Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1900-05-03
MILLIONS IN ASHES.
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE BREAKS OUT
IN HULL, CANADA.
Loss of $2O,OOO,OOO = Flames Sweep
Across River and Wipe Out Indus
trial District of Ottawa-M Many Cas-
ualties Reported.

One of the most disastrous fires in the
history of Canada broke out at Hull at
IL o'clock Thursday morning. The loss
at 10 o'clock Thursday night was esti-
mated at upward of $1S,0O0,OOO. Hull is
place of 10000 people on the Quebec
side of the Ottawa river.
Famed by a furious gale OF wind from
the northwest, which continued with I'M
abated violence all day and far into the
night, the flames swept everything before
them, wiping out the whole city, crossed
large sections of territory, ran through
the vast lumber yards, filled with piles of
pine lumber and into the Ottawa-Chau-
diere district.
In half hours time from the outbreak
the flames were beyond the control OF
both the fire departments of Hull and OF
tawa, and within an incredible space of
time had swept u pathway mile long
through Hull, leaped across the narrow
part of the river at the Chaudierc falls,
and had gained footing among the lum-
Der piles on the Ottawa side. From
thence it cut a wide swath through the
whole of the western portion of Ottawa,
through Rochesterville. and into the sub
urb of Hintonburg. The pathway of the
flames was about five miles in length.
Most of the buildings which were burn
ed at the outset were wooden, and the
flames, forced by the high wind, licked
them up like shavings. Household eff
fects that were carried into the streets,
and such as were placed upon carts for
removal, were consumed in many in
stances where they stood.
The whole industrial district of Ottawa
has been completely wiped out. This in
cludes the great factories of Il. Il. Eddy,
consisting Of woodworking, match, pulp,
and paper factories, valued at 81 ,5OO,OO
The large lumber mills of Booth, Bron-
son. the Hull Lumber Company. Gilmour
& Hugeson, and others, together with
the -four mills of Mckay, were also de-
stroyed As IA result 1000 operators are
thrown out Of employment and 10000
persons rendered homeless in both cities.
About 100000, 900 feet Of manufactur-
ed pine lumber has been consumed.
Practically the whole of the city of Hull
is blotted out, and had the wind been
blowing from a westerly direction, moth
ing could have saved Ottawa from like
destruction.
The fire originated. it is said from
defective chimney. but not an hour had
elapsed after ii had gained foothold
on the Ottawa side when flames were
seen to break out in three different places
in that city over an extent of two miles
from the river side. Another suspicious
circumstance was the outbreak of the fire
at Gilmour's lumber mills, two miles
down the river on the Hull side and TO
wndward of the main fire. This was
undoubtedly the work of an inccndiary
Other coincidental fires in Ottawa which
during the day broke out in unexpected
places, were also, il is thought. the work
of fire bugs.
The Ottawa Electric Company's princi-
pal power house was burned early in the
day and the street car service was put
out of business. The Parliament build
ings were at one time threatened by the
burning timbers which foated down the
river and several times set the bushes
in the cscarpment aiame. All business
in the city was suspended and the House
OF Commons met for few minutes, then
adjourned
Many serious accidents happened, but
so far as reported there have been only
three fatalities, one being that of Chief
Benoit, of the Hull fire brigade. who
was so seriously burned that he died, but
with such a large and rapidly spreading
fire the death list must be larger.
The Canadian Pacific Railway depot
and much rolling stock standing in the
yards was wiped up by the flames. The
iron traffic bridge. which is the only one
AT present between Ottawa and Hull is
also gone and travel can now only be
made by ferry.
conservative estimate of the total
loss so far sustained by the two cities Is
placed at from S15,000.000 to $2O,000,-
600, Of which the loss in lumber alone
will amount to over $10000,000.