The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-10-18

HALIFAX, N. s., october Mills
torlc Windsor. one OF the most beautlT
ful towns in the province, was deyas-
tated by fire this morning, For SIX
hours beginning shortly before a, m,
the fire famed by q violent northwest
gple ragged so hercely that the local fire
department was absolutely helpless to
cope with 1t, and within half an hour
after its discovery the mayor began to
call fer outside assistance Long be-
fore noon the town had been eaten up ala
most completely, the area covered by the
flames being nearly mile square, and
OF the four hundred or more buildings
occupying the section. barely half q
dozen scorched structures remain.
Among the buildings that escaped are
the Windsor cotton factory, Kings col
lege, the Anglican church. the Edge Hill
school for girls and the Buftrin hotel
The latter is,the only hotel left stand
ing. No Nova Scotia town has ever
been visited by confiagration OF such
dimensions or the $500 people that in
habited tie place. few have homes OF
their own tonight.
over 1000 have been taken in by the
residents of the surrounding country
and neighboring towns. while the re-
maInder of the sufferers have gone Ia
Halifax or are sheltered in army tenta
erected In the vacant plots tonight by
detachment OF British troops from the
garrison city. The disaster Is appalling
In It's extent.
The fire started In q barn behind the
marine block In the heart of the business
district. The high gale prevailing car
ried the flames TO other buildings before
the firemen had time to get to work. and
In short time the showers OF sparks
carried in all directions had ignited a
score OF buildings. The occupants OF
dwellings had time TO hurry on somd
clothing and to drag some household
goods into the streets, but there was no
place OF safety to which anything could
be removed quickly enough to save II
from being destroyed or damaged. The
flames cut clean gap from the waters
edge on the business front TO the for
ests in the rear, bounded by Ferry hill
on the south side and by Fort Edwards
on the north. During the past few
years many handsome brick structures
have been erected. but these were gen
orally contiguous TO old wooden build
lngs and all went together before the
furious flames.
The origin Of the fire Is somewhat
mysterious. A severe lightning storm
passed over the town before the flames
burst forth and some think the barn In
which the fire started may have been
struck by lightning, but many strongly
suspect that the conflagration origlna-
ted through the carelessness Of some
drunken man. When morning broke,
the site OF Windsor was n scene of des-
olation with hundreds of frantic, thin
ly clad and destitute men and women
and children rushing back and forth
through the smoky streets. Fortunate
ly no lives were lost, although the
streets were perilous with flying bricks
and states which the fierce hurricane
drove like thunderbolts from the roofs
In the hurry and excitement horses and
cattle In the stables were forgotten and
many perished In the flames or were suf-
located from the smoke. The ruins OF
the fire are ablaze tonight, the smoul-
dering embers having been famed into
blaze, and the heavens are lBnteu
with the flames, which cast their rehec-
tlon across the river as far as the eye
can see on tleher side. No effort has
been made 10 quench these fires and
naturally the occupants OF the few
houses that remain are afraid that the
fire will spring up again. The fire has
moderated somewhat and there IL no
likelihood Of further disaster.
Relief measures were started In Hal
flax at an early hour and this afternoon
train load Of provisions, tents, blank
cts, etc, arrived from the provincial
capital Aboard the train were General
Montgomery Moore. Governor DAILY,
Mayor Stephen and 100 men OF the Royal
Berkshire regiment and Royal Engln-
GERS who were brought TO attend to the
erection of tents and aid In the relief
work.
The total loss Ia estimated roughly At
81, 100000. While number OF the hear-
lest losers are partially insured and
some Of them pretty well covered. the
total insurance Is calculated to be not
more than half million.