Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-07-15

ST, JOHNS IN RUINS.
All the Business Buildings and 800
Dwellings Destroyed.

The Loss Estimated at $4,000. OOO---
$1,000 People are Homcless---Scvcrnl
Lives Lost.
Two-thirds Of the city Of st. Johns,
Newfoundland, is in ruins, including nearly
all Of the principal buildings, 1000 peo-
pie are homeless, and it is estimated that
the total property loss will reach 10000
600 The fire broke out on Friday after
noon at ! o'clock ON Longs Hill, 22j feet
above the level of the sea. In that section
the houses were most all wooden struc-
lures, and the flames came down the hill
and proceeded to wipe out the business
portion of the city The whole fire brigade
of the city was at work, but human effort
was absolutely powerless to stay the de
struction. Buildings hundreds of yards
away were being fired in every direction by
the flying, burning embers, and so fast did
the devOuring element rush onward that
there was hardly time for people to flee
for their lives. The fire department soon
became disorganized, and the people
seemed paralyzed.
1t swept away the Parliament buildings,
the chief churches and other public struc-
lures and hundreds of private dwellings.
Among the buildings which were destroyed
were the new Methodist college, recently
erected at cost of $4,000; the Masonic
temple, which cost $4,000: the Methodist
church, the oldest and largest in the city;
and the magnificent cathedral of the Eng
fish church. This was designed by Sir
Gilbert Scott and was conceded to be the
finest piece of Gothic architecture on the
continent a large portion of the stone
for this structure was imported from
Europe. 1t has been half century in
| building, and was not yet completed,
though a quarter of a million had been
spent on it.
The Colonial building, in which the Co
lOnial legislature meets, was also destroyed.
II was a grey stone structure adorned with
massive portico or Dorc columns. The
government house. which was next beyond
the Colonial building was the mansion of
the governor of the province. 1t was built
in lS20-3O and cost S25O,OOO. The sur
rounding grounds are pleasantly diversified
with groves, flower beds and walks and are
much visited blythe aristOcracy of st. John $
during the short but brilliant summer sea-
SON Next the Orange hail. the palace Of
Bishop Jones' the Supreme court house,
the fire police headquarters the tine Athen-
rum building, containing the government
Offices law offices, government savings
bank and a large public hall and reading
room were consumed. Union bank build
ing, the Commercial bank the fine brick
and stone Presbyterian church and the
Telegram newspaper Office were also de-
stroyed Then the flames took complete
possession of the great business establish
ments and fish warehouses on Water
street, soon extending to the wharves and
the boats had to be hauled out into the
harbor for safety.
The scene at night was a beautiful
though appalling one. Building after
building caught fire and the whole city was
as light as day. The roar of the flames
was terrible and the heat was so intense
that it was impossible to get anywhere
near the burning buildings. Men, women
and children ran about in terror and
thieves taking advantage of the confusion,
entered the houses that had been deserted
| by their occupants and stole whatever they
! could lay their hands on.
! st. Johns is the capital of Newfoundland
| and a city of $1,000 inhabitants. The
! principal street stretches along parallel
with the harbor for two miles and was
| built up with substantial brick and stone
| buildings. Three streets parallel with this
make up the business part of the town
! The business of the place is almost en-
| tirely commercial, manufactures consisting
| chiefly of biscuit factories and oil retneries.
| The inhabitants are mainly engaged in the
| fisheries and are generally poor The
wealthy go to England to make their dis
/ plays. The finest building in the city and
| in fact one Of the finest churches in North
| America was the Roman Catholic cathe-
/ dral, costing SSO0,O but according to
/ the latest dispatches this was not destroy
/ ed.
ST. Johns is city well supplied with
water, but the height of the hill on which
the fire started made the water almost use
! less. There are two well organized volun-
teer fire companes-the Phoenix and
/ Cathedral fire brigade. There are ten
churches in the city. Nineteen, life, fire
and marine insurance companies have
agencies in st. Johns.
In 1916 st. Johns was visited by fire
which destroyed about 2OOO houses and
caused loss of about S4,O0O,OOO Since
that time the houses and stores on Water
street, the principal street are required by
law to be of brick or stone.
Several lives were lost during the fire. il
being known that one man and five chill
dren persisted, while others are missing
and may have met death in the flames.
Upon learning Of the disaster the mayor
of Halifax, y. $, called a meeting of tn,
citizens and $1,000 was raised. with which
a cargo of provisions was at once bought
and despatched to 81. Johns. Thousand,
of people are left in destitute circumstances
They are at present encamped in the fields
and unless measures are taken at once for
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