New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-10
ST. JOHNS NEARLY WIPED OUT.
TERRIBLE CONFLAGRATION IN THE NEW
FOUNDLAND CAPITAL.
SEVEN LIVES REPORTED LosT-THE DEsTRUC'
TIoN OF PROPERTY ESTIMATED AT $50 100000

Halifax " S. July "a fire broke out III ~
Johns yesterday afternoon that threatens far 10 eA
cced I'm extent Of money damage and loss OF lie '"''
Of the disastrous confagraon OF 1916. large part
OF the has been destroyed. 1t Is repor'eu 'n"
seven lives are lost and fears entertained lhat
later reports will show many more people hn'e
The loss according a dispatch received tohish'
l. estimated at $40 900 900. About O'Clock yeser
day afternoon a house on Longs Hill was discovered
to be on fire. The nrcmcn responded promptS 10
the ALARM but when they arrived the southwest VIM
thas was prevailing had caused the fire 10 spre'a
to an adjoining building, which was then burning
flriousIy The fire department was helpless ana
reope living I'm the path OF the fire began to move
their portable household effects and valuabies' IL Is
feared that Of these people lost ueir lives "
their foolhardness in returning to ther MONIES "He
the flames were close upon them.
While the old dwelling houses were burning ur'
hindered t was found that the Methodist College
was on fire. Efforts made 10 save tnls oulilinH'
but they were futess. The college was the educa
onal headquarters OF the MethOdsts in Newfoundland
and its loss will be severely felt by the denomination
By this time the wind wns blowing gale, and the
fire was spreading with appalling rapidly Buhdhe'
situated some distance from the burning structures
caught fire from the burning embers and We're destroyed
without hand being raised to attempt to save thenl'
The fremen and the people were completely p'fa'~e
and the fire did its work OF destruction unhlndeed.
Thieves taking advantage of the confusion entered
houses that had been deserted by their occupants ana
stole whatever they could carry OIL
The Masonic Temple Orange Hal, the komah
Catholic Cathedral and Bishops palace, st. Patrcks
Hail. the English Cathedral, the Athenaeum, the hlrk
the Commercial Bank, the Union Bank the Atiahuc
Hotel and Iinberg's Brewery all were destroyed lhe
English Cathedral magnificent structure ana
was considered to be the finest piece Of Gothic archl-
lecture on this continent. IL was yet incomplete
| though it had been fifty years in building
ri.
in the direction OF the water ont and in snort lIne
were eating up the warehouses along the wharves'
The shipping lying at the wharVes had been warned
Of the danger and the crews OF the various vessels
hastily cast off their lines and took their craft outside
| the harbor.
The fire burned ont the telegraph offices and for
time all communication with ST. Johns was cut OIL
This morning however, the telegraph officials estab-
lished temporary Offices in what they considered safe
part OF the city aud further details were received
These later patches stated that tie fire had ragged all
| Light and threatened to destroy tho whole city.
1t Is known positively that one man and six chill
Grcn have pcrshed but 1t is thought that when the
terrible excitement that prevails subsidies it will
be found that the loss OF life Is much greater.
The Parliament buildings have been DESTROYED. At
| the time the last dispatch sent fully 800 build
Tugs had been burned. Many OF these were dwelling
houses and their occupants had been compelled 10 seek
refuge in the fields The military authorities have fur
nish,d them with tents as possible. and the
civil authorities are doing everything in their power
to alleviate the distress.
This morning the fire communicated to the seal oil
factories and stores and the whole south side of
| the city burning large fire was coming
down the Fresh Water Valley and the whole pOpula
ton of St. Johns were ip an agony Of despair
seeing before them the complete extinction of their
city
\ private dispatch received here states that the
| fra haz nd DuchWOFth
From Bandy Rankin's TO Signal I'LL the only buildings
standing the Union Bank. the Roman Catholic
Cathedral and College and the Devon Row Railway
Depot. Another dispatch says that fire has broken
out IN Monkstown in which situated the homes Of
the most wealthy Inhabitants OF the town.
The principal street Of st. Johns IS more than a
or biich. Aftcr the hrc in 1916 the authorities re
fused To permit wooden buildings to be erected in the
street. lni' street has been practically DESTROYED
At 30 O'Clock the Telegraph officials reported that
communication with Il. JOINS was cut or
r At twenty minutes OF TO nist Il was reStoIei ',,i
IN wording order stated that the io's by the fire is
The suffering, Of the poor people are great: many
will lose AL they possess and are almost IN de,pir
Fifteen thousand people, II l. thought. are homeless
Thousands sitting IN the streets and fields, wtchn-
the mule furniture tney have saved Help is urgently
needed.
Forest fires are raging near It Johns at Brond
Cove aud salmon O,yc. and the air about the III
ht'd town is dark win smDhe; ,...,.
\ privat" dispatch received from -. Johns says !;
The houses of Judge Tinselt, Mr.. Outerbrldgc and
Nr. shea. burned the Government
house. The principal buildings. houses and hotels
burned follows Brydens, Bowins Bros. j. ".
lmlnc, Johnston a CO., Earis ThornbuInets nc>sicr
Chluwoyd Co., Icnrn' -. the city Club, Harvey
n co.. sotts grocery. McMuldo ~ Co., chemists, .
Atlantic Hotel the American Consul OItc. the Cor
don House. II. r. Walsh. Ryan a Co.. the Army AMI
Royal Hotel the Market House. tho Court House
Cu~ion,. March a sons. shea y Co.. Bookings
prcml.cs. ltu, steamer wharf, soap and tobacco
factory, II. Johns ianhcY, t"stl steam wharf
| Llndberg's brewery. linton and Commercial tanks;
Commercial ENchangc. all the law offices aud doctors
houses, The school Of Art. The PRINCIPAL home M ,sion
aud merchant Office, ana Insurance agents Offices.
Upon learning last night Of the coniagrauon ut
st. Johns y. r., the Mayor called meeting of
citizens for the purpose Of ahng steps to provide re-
lief. \ large number Of citizens assembled at the
Mayors office today. \ committee wAs appointed
and its members Immediately purchased $1,000 worth
Of provisions and lumber The steamer landa sailed
tary and naval authorities have also sent lot of
tents and canvas. \ public meeting VII be hed
nor Daily and Archbishop O'Bricn this morning
tclegraphcd to the Newfoundland Government u
message Of sympathy. 1t is hard to get any par
ticulars Of the disaster. the addresses of the
people telcsrnphd TO cannot be found; -, o,,. 49,
Admiral Hopkins Is 60 operating with the city an
,hortcs. aud IS holding the fast cruiser Magcicnne In
icadln~'s TO transport snpps. IT Is believed @ tnn'
thirds burned over. Everything has been DESTROYED
from Birchs Cove east. to the wlaivcs Of the Allan
steamship Line. The flames made clean sweep. and
the work Of destruction is appalling. The conragra-
lion started at O'Clock yesterday afternoon, and ut
10 O'Clock this morning had ceased burning only for
Further advlces confirm the report Of loss Of life,
and state that he victims SIX children and one
man Tho homeless people are campcd In the fields
II. NJ. :. Flake sails for It. Johns tonight with m,
lief She IS one Of the fascs sallcr of the day. and
will probably reach there in wehty-for hours, pro
Montreal. July o.-It has already boon decided to
send boat within the next lew days with provisions
and other nccc,sarieS The citizens Of Montreal will,
as whole be asked to contribute 10 the relief fund.
A NOTED TRAIN -R03BER CAUGHT.