Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-04-27
LOSS Is APPALLING
Damage at Ottawa Estimated as
High as S2O,OOO,OOO.
-FOUR LIVES LOST In FLAMES
Stories of Incendiary Origin of Fire
Found to Be Untrue.
SOME OF THE HEAVY LOSERS

MONTREAL. April ga special 10 the
Star from Ottawa says: The greatest fire
in the history of Canada was that which
visited Hull and the western district OF
Ottawa yesterday. The loss is roughly es-
tlmated at from s15.CoOOo0 to Sl7 900
Over 5000 families have been rendered
homeless. There is no means of arriving
at absolutely reliable conclusions in these
reports yet, but the numbers cannot
well be below those figures. The major
part OF Hull, with its immense industrial
establishments and the homes Of their on
erat1ves. was swept clean. as We'll as Vic
toria and Dalhousie wards in Ottawa. The
valuable lumber pies are now smoldering
and the loss on this score alone canno: be
less than S3,Ono,cGo.
The sensational stories Of the origin Of
Inc confiasration have no foundation in
fact. The fire broke out in the center OF
Hun early in the forenoon, but that is a
common occurrence there and attracted lit
tie attention Before noon il had deyas-
tated great part Of Hull and spread to-
ward the river famed by a strong wind
threatening and Ultimately DESTROYING five
OF l.. B. Eddy's mills.
Lenped the Ottawa River
Before 1 o'clock it had Ieaped the Of
tawa river and swept across to Ottawa,
carrying everything in front Of it, Moth
ing more grand could be imagined as a
spectacle Considered as to IT'S cunse-
quences, no greater calamity has visited
Canada in years. There was q beIl Of
flame fully four miles in length and al
least half a mile wide.
The dominion government is among the
heavy losers, the Chaudere bridge having
toppled into the river from the warning
effects of the heat.
Fireman John Watkins of No. station
was smothcred in d house in Queen street
west.
Mrs. Cook, an invalid, was sufTucated in
her bed on Queen street west before help
could reach her
An unknown man was found dead on the
Canadian Pacific railway track in Roches-
terville.
John Navan. builder. was taken to St
Luke's Hospital, badly burned and hurt.
James Merrifield of Queen street west
was taken tc the hospital seriously injured
by a falling building.
Lumber District swept Away.
Most of the lumber piles in Ottawa and
Hull have disappeared and now mere heaps
of charred wood and ashes mark their sites.
Half dozen churches and schools have
been burned The Eddy company's paper
and pulp mills and match factory and E.
b. Eddy's residence have been destroyed.
Bronson d Weston $ mill, the Hull Lumber
CoElpanY's mill, one of Booths mills and
the Mckay companys premises. one OF the
power houses of the ottawa Electric Com
house and jail the post office the convent,
almost every business place and about 1000
dwellings and shops in Hull have been de-
stroyed Indeed, practically nothing Of
Hull is left but church and a few houses
beyond it. The only lumber mills standing
in Hull are the Gilmour & Huston mills, at
the extreme east end. The steel suspension
bridge which connected the city of ottawa
with Hull was also destroyed
On the Ottawa side many fine residences
were included in the fire area including
nr / p-hi Job al. t1-lU- 81
mated at S1oD,eo. The residence OF his
son-in-law. A. +. Fleck, close beside. and
George Fosters residence. in the same To-
cality, were burned. Levi Cranncll. man
ager for Mr. Bronson. and Mr.. Parr of the
Parrs' mill had two beautiful houses out
of which they We're not able to take any
thing, so quickly did the flames extend.
The Canadian Pacific railway depot, on the
Chaudiere flats, burned quickly.
Origin OF the Fire.
The fire broke out in the house of Mr. HI
rouac, on Chaudiere street, Hull. 1t is said
that Mrs. Kirouac was lighting her stove to
get the family dinner and set the chimney
on fire. The flames spread to the roof
quickly communicated TO adjoining houses,
and, as there was heavy gale blowing at
the time, the fire was soon beyond control.
Hundreds Of homeless persons slept in the
open air last night or wandered about the
streets of Ottawa and Hull although many
houses were freely thrown open to the
homeless. Many people were accommodated
in the drill hall, the Salvation Army bar
racks and other places.
Estimates of the Losses.
OTTAWA, Ont, April 27.-At ; am. the
fire which had ragged here and in Hull since
IL am. yesterday was under control. The
total number of buildings destroyed will
probably aggregate 900, entailing loss
of from fifteen TO seventeen million dollars.
and between l2o0o and 1900 men. women
and children are homeless and four lives
were lost
TORONTO. Ont, April 27.-Dispatches
from Ottawa summarize the situation at OF
tawa and Hull as follows:
Ottawa, buildings destroyed, 1000; Hull,
buildings destroyed, 1850; total loss both
cities, estimated. $50 oO0. coo; total insurance
both cities, estimated, sl2 600, 900; lives lost
SO far known, four Some of the losses are:
Booth Lumber Company, 5000 Oa0; Eddy.
Company, 100000: Mckay Milling Com
pany, 100000; Hull Lumber Company,
100000; Electric Light Company, $4,000;
Dominion carbide works, S1J0,0Oo.