The Irish standard., 1898-09-24
THE NEW WESTMINSTER FIRE,
h"Snn's Saloon Strangely Escaped
the COnhnErntiOn.


the Coninwrntion.
u. Nj. Carley, editor of The Econo-
mist published at Nelson, B. c., gives
the following account of the escape of
Hogans saloon in the recent fire that
visited New Westminster:
While every one regrets the disaster
that has recently overtallen New Vest
minister, there is a lesson taught that
will not bring consolation to the hearts
of the prohibitionists 1t is the mira
culous and pathetic escape of Hogan.
Hogan. We would gather from reports,
was and is saloon keeper in New
Westminster. and ii is reasonable to in
fer that Hogan is II native Of poor. I'M
fortunate old Ireland. Moreover, the
surpositlon is. that Hogan, being driven
from home and country by the iniqui-
tous and oppressive laws of the land
migrated to New Westminster, where
the people enjoy a comparative amount
of freedom. the statements Of John
Winchester Brown to the contrary not
withstandng. After various ups and
downs, which have no particular bear
ing on the motive of this story. Hogan
engaged in the liquor blsiness-in
small way at first but quite extensive
enough to meet the immediate require
ments of the bibulous inhabitants of
New Westminster. Time went on, and
Hogan prospered While the churches
supposed to be the special objects of
the protection of the Deity, were inlif-
ferently patronizcd. Hogan's saloon had
customers Ivy the score. In Justice to
our hero, We frankly confess that this
condition Of affairs did not make Hogan
proud, nor had he an unkind word to
say about the churches This is tho
more strange from the circumstance
that the righteous members of the
church ever and anon predicted that the
wrath from above would one day de-
sccnd and oblitcrate with fire and brim-
stone the man OF liquid refreshments
and his saloon. The exact date of llo-
CAMS visitation, however, was never
fixed
Then came the great fire and Hogan's
triumph. For hours the flames wrought
their task OF ruin and devastation. First
one building and then another sllccumb-
ed to the fiery demon, until nothing was
left but the churches Hoean's sa-
loon. The church members turned ont
In full force with pals and prayers. to
save the sacred edifices. Buckets of
water were thrown on the buildings and
the prayers of tho righteous asrended
to the throne OF grace asking as a speci-
al mark of favor that the churches
might be saved. The Incarceration OF
Hogan was left to the discretion OF the
powers above This practically reduce
'd II to test case between the good,
church going people and the ~-lngodly
saloon keeper. In the meantime, may
we ask. where was Hogan? The news
paper reports are discrcetly and omin-
osly silent on this point, but VIC will
answer the interrogation by saying that
Hogan stood there with smile on his
face and awaiting results.
But the pals and prayers Of the right
eons did not prevail against Hogan's
smile. The flames burst forth with re-
! newed vigor, and in less time than it,
takes to write this veracous story of
fire. water, whisky and religion, the
churches became a prey to the dcvour-
ing elements. Verify, whom The Lord
lOvcth He chastencth.
And what about Ilogan's saloon.
We'll, Hogan is still doing business at
the old stand. Last Sunday, the right
cous people of New Westminster had no
place wherein to worship; but Hogan
was still behind his bar we presume,
qncnching thirst at the usual rate or
ten cents per glass mixed drinks, of
course. a little extra
There is Il lesson in all this, bnt tho
Economist. being cvangeIistic in it's in
clinations, does not feel constrained to
point it out. That task properly comes
within the sphere Of the prohibition Or
atOr.