The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1903-05-15
OTTAWA, ont. HAS
DISASTROUS FIRE
Two Thousand are Rendered
Homeless, and Damage is
Estimated at $500, 900.
WORK OF AN i%NcENDIARY
Area a Quarter of a Mile Square Was
Swept CIean-Firebug Demolished
Fire Plug and Firemen Were
Without Water an Hour.

Ottawa, Ont, May IA fire sup
posed to have been of incendtary origin
yesterday afternoon and evening de-
stroyed hundreds Of houses and mil
lions Of feet of lumber in this city.
John White, who had just been re-
leased from the penitentiary after
serving a term Of imprisonment for
arson, was caught near where the fire
was first discovered. He was taken to
the police station and will be charged
with starting the conflagration.
The fire originated within a stones
throw of where the great Hull fire Of
April rs, 1900, was checked.
Two hours before the principal hre
started two smaller blazes were dis
covered and quickly extinguished in the
lumber yards near the Canadian Pa
cific railroad. 1t was $3.50 p. m. when
the third fire was discovered.
When the brigade arrived at the
scene it was found that the water main
had been damaged II no water could
be obtained. When the brigade did get
control. 1t swept along the same
ground that the Corner fire had gone,
the only difference being thai it was
going in tile opposite direction. There
is a large cliff which extends from the
Ottawa river into h corner of Mar
garet and Preston streets.
Whole City Menaced.
The fire area was on the flats below
the cliff. At two or three points 1T
came very near getting over the cliff.
and had it lone SO nothing would have
saved the city.
At $3.50 o'clock last night the fire was
under control and was confined to the
following area:
r1,a nt%o,x,o o-l po~r1y Cn11r1 roll.
way on the south, Division street on
the east, First avenue on the west and
the Richmond road on he north.
form the Parry Sound road to the Rich
mond road is about one mile, and from
First avenue to Division street is about
one-quarter Of a mile.
While the fire was burning fiercely
among the lumber piles the whole bril-
gade Of the city, which had been sum
moned, was forced to remain idle.
For an hour not q drop Of water was
thrown upon the fire.
A stiff southwest wind was blowing,
and by the time the water main had
been repaired the lumber yard was a
mass of glowing Goals.
From the lumber yards the flames
spread to a group of frame houses on
the outskirts of the city, formerly
known as Rochesterville, but which is
now united to the city. Every house
In the little settlement was destroyed.
Another lumber yard in a thinly set
tied section northeast of Rochester
vile was swept by the fire in an in
credibly short time. This brought the
fire to the more thiclkly settled sections
Great Lumber Loss.
After leaving the lumber piles the
flames swept over Pine street, which
runs east and west, down Willow. Pop
lar, Anderson. Eckles, Somerset,
Spruce, Elm, Maple, Albert and on the
Richmond road, or, properly speaking
Wellington street, where it was
Canadian Pacific railway depot.
At 6 p. m. it was feared hat the fire
would get over the cliff, on the top OF
which is st. Jeane the Baptist church
The firemen, however, succeeded In
keeping back the flames. Fifteen mil
lion feet Of lumber was destroyed. The
loss on the lumber will be about $780,
900.
The buildings burned were principal
~ dwelling Houses and stores. They
were all built since the last great fire
veneered, as the city would not permit
Of any other kind being erected.
The loss on the buildings, is estimated
at various figures. Mayor Cook satd
there were 500 to 600 families homeless
or about 1000 individuals. All the
losses are supposed to be we'll insured
The mayor said the city would op-
pose any aid being asked from outside
Canada, and he though the city should
grapple with the situation without any
appeal for outside help.
Mayor Cook estimated the loss on the
buildings at $500, 1000, making a tota
loss of $500, 900.