The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1895-03-08


Toronto Visited by Another Destructive
Confingration-Lossea AwKroEntlng over
Miiilon-some offhc Largest and Finest
stores in tho city Go Down Before tho
Fire-fiend's Onward Pr0grcsa-Finmcs In
asteeple.
ToRoNr0. Ont, March 3-The third
disastrous conhagration which has vis-
tied this hre-striclxen city In less than
two months occurred Yesterday morn
ing, and the loss by the disaster Is
fully as great as either of the pro-
vious two visitations This time the
fire started At 1s:40 q. m. In the de.
partmental store OF Robert simp-
son, on the southwest corner
OF YonRe and Queen streets.
Simpsons building was an immense
sevcn-story structure, completed only
six months ago at a cost Of $3.50. 600.
The fire started Ia 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 10 the
Simpson building proved futile.
Meantime the fire had crossed Queen
street, and the big clothing store Of
Phillip Jameson, on the northwest
corner Of Yonge street, was quickly
destroyed with its immense stock. The
adjoining dry goods house. Of Joseph
Sutclif Il Sons, Immediately north
and west Of Jamieson's, fronting on
Yonge street, with an annex running
through TO Queen street, was COM
pletely gutted and the stock "A a total
loss. Next, north, was George Nc
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, gentlemcn's
furnishing goods. and Mrs. M r. Bris-
ley, millinery, both Of whose stocks
were completely ruined. The roof Of
G. 3. Adams & Co. house furnishings,
next north, was burned through and
their valuable stock was much dam.
aged by water.
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 J. II.
Brown g. Co, as furniture and car
pet warehouse, was less fortunate, and
their immense. stock is q total loss.
The next stores TO the south.
fronting on Yonge street and occu-
pied by James Milne q Co, hardware,
and G. M. Henderson, auctioneer, we're
gutted. South Of these were Dunheld
& Co, gentlemen's furnishings, and
the fremont hotel, both Of which were
badly damaged.
Creeping east to Victoria street, the
fire found its way TO the Knights OF
Py thias hail. where Its progress In this
direction was finally arrested. This
hall was considerably damaged and
the knights lost most Of their furni-
3ure and regalia.
Just as the fire was believed 70 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 fremen 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 q great
crash. Down into the bell tower
the fire ate its way, and at
4 o'clock the great bell, whose deep,
sonorous tones have rung out upon the
air at o'clock every morning IN
the year for more than half CEN
tury, fell tumbling down into the
basement Of the tower, whore 1t lies
buried under a mass Of debris. The
falling Of the tower enabled the ire
men to reach the flames, and they
we're quickly got under control, NOT
however, until the church had sus-
tanned great damage from water.
The ascertained losses foot mp ST.
400 and the insurance $500, 600.
Several smaller losses Of tenants and
roomers will increase the loss to 81
i QOn. 600