Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-09-15
A TOWN DESTROYED.
Now Westminster, b. o., Visited
BY a Great Fire.
HUNDREDS RENDERED HOMELESS.
The Entire business Portion Of the
Town wiped Out-'rhe Loss Will
Exceed Two Million
Dollars.

vancouver Dc Va pNPlVHUNl i"'
New Westminster, the chief city on
the Eraser river, presents q heart
rendlng scene OF desoatlon to-day,
fire having Sunday morning wiped
out the whole OF the business portion.
There Is not a public building stand
ing in the central portion OF the city.
Tanned by o. fierce wind almost n
guile, the fire, which started on the
water side by sparks from passing
steamer, spread with such awful rap
idity that ten streets were blazing in
three hours, and only smoking ashes
mark the spots where scores OF
houses formerly stood. Handsome
blocks, banks and churches went up
In smoEe. The cathedral OF the do
cese Is no more. Hundreds OF people
are helpless and relief is being rushed
from this city.
Two newspaper Offices are gone, as
we'll as the Canadian Pacific railroad
station, three river steamers, a rail-
way bridge and number OF private
houses. 1t Is also feared that some
lives have been lost. The telegraph
Office at New Westminster has been
burned.
The burned city is twelve miles
from here. Returning TO Vancouver
from New Westminster Is coming
from land OF desolntion and ruin
to another Of smiling plenty, In New
Westminster not stone of the busl-
mess houses remains standing, Des-
pair and suffering are the lot Of hun
dreds Of poor homeless folk.
Food, clothing and aid OF all kinds
are being dispatched from Vancouver
to the Inflated city. At the time OF
writing, II Is not known how many
people lost their Lives, but 1t is feared
several must have been burned to
death. 1t Is said that campbell, fire.
man, fell from the roof OF burning
building and was killed and woman
dropped dead from fright. Two other
women who were i'll died while being
taken from their homes. The three
river steamers destroyed are the Ed
gar, Gladys and Bon Accord.
New Westminster to-day is without
store OF any kind, without newspa-
pers I'D without food, save that
which is being hurried over from
here,
Every industry save the big Royal
City planning mills and Glove Canning
Company plant, has been wiped out
Every merchants office has beer
burned. bankers, hotel men, sawmil
men, cnnmers merchants OF all de-
scriptlons have nothing left in which
to do business.
The fire was first noticed at Brach-
man g. Kerr's warehouse on Front
street. From there 1t spread down to
the Canadian Pacific railway station,
1t did not cross the street when that
point was reached. From there II
went up, taking in the other side Of
Front street, and also Columbia
street, the chief business thorough
fares of the city, Block after block
caught fire rapidly and in a few min
utes there was nothing left Of what
had been the business portion OF New
Westminster.
From Columbia street the fire
spread up Hill to huge building built
ON piles in a gully bridged by Carna-
van street There was great space
under this building, filled with dry,
seasoned timber, The air got in with
the fire and gave 1t great play, From
this point the fire spread all around,
The Episcopal cathedral was quickly
attacked the Baptist church followed
and the Central Methodist church
went next. All were destroyed. Just
here, too, a large number of resi-
dences were situated. They all went
up in smoke and the inhabitants had
to flee for their lives,
The fire swept from Caravan street
and quickly encompassed the big
brick court house and the wooden
city hall. Fortunately there is a big
open space here and the flames were
not able to leap far enough to take
in the big central school Agnes
street, however, had got light and
one side of Royal avenue, all the
houses there being completely de-
stroyed
The fire gained great Roadway, ow-
ing to the fact that the fremen lost
great deal OF hose by burning.
This morning there was no water
supply for the private use of the
burned-out citizens. There was mot
single butcher shop, bakery, or pro-
vision shop that was not destroyed,
and there was only one small hotel
| saved.
The Columbian newspaper has not
q single line of type left. Some Of the
burned-out people retired in the early
hours of the morning TO the open
front opposite the school house. They
covered themselves with blankets and
lay down to sleep. All they had was
lost.
The loss by fire at New Westminster
is roughly estimated at S2,500, 900,
with insurance of $1,5O0,OOO. The Lon
don Assurance Company is said to be
the heaviest loser. The buildings on
ten streets were destroyed. The
vaults of the bank buildings with
stood the fire.
When II was proposed to lessen the
list of crimes punished by death, Lord
Eldon objected in cases Of shoplift-
ing. "The small shopkeepers will be