The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-09-13


Special Dispatch to Post-Intelligencer.
VANCOUVER. B. c.. Sept 12.-New
Westminster is smoldering chaos of
ruin and desolatGon today. and thou
sands OF people are homeless and would
be completely destitute but for the gen.
erous and prompt help of Vancouver and
Victoria.
In the glare of her brilliant flames of
Sunday night the Royal City was beau
tiful as she had never been, but In the
brown dawn this morning she was
CHASTITY, naked. dead.
Men rose from their chance couches
thinking. perhaps, that they had mere
ly dreamed some awful dream, but the
first glance told them that all night
mares that ever were could suggest
nothing more heartbreaking. From the
upper hills of New Westminster the
sight was one never to be forgotten.
Where there had been 4 thriving. busy
city. there were smoking ruins
The wreeking gangs of the Canadian
Pacific railway are blowing up the
standing walls of gutted brick blocks
along the line OF the right-of-way on
Front street, where on Sunday night
their track ran along the river front.
The concussion of the shots shakes the
standing and unburned buildings for
mile away from the explosions and
awakens rolling echoes along the Sur
rey hills and over tie towering peaks
of the Pitt mountains.
Extent Of the ConfIaUration.
On Front street, from the ferry land
Ing TO the freight sheds of the Canadian
Pacific railway, on Columbia street
from the Burr block to the Cleveland
hotel, on Carnaryon street from the Sea
house to the Sawdust district. on Ag-
mes street from Sixth 10 Tenth streets,
every building on both sides is burned.
and Royal avenue, from the residence
Of ex-Shefiff Armstrong on Sixth street.
all Of the lower or South side is swept
By the fire TO Tenth street with one sin
gle and very conspicuous exception, the
house of Alderman Burr. on Seventh
street Every large block in the city,
except the Burr block and the Queens
hotel. on the corner Of Fourth and CO.
lumbia streets. and the Central school
buildings, on the upper side OF Royal
avenue. is In ruins. Also the cathedral
OF the Holy Trinity. the 0livet Baptist
church, the Central Methodist church
and the Reformed Episcopal church.
with al the church property. the court
house. the city hall, the postof.ice and
Dominion government offices, the pub
lie library block. with all the books and
curios OF the museum. many OF the lat
ter Of considerable value. the Powell
block with the plant ana establishment
Of the Columbia newspaper. the Hotel
Guichon. one Of the best finished and
furnished public houses in the province
costing nearly si00 900
Black Flag Announced the Disaster
y peculiar and sinister incident which
occurred il New Westminster on Satur-
day was the talk OF the town today. The
story goes that passing up the hill
about : To o'clock on that evening.
many residents OF the city alIege tha,
they noticed black fag. with scull and
crosshones hoisted az half-mast on the
aagStaff Of tie Central school.
4 wild story vas aoatlng about today
that ! convict. who was let out OF the
peaitentlarv three or four days ago
swore that he would b. avenged. and i
Is said that he hoisted the flag ard set
fire to the hay in Frackmaa * Keyr's
sheds. then crossed the river il rog-
boa. ana ae4 toward Blaine
IL vas difficult 10 verify This story.
bat more thar one. when iaterragated
upon the matter. said that they had
seea the aag, ~ .rss II was thought
that the far had been run Up AZ half
NEST hv boys. and llt.,e attention was
paid e T.
vhea the aeful significance Of the
FIRE became apparent. thoughts reverted