The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-27

will be in ashes. There are few houses
standing in the suburbs of the burned
city.
Hull has population of about 12, 600 peo-
pie, and more than half of them are home
less tonight The entire business part of
the city, including the Court House, POST
office, public buildings and newspaper Of
fees, is one mass of ruins.
The population is composed almost en-
tirely of people who work in the mills or
who derive their business from those
works.
The fire crossed the Ottawa river in the
afternoon, took hold among the lumber
piles on the brink of the river and ex-
tended to the lumber yards and mills. The
result is that the whole of that part of
Ottawa known as the Chaudiere flats, sur
rounding the Canadian Pacific Railway
station, where the lumber mills are all To-
Gated, is fire-swept. The only building
standing in the whole area is that of the
Ottawa carbide factory, which is newly
erected and fireproof.
Fifteen Thousand Homeless.
From the flats the fire extended across
the Richmond road on TO Rochesterville
and as far as the experimental farm.
Westerly the fire took in Huntonburg and
Mechanicsville, so that on the Ottawa side
of the river there is a larger area COW
cred by fire than on the Hull side. 1t is
estimated that at the present time the
number of people homeless in the two
cities and suburban towns is not less than
1000, and it may reach $1,000.
The government has given the drill hall
and the large exhibition buildings 20 the
city to accommodate the sufferers. All in
stitntions have lent a hand to aid the dis
tressed. The only industry left standing
in Hull is the Goulmer and Houston Lum-
ber Mill, at the extreme end and beyond
the city limits, and it is still in danger.
The large Roman Catholic Cathedral is
surrounded by flames. Nothing can be
done to stop the fire. II will burn itself
out to the waters edge.
The Hull Lumber Company's mills. the
extensive works of E. B. Eddy, both
match and paper factories, as well as
his residence, are all in ruins, as well as
the interprovincial bridge. which connects
the city of Ottawa with Hull.
Losses on Ottawa Side.
On the ottawa side of the river the loss
is still greater. There are in ashes the
Bronson and Western Lumber
Lumber mills, the Mckay Milling
Company, the Ottawa Electric Railway
power house, the Martin and Warnock
mills, the Victoria foundry, the ottawa
Saw Works, the Ottawa Speciality Com
pany, the Pain Planning mills and seve-
raj other industries. There are also some
fine residences included in this area, in
cluding that of j. r. Booth valued at
100000
When the fire was seen to be disastrous
the acting minister of public works tele-
graphed to Montreal, Peterboro and
BrockviIle for fire appliances and all as
s,stance that could be sent. But though
they arrived speedily they were of no
avail. Nothing could stop the ravages of
the fire, which leaped over whole blocks
and broke out in all directions.
The Canadian Pacific Railway station
a wooden structure, was one of the first
buildings TO go.
Ottawa harley Escaped.
A large cliff which extends back from
the Ottawa river and a shifting of the
direction of the wind were all that saved
. tho whole city of Ottawa from becoming
a prey to the fire. Shortly after noon the
wind which has been blowing northwest
erly, changed to southeasterly, thus saw
ing what remained of Ottawa.
1t is almost idle 10 talk of losses while
the fire yet burns, and with a change of
wind would certainly sweep the city, but
a moderate calculation would be some
where between $4,000 and $2o,OoOOOO.
The government had the militia called
out and adjourned the House of Commons
until Tuesday on account of the fire.
In Hull the fire has about burned out.
The business portion is all gone, and over
half of the residences. The Roman Cath
Ole Cathedral has been saved, together
with Eddy's sulphite works. Gilmour &
Hughson's mills are also standing.
The only means of communication be-
tween Ottawa and Hull is by boat. From
2 o'clock the only water to be had in Hull
is from the river.
Chief Benoit of the Hull fire brigade,
was injured and taken to the General
Hospital in'Ottawa.
Origin of the Fire.
The fire originated through a fire IN
dirty chimney and the high wind caused
the flames to spread raidiy. Coming to
the Ottawa side of the river, that portion
of the city east of Division street, the
old boundary line of the city before
Rochesterville was annexed was almost
entirely burned down. Here and there
building remains.
The village of Hintonburgh, still fur
ther east, in close proximity TO the city,
has not been destroyed as reported The
greater part remains. Mechanicsville, too,
which was reported to have been entirely
swept away, still remains. The fire at