The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-05-26
Annihilation Threatened
For Time.
Progress of Fire Checked by
Dynamite.

st. John, N. B., May 25.-Fire broke
out this afternoon In the general ware
house OF p. Nase & Sons, Main street,
North End. Its progress was rapid, and
for several hours unchecked. insufficient
water supply, long term of dry weather
and q brisk gale contributed to cause a
CON siaaration which for time threatened
anpihilation to the wooden district where
1t originated.
At ten O'Clock tonight, however, the
fire Is dying out. and as the wind has
fallen there is no fear of any further loss.
But though the fire has been confined to
smaller limits than was at one time
hoped for, 1t is the most considerable.
both with regard to the aren bu rned over
and to financial loss, which has visited
this neighborhood for over 20 ears.
1t was q quarter past one when the first
alarm was sent in, and two more In rapid
succession called the entire fire depart.
ment to the scene.
Nase's warehose is within a few feet of
the river, separated therefrom by the
wharves and warehouses of the Star Line
steamers bewteen Fredericton and st.
John river The course of the fire was at
first away from the water, and In half an
hour from the first alarm ten buildings
on Main and Bridge streets were in
flames Tenants of houses either on fire
or in immediate danger moved out their
furniture and piled It in places of sup
posed safety only TO see 1t burn on tn e
street or to be compelled to move 1t again.
Many of the Inhabitants of the district
were poor and their possessions rev ana
mean and these could be seen scram bling
to the fields not far from their dwellings
with articles of clothing or household
effects in thier arms. Piles OF goods
hsaped upon the wharves and at first
deemed secure soon began to shoulder
api blaze, ignittd rather by the fierce
heat than by actual contact with the
flames.
At three o'clock the wharves and ware
houses of the Star line took fire and sew
eral of the steamers arriving from up
river had to dock elsewhere. The bulk
of the fire department was concentrated
so the east Of the burning buildings
striving to check the progress OF the fire
up Indian Town hill and towards the
heart of the city. The water supply
proved insufficient SO many streams
were put on that the pressure was re-
duced and even with the aid Of the en-.
Building after building on Main street
caught, and were presently In ruins,
while several blocks in the rear of Main
street on both sides, were soon blazing.
At five o'clock the destruction of several
buildings on Main street by the use OF
dynamite stayed the progress OF the
flames along the line Of the street railway
and the firemen were able to direct their
efforts more particularly to tie district
north of Main street and including blocks
of dwellings bounded by Victoria,
Metoalf. Bridge. Holly, Cunard and AL
bert streets The spread of the flames was
soon stopped and all this evening the
ruins have been gradually burning out
The department. 10 still on the ground
and the locality has been visited by I'M
mense crowds all this evening.
One of the leading underwriters estl-
| mates the total loss at million dollars
and the insurance at three hundred
| thousand. The area burned over COM
prises fifteen blocks and portions of blocks
and the buildings DESTROYED mum Der 1oO.
The district ravaged by the fire was
largely composed OF tenement houses apo
probably one Thousand persons are home
| less, the majority laboring people.
Two deaths are to be set down to the
| fire. Miss Cunard. an aged lady resid-
ing on Holly street, was burned in her
house and Mrs Arnold Mowery, who re-
sided short distance from the scene
| died from shock.