The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1901-02-06
GREATFIREIN MONTREAL
Fierce Flames Sweep the Business
District Of the City.
A Loss OF SEVERAL MILLIONS.

The Fire One Of the Most Disastrous in
Fifty Years - The Board Of Trade
Building, Which Cost 81 ,oOosooo. Lsft
"a Mass Of Ruins-NIany Firms Burned
Out-Estimste of Losses.
Montreal, Que.-The business district
Of this city was visited by the most
disastrous fire it has known for fifty
years, and the loss is placed at 81, SOC. x
600. The greatest loss is the Board Of
Trade Building, which was built In
1851, at cost of S1,O0O,O 900, and is now
q mass Of ruins. 1t had more than
two hundred and fifty tenants, and
their loss will be about $510,000.
The fire started at ten minutes after
eight o'clock in the clothing house OF
NJ. SAKE & Sous, in st. Peter street,
and before the tiremen CO lid get to
work the flames had spread to the
Nelson Fireworks building. IS
Scores Of explosions followed and in.
ten minutes the eastern wall fell into
the west side of the Board Of Trade
Building. The \ire was thus carried
through many windows and although
the building was supposed to be fire.
proof, it was a scething mass Of flame
within an hour. /2s
To tile south tine fire spread to ST..
Paul street, and the firemen were beat; !.
ell back inch by inch, until :: seemed
that the entire business portion OF
Montreal must 90. A strong west
wind blew for some time and this
meant that the famous Notre Dame
Church might go ut any moment, but,
thanks to sudden change. st Francis:
Xavier street buildings were saved and
the church was not touched.
All along st. Paul street. scores Of
small wholesale warehouses were
wiped out. At least four of the larg-'
est wholesale fur houses, which were
carrying unusually large stocks. were,
destroyed. .. It is estimated that their
loss will lie a million dollars. Dealers
say it will mean an increase Of fifty
per cent in the price Of furs.
The Montreal Board Of Trade Build.
ing was occupied chiefly by well.i
known wholesale firms, and. while
large stocks of goods were not carried
in the building, sample rooms innum-
erable were destroyed. The building
was also occupied by upward Of a
score of firms in the wholesale grain
trade, as well as half Dozen shipping
firms, representing prominent lines.
The railway offices included tie.
Canadian Pacific, the Grand Trunk,
the Canada Atlantic and the Delaware
and Hudson. There were also in the
building branches of all the telegraph
lines, Many records Of great value
have been lost, and it Is believed that
cash running into the t 1usands Of dol
lars has been consumed.
Forced by north wind, the fire
swept right to the river front. The
burned space covers about three en-
tire blocks.
Montreal has in the LAST fifty years
been visited by severa! unusually de-
structive fires.
In the conflagration of July 8, 1852,
a large part Of the suburbs Of the city
was swept away. More than eight
hundred houses were destroyed, and
four thousand persons were made
homeless. The loss was s2,10o,00o.
Ten persons were killed and twenty
injured, on April 20. 1877. when many
buildings were destroyed in fire
which started in building in St Al
bans street, occupied by novelty
company. Several citizens and fire.
men were buried beneath falling walls.
Montreal was almost panic stricken
on October "a, 1887, when there was
q series of con1agralions. There were
seven large Gres in different parts OF
the city within twelve hours.