The Monticellonian., 1895-03-08


 Confiagration-Losscs Aggregating over Miliion-Sonis of the Largest and Finest Stores In the City Go Down Before the Fire-Fiend's Onward Progress-Fiamcs in aStoeple.
 TORONTO, Ont, March 3.-The third | disastrous conflagration which has vis- ited this fire-stricken city in less than two months occurred yesterday morn ing. and the loss by the disaster is fully as great as either of the pre- vious two visitations. This time the fire started at 12:40 q. m. in the de- partmental store of Robert Simp- son, on the southwest corner of Yonge and Queen streets. Simpsons building was an immense seven-story structure, completed only | six months ago at a cost of Sf50,000. The fire started in the rear of the southern annex, and spread with such rapidity that within half an hour the whole building was mass of flames. A general alarm was turned in five minutes after the discovery of the fire, and the whole brigade was on the scene before 1 o'clock, but their com bined efforts to confne the fire to the Simpson building proved futile. Meantime the fire had crossed Queen street, and the big clothing store of l Phillip Jamieson, on the northwest corner of Yonge street, was quickly destroyed with it's immense stock. The adjoining dry goods house of Joseph Sutclif X Sons, immediately north and west of Jamieson's, fronting on | tl. through to Queen street, was com pletely gutted and the stock is a total loss. Next, north, was George Me | Pherson's boot and shoe store. This, too, was badly gutted. South of Simpsons, on Yonge street, the large jewelry store of John Wanless, was damaged considerably in the rear, but the front portion escaped serious in- jury.
 Crossing Yonge street, the fire next attacked the Henderson block, on the northeast corner of Queen street, oc- cupied by James Bonner, gentlemen's furnishing goods. and Mrs. NJ. E. Bris- ley, millinery, both of whose stocks were completely ruined. The roof of c. S. Adams < Co.,, house furnishings, next north, was burned through and their valuable stock was much dam aged by water.
 A change of the wind caused the flames to leap across Queen street, and the Imperial bank, at the southeast corner of Yonge street, was soon ablaze. The lower floor, occupied by the Imperial as a branch, was flooded, but escaped serious damage by fire. The remainder of the build ing, however, occupied by ]. F. Brown & Co.,, as a furniture and car pet warehouse, was less fortunate. and their immense stock is total loss.
 The next stores to the south, fronting on Yonge street and occu- pied by James Milne x Co.,, hardware, and c. NJ Henderson, auetioneer, were gutted. South of these were Dunfield X Co.,, gentlemen's furnishings, and the Fremont hotel, both of which were badly damaged.
 Creeping east to Victoria street, the fire found it's way to the Knights of Pythias hall, where its progress in this direction was finally arrested. This hall was considerably damaged and the knights lost most of their furni- | lure and regalia,
 Just as the fire was believed to be under control a cry went up from the crowd that the steeple of the Knox Presbyterian church, 200 feet high, on Queen street. was on fire. In vain did the firemen turn their most powerful streams upon the speck of fire. They could not reach half way up, and be- fore long the steeple was burned through and fell with great crash. Down into the bell tower the fire ate it's way, and at 4 o'clock the great bell, whose deep, sonorous tones have rung out upon the air at 6 o'clock every morning in the year for more than half cen tury, fell tumbling down into the basement of the tower. where it lies buried under a mass of debris. The falling of the tower enabled the fire men to reach the flames, and they were quickly got under control, not, however, until the church had sus- tained great damage from water,
 The ascertained losses foot up Sl,- 10000, and the insurance S560, 900. Several smaller losses of tenants and roomers will increase the loss to Sl,- | 200, 900.