The gold leaf., 1900-05-03
CANADA'S GREAT FIRE.
FIVE SQUARE MILEs OF ROARING
FLAME
More Than Two Thousand Buildings
Destroyed - Seven Lives Lost
Seven Thousand Men, Women and
Childred Rendered Homeless-Ahe
Town of Hull q Vast Desert OF
Ashes-EveryihinS Touched by the
Flames Consumed.


square miles of territory burned over;
more than 1000 buildings destroyed;
seven lives lost; seven thousand men,
women and children homeless ana
property loss Of sl7 ,000. 900, according to
the latest estimates, insured for about
half it's value, are the results as view
ed tonight Of the destructive fire which
swept this city and Hull yesterday and
to-day. Although uader control for
many hours, the flames were not entire
ly extinguished until about noon 10
day. The dead:
Hiss Minnie cook, 40 years old, Gre
mated in her own house.
John Pumple, car repairer, 6i6 Somer-
set, suffocatcd in Canadian Pacific
railway yards.
George Peeley, shoemaker, ia Queen
street, West. suTocated.
John Dare. Hull, fireman for E: B.
Eddy = Co.
Unknown man. found dead in Mey-
cr's house Wellington street, Hull.
Mrs. Cairon, Wellington street, Hull,
died from fright, aged So
a BauGiu. 5 years old. son of Chas.
Baudin. Duke street Hull
a relief committee has been formed
by the citizens. and this. together with
the Catholic Archbishops of Ottawa
and Montreal, viii make an appeal 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 employment for considerable
period and the way in which many or
the poor are going to live in the mean
time is doubtful. on the Ottawa side
fully tWo-thrds Of Dalhouse ward is
devastated and an estimate by resi-
dents of the district place the number
who were without roofs of their own
last night in this district at 5000. The
destroyed property in this district in
cIud.d some of the finest residences IN
Ottawa. as we'll as great many OF
the humblicSt.
The Erskine Presbyterian Church
and Somerset street bridge, big flour
mill plant, the immense lumber piles
along Division, Preston and Rochester
streets and Victoria Eowery are among
the institutions which have disappear
ed.
The Ottawa Electric Company Will be
very hcavy loser. An approximate
value of their property destroyed is
placed at 500. .000.
The ottawa Electric Lighl Company
had six power houses, and the other
five. were. auxiliary or Sub-StatiOnS. OF
these sub-Stations only one. that Oper-
atcd by steam. remains, the other four
being destroyed. The central power
house. and the steam auxiliary station
We're only saved after hard hght by
the directors and employees.
ri,. WAS viewed by hundreds
of people this afternoon and evening.
one of the most remarkable things
about the sad scene was that no smoke
was to he seen. There We're no half
burned buildings or smouldering logs
anywhere. Everything that the fire
touched was burned to ashes. All Of
HulTs principal buildings, with the ex-
ception of the Catholic Church, are
things of the past. The buildings and
land in the place are valued at 81, $780,
000 and of this amount over $l,0O0,OOO
may be put down as a loss Then in
stocks. .-Xtures, equipment, household
effects and wearing apparel there is a
loss of nearly $3.000.000 The vast piles
Of lumber which went up in smoke may
be reckoned at s.. coo. 900 more.
Ottawa, Ont. April 21.-The scene of
the Hull fire to-day presents a vast
desert of mere ashes. out of which the
porch of Notre Dame du Grace, the
property of the ObIateS of Mary the
Immaculate. the St. Mary's School, re-
Gently built at q cost of $l5,OO and
cluster of residences around the church
alone are intact. Among the ruins of
house on Washington street Hull, to-
day was found the corpse of a man
named Bernaby Myers.
All night in ottawa the homeless ones
have been going about looking for
places in which to take up their abode,
and in some instances searching for
members of their families. The f. B.
Eddy house, which was destroyed, was
an historical building. When the Duke
of Connaught visited this district thirty
years ago a grand ball was given him.
The Castle" as it was familiarly
known. was selected as the scene.
4 large marque was erected on the
lawn, and here the dancing took place,
supper being served in the house. With
the house several magnificent pictures
imported from England have been con-
sumed in the flames.
Montreal April 27.-A special to the
Star from ottawa says: The greatest
fire in the history of Canada was that
which visited Hull and the western dis
trict of Ottawa yesterday The loss is
roughly estimated at from $4,000. 900 to
ST., ,G00 600 over 5000 families have been
rendered homeless.
The maj jOr part of Hull. with its i'm
mensc industrial establishments and
the home of their operatives. was swept
clean. as we'll as Victoria and Dali
houSie wards. in Ottawa. Loss on lum-
Der alone cannot be less than $4,000, -
OO0
The fire broke out in the centre of
Hull early in the forenoon. That is a
common occurrence there and attra Cted
little attention. Before noon it had de-
Vastated great part of Hull and
spread toward the river. famed by a
strong wind. ultimately destroying five
of L. b. Eddy's mills
Before l o'clock il had leaped to OF
tawa river and swept across to Ottawa.
carrying everything in front of it.
Nothing more Grand cuuld be magined
as spectacle; 20 greater calamity has
visited Canada in years. There was a
belt of flame fully tcur miles in length
and at least halt Il mile wide. Dark
clouds of smoke Streamed southwest
ward from I'll" burning district all day.
while beneath it was a long line of
| fame. fierce ard irrepreSSible
All night long the city was lit up by
| the glare. The Dominion Government
| is among the heavy losers the Chau-
diers bridge having toppled into the
river from the warpinG effects of the
| heat.
| Fireman John Watkins. Of No. l sta
| ton. was smotheied i'll a Queen street
| house.
Mrs BESSIE Cook. an invalid, was
suffocated III her bed oeforc help ar
| ri-sd
| NOMINATED EY THE PRESIDENT