The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-04-28
HULL A DESERT OF ASHES
1900 Buildings Destroyed There,
1000 in Ottawa.
GREATEST FIRE CANADA HAS EVER KNOWN
A Belt Of Flames Four Miles Long and Half f;
Mile Wide Left in Hull Practically
Nothing Standing Save

Ottawa, Ono, April 27.-Over five
square miles of territory burned over
more than 1000 buildings destroyed;
seven lives lost; seven thousand men,
women and children homeless and
property loss of $17,o00,0o0 according
to the latest estimate. insured for
about half its value, are the results as
viewed tonight of the destructive fire
which swept this city and Hull yes
terday and today. Although under
control for many hours, the flames
were not entirely eNtinguished until
about noon today. The dead:
Miss Minnie Cook, 40 years of age,
cremated in her own house.
John Pumple, car repalrer, GAG Som
crset, suffocated in Canadian Pacific
Railway yards.
George Peeley, shoemaker, 1a4
Queen Street, West, suffocated.
John Dare, Hull, fireman for E. b.
Eddy and Company.
Unknown man, found dead in Mey-
ers' house. Wellington street, Hull.
Mrs. Carron, Wellington street,
Hull, died from fright, aged so years.
A.. Baudin, s years old, son of
Charles Baudin, Duke street, Hull.
a relief committee has been form
eel by the citizens and this together
with the Catholic Archbishops of OF
tawa and Montreal will make an APP
peal for relief to the country. The
most serious problem that confronts
Hull is that of work. The majority
of householders who were burned out
are poor and have large families. 1t is
not expected there will be employ
ment for considerable period and
the way in which many of the poor
are going to live in the meantime is
doubtful. On the Ottawa side fully
two-thirds of Dalhousie Ward is de-
vastated and an estimate by resi-
dents of the district place the mum
ber who were without roofs of their
own last night in this district at five
thousand. The destroyed property in
this district included some of the fin
est residences in Ottawa as well as a
great many of the humblest.
The Erskine Presbyterian church
and street bridge, big flour mill
plant. the immense lumber piles
along division, Preston and Rochester
streets and Victoria Brewery are
among the institutions which have dis
appeared.
The Ottawa Electric Company viii
be heavy loser. An approximate
value of their property destroyed is
placed at 100000. The Ottawa Elec
trio Light Company had six power
houses and the other five were auXil
iary or sub-stations. OF these sub
stations. only one, that operated by
steam. remains, the other four being
destroyed. The Central power house
and the steam auxiliary station were
only saved after a hard fight by the
directors and employees.
The fire area was viewed by hun
dreds of people this afternoon and
evening. One of the most remarka-
ble things about the sad scene was
that no smoke was to be seen. There
were no half burned buildings OIL
smoldering logs anywhere. Every
thing that the fire touched was burn
ed to ashes. All of Hull's principal
buildings with the exception of the
Catholic church are things of the past
The buildings and land in the Place
are valued at $2.700,000 and OF this
amount over $1,000,000 may be put
down as loss. Then in stocks. liz
lures, equipment. household effects
and wearing apparel there is a loss o.
nearly $3.OO0,OO0. The vast piles o.
lumber which went up in smoke may
be reckoned at $2,000,000 more.