New-York tribune., 1903-05-11
FIREMEN WITHOUT WATER.
Flames Blazed for an Hour with Nothing
to Check Them.
.By The Associated PI,ss.l

Ottawa. Ont, May 1O-A fire. thought TO be
ot incendiary origin. this afternoon and evening
destroyed hundreds Of houses and millions OF
feet Of lumber IN this city. John White, VINO
has Just been released from the penitentiary
after serving term of Imprisonment for arson
was caught near where the fire was hrst dis
covered. He was taken to police station and
viii he charged with starting to-days con-
hagration.
To-dav's fire originated within stones throw
Of where the great Hull fire Of April 20. 1900.
vas checked. The Hull fire started on the OPP
poste side Of the river and spread TO the Ut
tsu-a side destroying millions of dollars worth
Of property Tt burned out near where the-Se-
tawa and Parry Sound Railway enters the
western part of the city. and it was in the lun-
her yards near the railroad that to-dsy's fire
originated
Two hours before the principal fire started two
smaller blazes were discovered and quickly ex'
ringuished in the lumber yards near the Cana
dian Pacific Railway. II $50 when the
third was discovered. When the brigade ar
rived at the scene it was found that the water
main had been damaged and that no water could
he obtained. When the brigade did get water
the fire was utterly beyond its control 1T
swept along over the same ground that the
former fire had gone the only difference being
that il was going in the opposite direction
There is = large cliff which extends from the
Ottawa River on to the corner Of Margaret and
Preston sts.
The ire area was on the fats below the cliff.
While the FIRE was burning fieTcely among the
lumber piles the whole brigade of the city
y hi,h had been summoned was forced to re-
main idle
Fo~ an hour not drop of water was thrown
onto the flames. A stiff southwest wind was
hlopi iug. and by the time the water main had
-l,o- ards a
glowing Goals From the lumber yards the
flames spread TO q 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 Jhinly settled sec
+i.n northeast of Rochesterville was swept by
TIE fire in an incredibly short time. This brought
The fire 10 the more thickly settled sections
After leaving the lumber piles the flames
swept over Pine-st- which runs east and vest
down Willow POPLAR. Anderson, Eckles. Somer-
set Spruce, Elm. Maole. Albert and on TO the
Richmond road or properly speaking. Welling-
fon-st where il was stopped short distance
from the Canadian Pacific Railway station
sf6 r. M il was feared that the fire woul0
get over the cliff. the top Of when Is ct
Jean Baptiste's Church In the rear and snort
distance back from the church is the residence
of the late David Mills The family begah hon-
ing out at p. IN. and the hearse was IN reaol-
ness 10 move the body of the distinguished Ca
madam should the necessity arise. The nre-
men however succeeded in keeping back the
flames
Fifteen million feet Of lumber was destroyed
Il belonged chiefly TO J. r Booth, and was soI0-
The loss on the lumber Will be about S5ooVco
The buildings burned were principally dwelling
hollses and stores They were all built since the
last great fire and were either sohd brlck or
brick veneered as the city would not permit oL
any other kind being erected. .
The loss on the buildings is estimated al Nall-
aus figures tonight Mayor Cook SAID tnat
there were from 800 10 600 families homeless
or abo,,t . 600 individuals All the owners are
sIpposed to be well insured
The Mayor said the city would oppose aIS
aid being asked from outside Canada, ana per
sorallv he thought that the city should grappie
with The situat.ca without any appeal Tor out
side help.