The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-10-18
WINDSOR FLAME SWEPT.
The Pretty Nsva Scotia Town AZ
most 0bliterated.
THREE THOUSAND HOMELESS.

Tho Fire Burned For Six Hours, Fan.
ned by Violent Northwest Gale.
Many ofthe Inhabitants Now Living
in Army Tents.
Halifax, N. s., Oct 49, - Historic
Windsor, one Of the most beautiful
towns In the province, was devastated
by fire yesterday. For six hours, be-
ginning shortly before a. M, the fire,
famed by a violent northwest gale,
ragged SO fiercely that the local FIFE de-
partment was absolutely helpless to
cope with 1t, and within half an hour
after its discovery the mayor began
to call for outside assistance. Long be-
fore noon the town had been almost
completely eaten up, the area covered
by the flames being almost q mile
square. and Of the 400 or more buildings
occupying this section barely half a
dozen scorched structures remain. Only
one hotel Is left standing.
No Nova Scotia town has ever been
visited by confiagration of such d.
mansions OF the $500 people that in
habitated the place few have homes of
their own today. Over 5000 have been
taken in by the residents of the sur
rounding country and neighboring
towns, while the remainder Of the suf-
ferers have gone to Halifax or are
sheltered in army tents erected In the
vacant plots by detachment of Brit
ish troops from the garrison city. The
disaster Is appalling In its extent.
The fire started in q barn in the heart
OF the business district. The high gale
prevailing carried the flames to other
buildings before the flremen had time
to4et at work, and in short time the
showers Of sparks carried In all d.
rections had ignited score of build
ings. The occupants Of dwellings had
time to hurry on some clothing and to
drag some household goods into the
streets, but there was no place of
safety to which anything could be re-
moved quickly enough to save 1t from
being destroyed or damaged. The flames
cut clean gap from the waters edge
on the business front to the forests in
the rear.
During the past few years many
handsome brick structures have been
erected, but these We're generally con-
tiguous to old wooden buildings, and
all went down before the furious flames.
The origin of the fire is somewhat mys-
FERROUS. A severe lightning storm
passed over the town before the flames
burst forth and some thine the barn in
which the fire started may have been
struck by lightning, but many strongly
suspect that the confagraton origl-
mated through the carelessness of some
drunken man.
When morning broke the site at
Windsor was scene of desolation, with
hundreds of frantic, thinly clad and
destitute men, women and children
rushing back and forth through the
smoky streets Fortunately 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 |
persisted in the flames or were suf- |
located from smoke.
Relief measures were started in Hall |
fax at an early hour, and yesterday |
afternoon a train load of provisions, |
tents, blankets, etc., arrived from the |
provincial capital
The total loss is estimated roughly at |
50 600, 000. While a number of the heavi- /
est losers are partially insured and |
some of them pretty well covered, the
total insurance is thought not to be |
more than half million.