
:. ~. vorons pubuc buildings and private d"elHhE
h..s shons factories, foundries-a ftrnishen 'o'o
o. N. eerv GIANT At 3 O'Clock next morning "erc
uas nothing but chimney stalks ana piacHcneu '"
lettering walls where populous cltN mao N'o'" W.
bours before. OF the long range OF "hhrNo', %
,,g rsr,a,ned but baekencd piles. standing III '''
waters of the harbor If in ghosty p"'eS, "s"m'0
,h. xxrock and ruin that had been wrought Inc
eerv flood had swept away the faneS OF reiiEon WI"
the dwellings Of man. Early in the onset o"i o
nremeu had been utterly crushed alo oVer""
ord had fed before the torrent OF fire. leaving penu
their apparatus OF DEFENCE -
A strange combination of circumstances. III! =
cartons fatality Il might called, brought about tS
awful destruction. Had incendiares arianeeu wv
whole combination OF circumstances winch ieu " '
burning down OF the city, they could not nave uonc
n more sllfuly or effectively than II was zone oS
Nature red in tooth and claw h'gh VIVA was
blowing when the fire began: for weeks before no
rain had fallen and the scorchinS sun haa NhueIcu
the roofs and walls of the wooden houses dry as
finder The fire started in n high suburb III u'c
western end, overlooking the great mass Oh the oS'
The wind blew from the northwest so tha' is loroe
whired the first sparks right into the hear' vi d"
area covered with old. dry wooden houses 1t was
spot which an invading army would have sclAeu III
order TO shell the city. Other fatalities lent thelr
influence The water had been turned OIL during
the day in order 10 make some new connection oi
mains large ciStern that usually stood iul ol
water in this locality had been empted the night
before by the fremen, when practising Win Hieir
hose and had not been renlled
Only u spark wanted. and "0lm Br1eh' eau
man. so II ia said supplied from his pipe, In stable
where was q pile of hay. The roaring "ind ala Tue
rest 1t hurled the burning brands all around. some
two houses which stood near. We're blazlng' theh
third I happened to be taking walk WITHIN SNORT
distance and spectator Of at this stage as well as
throughout It's deadly course The fremen were soon
IN the spot but water scarce; the streams Zee
she. and soon the fire got in advance Of them. Ere
long twenty houses burning. The mass OF
flames increased rapidly growing In volume Oh what
II fed On. The heat increased the force OF the wind
and the fiery river rushed down the city In two d.
rectons along two sides Of triangle. Of which
Bncn's house the apex one branch OF the lire
torrent took It's down Longs Hi. High up on
the left stood the Methodist College with adjoining
buildings, all Of wood, the Masonic Hall an Immense
building also wooden. and the Mause Of 1t. Andrews
Church. Ere long these Immense piles were blazing
and they sealed the fate OF st. Ptrick's Hall. The
tg.x Al, -. -.,,ff.l cath
dral window gave way and the beautiful structure
was soon wrapped in sheets of fame. ST. Andrews
Church followed. then the Athenaeum and all the sur
rounding buildings The suddenncss OF the assault
and the rapidty with which the flames advanced par
ayxed effort and there appliances at hand 70
pull down houses make a break. The terrified In
hsbtsnts as the flames advanced were trying to save
their household property aud carry them to heights,
out Of the line Of tire. The fury OF the cOnfagraton
It's height, and ali attempt TO resist it
given up.
To make the destruction more complete, two other
rivers Of fire rushed don In sOutbery direc-
ton. little east Carriers HILL and made for Water
st., where all TIE business establishments and
larger shops, cutting 1t at point about two thirds
from It's eastern end. The torrent rolled on along
Water st., and the two streams advanced destroying
all the streets from PrescOtt-st., eastward. They
converged Devon Row. range Of six houses, four
stories high IN OF which the present writer lived.
The seemed to be doomed no one expected It to
escape, and bad removed whatever was portable. Tie
flames began lick the gable end. But whether TIE
wind veered u nttie at the moment whether the
efforts made 10 ward Of the attack by wettng the
roof and guarding the balcony behind proved effect
ual, 1t was seen, that Devon ROW saved,
and we drew long breath OF relief. Away below
the Gre finishing It's work. liarveys bakery was
the last TO go. Then IL mounted signal Hill, and
LmkerCs large brewery, the house OF Mr.. Molloy.
American Consul, aud that Of Mr. Canning G the
Custom House. shared the common fate Up
6inpal Hill the sparks few, in dense showers, and
fred the Fever Hospital THIS was the last achieve
ment OF the destroyer. The victory complete.
In some respects 1t OF the most remarkable