Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-02-12
N A SEA OF FLAMES
,he Parliament Building at Ottawa
Partially Destroyed.
VALUABLE DOCUMENTS ,OssUMED.
The Fire Supposed 10 be Of Incendlary
0rigin-An In, fl ctive Struggle
With Ii, Elements.

OTTAWA, Ont, Feb. l2.-At 2:3O
his morning the upper stories OF the
group OF handsome parliament build.
lngs In this city are practically In
luins, a fierce fire having been raging
In them since tho middle OF the alter
noon. The loss Is already ovar $780,.
quo, and as the flames are not yet
ander control, this amount will be
greatly increased. Thousands OF
gollars' worth OF valuable reports have
been burned and more are In danger.
The local fire department has been
unable to stop the proGtess OF the 6re
and aid has been asked for from Mon
lreal. The fire IL believed to have
been OF incendiary origin and In con.
sequence the greatest excitement
prevails. Efforts are now BENZ d..
rected toward saving the almost price,
less documents in scme Of the depart.
ments whIon the flames have not yet
touched, but the undertaking Is 30
iraught with peril that the firemen
hesitate to undertake the work.
The spectacle OF the blazing build
ings was grand one and the vicinity
was crowded with thousa nds OF people
The fire was fierce when d discovered In
the afternoon on the top flor OF the
west block OF tho parliament buildings,
south OF the Mckenzie tower, ana
quickly the departmental fire brigade
was brought Into requisition.
Several pieces OF hose were laid and
rush was made for the bydrapt 10
when 1t was discovered they were ali
frozen. An alarm from the city was
then sounded and tine city fire brigade
turned out.
In the meantime the fire was spread
ing, eating Its way along the roof
toward the south. Then streams were
put on from thirty hydrants, when the
departmental hose burst and the city
department hose had to be depenuel
upon altogether. BY this time the
fire had 30 IN creased that 1t was burst.
ing out through the windows, through
the roof and along the edge OF the roofs
and through tho walls. 1t ate along
with terrific rapiuity and soon the ROOF
OF the Mackenzie wing was one mass OF
flames and emoke. The general
alarm was struck aau the whole fire
brigade turned out anu wac coon ut
active work. Streams were poured
upon the flames from all directions.
ThB IRE continued TO spread, however,
and soon the tower Of the south west
corner fell. The center tower wns
next destroyed and the flames con.
tinued 10 eat their way Teaching the
next large tower, commencing to lick
that and fina)Iy had 1t completely en-
gulied In ruins. The hremen are now
trying to confine the fire to the fourth
story, but unless help from Montreal
arrives soon, the building ia doomed.
How the fire originated Ia not known.
Tbs civil servaut had not been away
from the building five minutes when
the flames were seen to rise and burst
out through one OF the windows on
the west side clcss to the Mckenzie
tower. Rumors are In circulation that
the fire WAS OF iDcendiary origin. The
whole OF the fourth story OF the block
Ia filed with reports from the public
works, railways anu canals, marine
and fsheries departments. The esti.
mated loss at tho present time is over
$500, 900 and the SUN will be largely In
creased before the fire is extinguisheu.
A LATER REPORT.
The old western department buiia-
log was damaged to the amount of
100000 by the fire which started
about five O'Clock last evening, and
burned until midnight. The upper Il oors
with manssrd roof was completely
turned out, but the main offices ou
ths second aud third floors were all
safe, the fire not having gotten
through the concrete floor. Much
damage has been done by water. No
important departmental documents
have been destroyed. The offices
destroyed are those OF the public works
department, marine and fisheries aud
mounted police. The lack Of pressure,
bad hose, frozen bydrants anu
variety Of causes contributed to poor
work OF the fire Brigade. AT three
O'Clock this morning the Siisby en-
CINE and men arrived from Montreal,
but by that time there was nothing
more to burn. The construction of y
modern building In the place OF the
ono wrecked will coat not less Than
100000.