Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-02
100000 LOSS
By Fierce Blaze in Business
Section of Halifax.
Whole City Threatened, the Fire
Raging for Five Hours.
Large Area Covered and Scores o
Firms Burned Out.

Halifax, n. S., Feb. ga fire which
| was famed by fierce wind threat
l ened the business district with destruc-
ton for several hours. tonight. Proper
| ty to the value of $500 900 was destroy
! ed and three firemen were injured by
| the collapse Of a ladden on which they
| were standing.
| The fire started at 610 in the starch
room of the big biscuit and confection-
cry works of Moir, Son & Co, opposite
the City hall and public library. The
| employees had just left the building fol
| the week.
! The flames quickly spread and gem
| eral alarm called the entire fire fight
| ing force of the city to the central dis
| trict. This was followed by n special
| appeal for help to neighboring towns,
| and an engine was sent from Dart
| mouth in response.
| The high wind drove the flames east
| and north. and all the buildings oppo-
| site the Mor block on Duke street were
| consumed
The west end of the City hall was
next ignited, despite the fire depart
ments greatest efforts to save this
| splendid building. A desperate fight
with the advancing flames took place
| at this point and the firemen won out.
The fire in the City hall was confined
to the upper story of the west end,
where the public library was situated,
The library was considerably damaged.
In the meantime, the wind having
shifted. the fire commenced to spread
south along Argyle street and before il
was finally checked all but two build
ings in this block were consumed
Moir's immense factory, covering
half block. had become roaring fur
mace. and all approach was prevented
by the risk of falling walls. which top.
pied and collapsed with laundering re-
ports, sending great clouds of sparks
and cinders floating over the city.
"A heavy fall of rain accompanied the
southeast gale, and this fact no doubt
prevented the outbreak of Independent
nres. AS large part of the old city
Is frame buildings, a dry day would
most certainly have witnessed loss OF
property extending into the millions.
- AT one part of the evening the dan
ger OF q general conflagration was so
great the assistance of the military au-
thorities was solicited by Mayor Cros-
by, and a detachment of Royal Engi-
neers was turned out to pull down GER
tain buildings and make a fire break to
stop the spread of the flames. This OPP
GRAFTON. together with the work of the
firemen. was successful, and at II it
was announced that the fire was under
control. after burning over the best
part of one block and part of two other
blocks.
The principal damage to the City hall
is water flooding the library.
The properties destroyed are as fol-
lows:
NOR Sons & Co., biscuit and confec- |
tionery works and paper box factory, |
loss 25O.0OO
e. Donohoe & Son, feed and groceries,
loss $4,000
NJ. Scanlon & Sons. dry goods, $4,000. |
c. w. Davies. clothing, $4,000.
Mrs. Austin. confectionery, $5000
NewcOmbe's Hotel, $4,000.
DR.. VIM. Cameror's residence, $4,000. |
City hall and public library, $4,000.
The insurance is estimated at $I75- !
900.
Halifax, n. s., March 1.-Springlike |
weather ushered in the month and en- |
abled thousands of churchgoers to visit |
The scene of last nights connagration |
in the business district when Halifax
seemed nearer wholesale visitation
by fire than ever before in her two
hundred years of settlement. The dis
aster was averted but not before great !
damage had been wrought and one
block and part of another i'm the heart
OF the city are. today. smoking ruins
at which the firemen are still pouring
thousands of gallons of water on the
blackened masses to quench the
embers underneath. The
damage by fire and water to the City
hall building is more than was at first
supposed. several thousands volumes
OF books in the public library will have
to go to auction. NOR, Son & Co., in
whose big biscuit and confectionery
works the fire originated, are erecting
temporary quarters with provsed
equipments are working hard to fill
their army contract. The firm have to
deliver 1000 loaves of bread and so
barrels of biscuit every morning of the
year to the commissariat department |
Of the garrison. There is no clue to the
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