Evening star., 1901-01-24
FIRE IN MONTREAL
Losses Estimated at From Two to
Four Million.
BUSINESS PRACTICALLY SFAGNATED
Board of Trade Building Among
Those Destroyed.
LIST OF THE SUFFERERS

MONTREAL, January 24.-Today's busi-
ness is practically stagnated in Montreal
as q consequence of the disastrous fire
which took place in the center portion of
the city last night. Thousands of people
throng the narrow streets around the burn
ed district, which is a scene of desolat ton.
The board of trade walls are still stand
ing, but the building is otherwise COM
pletely destroyed, though it was supposed
to be fire proof. The other buildings are
masses of ice and charred ruin, and the
streets are flooded by slush and water.
The firemen are still pouring water on the
ruins, but there is no further danger to
be anticipated. The burned district is
bounded on the north by St. Sacrament,
thence south along st. Peter, and west
ward on Lemoine to Fisk and Companys
buildings, on the east by ST. Nicholas
street to Commissioners, on the south by
Founding, facing ST Anne's market square
to st. Peter, thence north to ST. Paul.
A. Booth & Company's building the
southeast corner of ST. Peter and Found
ling is, however, intact.
The losses are VariouSly estimated at
from $2,OOO,O0O to $4,0OO,0OO.
Fire Started at S:O5 p. NJ.
ises of M. SAKE & Sons, wholesale cloth
Peter streets. The streets in the locality
were deserted at the time and the fire ap-
parently had a good headway before the
first alarm was sent in.
The flames leaped across ST. Peter
street, which is very narrow at this point,
and attacked the big five-story stone build
ing occupied by H. A. Nelson & Sons Com
fancy
as it had in the SAKE building In almost
instant it seemed as if the entire build
ing was a roaring furnace.
The warehouse of Beardmore & Co., tan
ners, adjoining Nelson's to the south, was
next attacked, and from there the flames
communicated to the establishment of Sill
verman, Boulter & Co, wholesale hatters
and furriers
In the meantime the flames had con-
tinued down ST. Peter street on the side
which the fire started. to the corner of
ST. Paul street, licking up the premises of j.
Bourdeau & Co., hats, caps, etc. St. Peter
flames on either side.
Board of Trade Building Burns.
In the meantime great fight was be-
ing made to save the big Board of Trade
building, erected eight years ago at a cost
of $500, 600, and adjoining the Nelson build
ing on the north side. But the flames had
extended along the north side of st. Paul
street going west from Silverman, Boulter
& Co.'S, licking up half a dozen concerns
in its way, until it reached the big whole
sale fur establishment Of James Corstine
& Co. This building extended all the way
from ST. Paul street to the Board of Trade
building and the flames appeared to go
through 1t like tinder box.
When the rear wall of this building was
reached it was seen that the Board OF
Trade would have to go, too. Solid sheets
of qn,~ ont np1 and col DI
hold of the big building in a dozen differ
ent places, driving the fremen back. The
newer and more modern structure burned
more slowly than those which already had
fallen prey to the flames, but the fremen
could not stay the march of the devouring
element.
Fire Continued to Spread.
The fire dashed across ST. Paul street
and attacked the premises of Thomas Da-
wilson & Co., manufacturing tinsmiths,
then spreading both east and west. From
the north side of ST. Paul street the flames
leaped across the street and destroyed the
premises Of Thomas Davidson & Co.. H.
Levy, dry goods, and half dozen other
smaller concerns.
On Lemoine street the extensive whole
sale grocery store OF La Porte, Martin q
Co. took fire. After the firemen had
abandoned all hope Of saving the Board or
Trade building they concentrated their ef-
forts mainly on this building, for the
spread of the flames in this direction would
mean the loss Of the entire wholesale dry
goods section.
Estimate of Losses.
The following are estimates of the prin-
cipal losses:
Board of Trade, 5000, ,OOO insurance, $4OO,-
600; tenants. 100000; NJ. SAKE & Co..
wholesale clothiers, $4,000; H. A. Nelson
O.
more & Co.. tanners, 100000; Silverman.
Boulter & Co., hats caps. ETC., $125,O0O;
Coristine & Co., furs. $500. 600; C. Seybold,
Sons & Co., $4,000; Redmond, Greenless &
Co.. hats and furs, $4,000; H. Levy. wool
ems ETC., 10000; c. A. Chouillau & Co.,
commission merchants $4,000; B. Levin &
Co.. furs. $4,000 Gilmour Bros. & Co..
commission merchants, $4,000: La Porte,
Martin & Co, $4,000; ]. Cohen & Co.,
wholesale clothiers, $4,000.
The west side of ST. Peter street as far
north as Lemone is also burned.
SAKE & Co., in whose establishment the
fire Is supposed to have originated, say
their wholesale clothing factory was closed
at o'clock, and they know nothing as to
the origin Of the fire. Their loss on stock
Is 100000.
The total loss will exceed $25O0,OOO.
Thirty Buildings Burn.
The Board Of Trade building, which was
and was insured for 100000. Altogether
about thirty buildings, chiefly wholesale
warehouses, occupied by some Of the lead
ing firms Of Montreal, were destroyed, to-
gether with their valuable stocks. Official
reports as to losses cannot be obtained ow
ing to the fact that the offices and papers
of Canadian underwriters have been
burned in the Board of Trade.
1t is now feared that two men have per-
fshed. man named Rosen, tailor, and
another named Wilson, are missing, and
they were supposed to have been at work
in one Of the clothing buildings destroyed.
The fire was so fierce that it was thought
best to ask for aid from the outlying mu-
inequalities, and even from Ottawa. The
fire broke out shortly bCfore o'clock, and
in an hour the entire district was in
flames.
In the Board of Trade alone 156 firms
were burned out.
THE DISTRICT BILL.