Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-07-11
The Great Fire Causes a Loss
of $25, 200, 900.
10000 PEOPLE ARE HOMELESS.

Most of Them Entirely Destitute and In
Danger OF Death From Starvation
Fourteen Lives Lost Certainly--Ships
With Provisions Sent to Relieve the I'm
fortunates.
ST. JOHNS, N. F., July lit is now
estimated that the great fire has created
a loss of property aggregating $25, o00, 900,
and has rendered 90, 600 persons homeless
Many vessels in port had to cut their
anchor cables and hastily run out to
places of safety.
Several had their sails and rigging
burnt and two vessels loaded with coal
were destroyed.
The ruins are still burning and the
town is impossible.
The government has taken measures to
house the destitute in such few buildings
as remain.
The Colonial buildings the government
house and Catholic cathedral converts are
crowded, and workmen are erecting tenn
porary buildings on the open spaces.
Many of the homeless are still encamped
on the fields, but the government hopes
to house them all by tonight.
Messages of sympathy and promised re-
lief are numerous and come from all parts
of the world.
England comes bravely to the assist
ance, and President Harrison has tele-
graphed, promising help.
The Catholics met in the morning and
were organized by Bishop Power. They
will render all possible help.
The Episcopalians and Methodists met
in the afternoon, and all creeds are doing
their best toward the relief of the unfortu-
mates.
St. Johns is built upon a steep hillside;
the harbor running east and west. The
heart of the city extends from Beeks Cove
to Signal Hill, a distance of about a mile
and a half. Along this stretch were the
chief business houses; higher up the hill
side, extending probably a mile, were the
residences and public buildings. A strong
southwest wind was raging when, owing
to the careless use of a match, fire broke
out in a stable on Long Hill.
The first outburst Of the fire swept the
northern part Of the city, and finally began
to die out for the lack of fuel.
Later fresh fire broke out and the
South side was rapidly burned away.
In this portion of the town were located
the oil factories and oil tanks, and the re-
suit in this section is worse than appall-
ing. The entire years oil product was
stored In these tanks.
At night, the lurid flames leaping up
ward toward the sky, the dense overhang-
ing smoke and the cries and sobs of the
thousands of homeless presented a heart
rending scene.
This is the fourth great fire that has
crippled St. Johns. The first occurred in
February, 1916, and occasioned loss Of
about 100000. Fifteen hundred people
were homeless. The second was in No
vember, 1917, the loss aggregating $780,
0OO The third was on the 9th of June,
1916. The following streets were COM
pletely wiped out: Military road, Duck
worth street, Prescott street, Queens
Road, Cover street, Rings Road, Cattle
dral Hill and Longs Hill.
The fire which started Friday night
burned two-thirds of the city, destroying
$50 buildings and causing the loss of four
teen lives. The fire which broke out Sat-
urday in the southern part of the city al
most completed the destruction of the city.
A despatch from Hearts Content said
that the railway station at St. Johns,
where a temporary telegraph office had
been fitted up, had been destroyed and the
operators driven off. Later dispatches
said that the fire was raging in the forest
around St. Johns and all telegraph lines
had been completely destroyed and rail
way communication broken. The last
WOruS UrdnSlnlIueu ny Ile operator were
that only by wire could the fate of the
people be made known, and desperate eff
forts would be made to establish a connec-
ton, feat, he feared, that would require
several days.
Most serious alarm is felt here, and
great crowds surround the telegraph
Office and wait for news. The steamer
Ulunda sailed with provisions for the des-
titute. H. NJ. s. Admiral and the war
ship Blake also sailed with provisions and
tents and canvas to cover the homeless.
Halifax will send another steamer to-
morrow with supplies.
1t is reported that the British govern
ment will give %, 900 pounds and the city
of London 6 200 pounds to the sufferers.
The Queen Insurance company, it is
said, will lose $500, 900 and the Phoenix
| $200, 900 The total insurance losses will
be fully $2,500,00
All the government records have been
| burned and many lives have doubtlessly
are missing. All the stores and provisions
| are destroyed.
Unless succor comes in plenty and at
once many must die of starvation. No
conception OF the disaster that has over
whelmed the colony can be conveyed by
message reports.
A message from Cats Cove, seven miles
| from Br1guS, says that the village, con-
sisting of twenty six houses, has been en-
tirely wiped out of existence. The fire
there caught from the woods, which were
set on fire by ashes on railway track.
Fires are raging all around St. Johns,
and people are so completely terror stricken
and demoralized that no fight is being
made against the flames.
Towns fully twenty-five miles distant
were burned and the smoke from the fires
| enveloped the island for miles.
Another message from St. Johns city to
Halifax city says that St. Johns In COM
pletely crushed and wrecked and only
Il