The record-union., 1897-02-13
thousands of Dollars Worth of Valu.
able Reports Burned.
ureat Excitement Prevails Among
the People in Consequence of the
Belief That the Fire Was of Incen-
diary Origin-The Property Loss
Estimated at Over Three Hundred
Thousand Dollars.

OTTAWA (Ont), Feb. 12.-At 1890
TINS morning the upper stories of the
/ group OF handsome Parliament build
| llSs IN this city are practically in
/ ruins, a herce fire having been raging
IN them since the middle of the after
noon.
The loss is already over $500, 600. and
as the flames are not yet under control.
TINS amount will be greatly increased.
thousands of dollars worth of valuable
reports have been burned and more
are in danger
The local fire department has been
unable to stop the progress of the fire,
and aud has been asked for from Mont
real The fire is believed to have been
OF incendiary origin, and in eonse-
quence the greatest excitement pre-
walls.
Efforts are now being directed to-
ward saving the almost priceless docu-
mems in some of the departments
which the flames have not yet touched.
but the undertaking is so fraught with
peril that the firemen hesitate to un-
dertake the work.
The spectacle of the blazing buildings
was grand one. and the vicinity was
crowded with thousands of people.
The fire was fierce when discovered
in the afternoon on the top floor of the
west block of the Parliament buildings,
south of the Mackenzie tower. and
quickly the department fire brigade
was brought into requisition. Several
pieces of hose We're laid and a rush was
made for the hydrantsWh it was dis
covered that they were all frozen. An
alarm from the city was then sounded
and the city fire brigade turned out.
In the meantime the fire was spread
ing, eating its way along the roof to-
ward the south. Then streams were
put on from the thirty nydrants, when
the departmental hose burst and the
city department. hose had to be depend
ed upSas altogether.
BY this time the fire had so increased
that it was bursting out through the
windows, through the roof and along
the edge between the roof and the
wallis. 1t ate along with terrific rapid
ity and soon the roof of the Mackenzie
wing was one mass of flames and
smoke. A general alarm was struck
and the whole fire brigade turned out
and was soon at active work. Streams
We're poured upon the flames from all
directions. The fire continued to spread.
however, and soon the tower on the
southwest corner fell.
The center tower was next destroyed
and the flames continued to eat their
way, reaching the next large tower.
They commenced to lick that, and fl
nally had it completely engulfed in
ruins. The firemen are now trying to
cOnfne the fire to the fourth floor but
unless help from Montreal arrives soon
the building is doomed.
How the fire originated is not known.
The civil servant had not been away
from the building five minutes when
the flames were seen to rise and burst
out of the windows on the west side.
close to the Mackenzie tower
Rumors are in circulation that the
fire was of incendiary origin. The
whole of the fourth story of the block
is filled with reports from the Public
Works, Railways and Canals, Marine
and Fisheries Departments. The esti-
mated loss al the present time is over
$500 900, and the sum will be largely
increased before the fire is extinguish-
ed.
The old Western Department build
ing where the fire was fercest was
damaged 100000 by the fire. The up
per floors with the mansard roof We're
burned out, but the main Of
fees on the second and third floors are
all safe, the fire not having gotten
through the concrete floor. Much dam
age has been done by water, but mo-
important departmental documents
have been destroyed. The offices de-
are those of the Public Works,
Department of Marine and Fisheries
and the Mounted Police. Lack of pres
sure. bad hose, frozen hydrants and
variety of causes contributed to the
poor work of the fire brigade.
AT 3 O'Clock this morning Silsby en-
gine and men arrived from Montreal,
but by that time there was nothing
more to harm.
The construction of a modern build
ing in place of the one wrecked will
cost not less than $3.50, 900.
pECE WITH DEATH