The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1895-03-08
A FlRE-sTmcKEN CITY.


COnflagratIon-Losses AggregatIng aver
a BTilIiOn-SOme of the Largest and Finest
Stores i'm the City Go Down Before the
Firc-Nlend's Onward Progress-Elames In
Steepic.
ToRoNro, Ont, March 3.-The third
disastrous confagration which has vis-
tied this fre-stricl1en 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-
yious two visitations. This time the
fire started at 13:4O a. 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 cost of $50, 900.
The fire started in the rear of the
southern annex, and spread with such
rapidity that within half an hour the
whole building was a 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 confine the fire to 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
Sutcliff & Sons, Immediately north
and west of Jamieson's, fronting on
Yonge street, with an annex running
through to Queen street, was COM
pletely Quilted and the stock is a total
loss. Next, north, was George Nc
Pherson's boot and shoe store. This,
too, was badly Quilted. 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. M. e. Bris-
ley, millinery, both of whose stocks
were completely ruined. The roof of
G. 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 J. f.
Brown g. Co., as furniture and car
pet warehouse, was less fortunate, and
their immense stock is a total loss.
The next stores to the south,
pied by James Milne & Co., hardware,
and C. NJ. Henderson, auctioneer, were
gutted. South of these were Dunfield
& 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
Pythias hall, where it's progress in this
direction was finally arrested. This
hall was considerably damaged and
the knights lost most of their furni-
4ure and regalia.
Just as the fire was believed to be
under control 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 a great
crash. Down into the bell tower
the fire ate its way, and at
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 a CEN
tury, fell tumbling down into the
basement of the tower, where it lies
buried under 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-
tanned great damage from water.
The ascertained losses foot up ST.
14O, 900, and the insurance $500, ,000
Several smaller losses of tenants and
roomers will increase the loss to ST.
2O0 600