The age-herald., 1898-09-13
TOWNS DESTROYED
 BY CONFEDERATION ziY
 Cities of New Westminster and
 Jerome Wiped Out. SEVERAL LIVES WERE LOST Eleven Bodies Have Been Recovered While Scores of Others Are Said
 to Be in Ruins-Impossible
 to Identify the Victims.
SEVERAL LIVES WERE LOST

Vancouver, B. C., September 12.-New Westminster the chief city on Frazer riv- CT, today Is without a store of any kind, without newspapers and without food, save that which is being hurried over from here, Every industry save the big Royal City blaming mills and Glove Canning company has been wiped out by a fire which oc- cured yesterday. Every merchants office has been burned. The fire started at Brachman & Kerr's wharf, on Front street. It spread down to the Canadian Pacific railway station. From there it went up, taking in the other side of Front street and also Columbia street. the chief busi- ness thoroughfares of the city. Block af- ter block caught fire rapidly, and in few minutes there was nothing left of what had been the business portion of New Westminster.
 The Episcopal Cathedral was quickly at tackled The Baptist church followed and the Central Methodist church went next. All were destroyed Here, too, a large number of residences went up in smoke, and the inhabitants had to flee for their lives. The fire swept down Carnarvan Jtreet, and quickly encompassed the big brick court house and the wooden city hall.
 The fire gained great headway, owing to
 
 of hose by burning.
 The loss by the fire at New Westminster Is roughly estimated at s2,500,000, with in- surance of $1,500000. The London Assur- ance company is said to be the heaviest loser The buildings on ten streets were destroyed. The vaults of the bank build ngs withstood the fire.
 At the time of writing it Is not known how many people were burned to death, but it is feared several have lost their lives in .this manner. One woman dropped dead from fright, and two others, who were i'll, died while being taken from their homes.
 At New Westminster today, on a wide open space just beyond where the great fire of yesterday stopped, city of tents has arisen. Here the proyir cial goVern- ment and Vancouver authorities have housed in tents, lent by the military de- partment all homeless sufferers. Blankets by the hundreds form beds, and burned out families seem to be as comfortable as pos sible under the circumstances. The vietims of the flames have borne ruin stoically. There was no panic in the crowds Of burned and desolated people. A number of robberies took place during the fire Johnston's boot store entered while some of the stock was being taken out and about S6, 900 worth of goods stolen. The chief of police believes that the ire was started by a spark from steamer which ignited hay on Brackman & kerr's wharf. tsvs.lt
 Already active merchants of the royal city Are1 startfhgf'to rebuild stores and renew business.
 ! The Canadian Pacific railroad station and baggage room burned but everything of value was saved
 The insurance companies interested in the losses are:
 London Assurance company, about Sl,Ooo,- 000 Commercial Assurance company, Lon don and Lancashire Sun, North British and Mercantile Liverpool London and Globe, Union American, Hartford of Connecticut, Aetna, Atlas, Alliance, Guardian, Manches- ter, Western of Toronto Northern Insur- ance company, Phoenix of London, Phoenix of Hartford, Lancashire of North America, National of Ireland, Scottish Union, Ma tional.