The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-10

City Club, Harvey & Co. stosts grocery,
McMurdie & Co., chemists; Atlantic hotel, the
American consular Office, the ordon house,
II. p. Walsh, Ryan & Co., army and navy depot,
Barnes & Co., Aldridges hotel, the ROYAL hotel,
the market house, the courthouse custom-house,
March & Sons, Shea & Co, Bookings
premises. Pitts steamer whsrf, Lindbsrg's brew
cry, the Union and Commercial banks, CONNER
ciai exchange, all the law Offices and doctors
residences the school OF art. the principal home
mission aud merchants offices and insurance
agents Offices
from Brigus, n. F.. was burned today.
Twenty-six houses caught fire from the
woods, which were set on fire by ashes on
a railway.
lst Johns, not st. John, as often enormously
written and spoken, is the capital OF and largest
town in Newfoundland, one-sixth of the whole
population OF the province being centered IN this
city. Il dates from the earliest times OF the s.
coveries by the Basques. Brefons and Porru-
guese. and was already much frequented
by fishing craft early as the begin
ming OF the sixteenth century. This is
accounted for by the fact that from
the city TO European ports is the shortest dis
lance between the continents, and the fisher
men sailing the northern route reached the
North American coast al that point first II.
Johns is situated near the extremity OF
the easternmost OF the peninsulss which pro-
1ect from the east portion OF the island,
being 1855 miles west by south OF Galway, Ire
land, and 1,076 northeast OF Montreal, and is N
nearly the same latitude Seattle. The
harbor OF ST. Johns is one of the
very best Hence the possession OF this port
was hoty contested By the English and the
French, but il has now belonged to England for
nearly 200 years. Tue harbor is enclosed by two
mountains. between the eastern points OF which
Is the entrance called "rhe Narfows," which
is defended BY Notifications The town
is invisible from the sea, aud the entrance TO the
harbor is indicated by beaeons erected on the
SUBMITS OF the headlands. Ga rounding one OF
these promontories, navigators enter The Mar
rows, with twelve fathoms OF wa
ter in midchannel, through which only
one vessel pass at a time The channel is
about one-third OF a mile long, and dominated
by bluffs 500 to SO feet high. Formerly It was
closed by an iron chain DO yards long,
and on occasion it was blocked
by masses OF ice driven in by storms
ana blasting with gunpowder was
necessary to remove the obstruction. The Mar
rows expand suddenly into spacious basin OF
smooth water, on the north side OF which the
city rises in amphitheatrical form on
the terraced slope OF the hills.
Yet it cannot be called a fine town.
1t was mainly built by traders and shippers,
few OF whom intended to settle per-
porary residences and tasteless warehouses
solid enough TO shelter their stores. The
poorer classes, mostly OF Irish descent,
live in grmy wooden houses affording
fuel to the flames OF the frequent
winter fires. All quarters are pervaded
by the smell OF fish, which is quite
intolerable on the beach, where the
curing sheds are located. The town
| consists chiefly OF one street, about one and
a half miles in length. The town has
gas and water. There are eight places
of public worship, OF which is
fine cathedral of the Roman Catholic
church which cost $4,000. The Epis-
copal cathedral cost $4,000. There
is a government house. assembly house, hospi-
tai, penitentiary, etc. There are two Church of
England schools, one Wesleyan and two Roman
Catholic. There boot and shoe fac
tories. biscuit factories, oil retineries, net
factory and other small industrial establish
ments. The trade OF the town is i'll supplying
fishermen with necessary gear and implements.
| The population in 1850 was 22,253 A railroad
| connects the port with Harbor-Gyaee.l