The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-04-20
6 MILLIONS Loss
IN TORONTO FIRE
Hundred and Twenty three Build-
ings in Wholesale District
Are Destroyed.
One Man Perishes Two Hundred
and Fifty Companies Are
Burned Out.
Fire Chief L.eaps Sir Stories
Escapes with Broken
Leg.

to an early hour to-day "
wholesale and retail bushes,
was the most disastrous In {. VI
tory of the city. ss 4ss n
mated at from s6,000s0oe to 5000
600. N
The principal warehouses OF this. N
city were reduced to ashes and near
ly $50 firms were put out Of business.
The area covered by the fire ts
three blocks in length and varies from
half block to two blocks in width.
Every building on Bay street from
Melinda street southwark to the wa
ter front was wiped out and the fire
spread on wellington and Front
streets and along the water front from
their intersection with Bay street for
distances Of from few hundred feet
to whole block.
The total number Of buildings de-
stroyed were:
Bay street, East Side, 80; West Side,
80; Wellington street, North Side. Ii;
South Side, 7; Front street north, 22;ei
south, 81; Water Front, 4; Piper.
street, 1.
Appeal for Assistance.
Early in the evening. when the
fire assumed alarming proportions,
appeals for assistance We're sent to
London, Hamilton, Montreal and Buff
falo. Special trains were at once
started from these points, but It was
long after midnight before the first
Of them began to arrive and In the
meantime the local flremen were HAYS
ing the fight of their lives.
| From the time the fire started on
| the north side of Wellington street, q
short distance east Of Bay street In
the e. & S. Curry Neckwear Manu-
featuring plant until 1t burned itself
out at daybreak. there was not mo-
ment when a shift of the wind to the
north would not have resulted in the,
+! destruction Of the greater part OF the
| city.
At an early stage Of the fire, Chief
Thompson was trapped by the flames
and forced to jump from the top OF a.
| building. A network of wires broke
his fall and saved his life. He
escaped with a broken leg.
when the chief made the leap for
his life, traveller from Montreal was
q on the roof with him, and no trace
OF him has since been seen. It is
! probable that he persisted in the
flames. i
Started in Elevator Shaft.
The fire started in the elevator shaft
in the rear Of the Currie building.
Thence the flames spread across the
street to Brown Brothers, and from
there east to Bay street.
:. The wind, which had been brisk, in
: creased to a gale. A general alarm
!. was sounded, but before all the force
had reached the scene the fire had
> leaped to the high buildings occupied
by Anley & Co., and Pugsley, Ding
, man & Co.
: Then Sucking & Co., a building adj
: Joining Curries on the east, causht
fire. Almost simultaneously, great
forks Of flame began to shoot out
from the Brown building, and the
firemen were obliged to split theiK
, forces.
The roof of Dingum & Moneypen-
ny's building, on the northwest cor-
, ner Of Bay and Wellington streets
) was the next place to purst into
flames.
q In an incredibly short TINA, Sucks
: ling's Currie's, Browns and Dingum
j & Moneypennys were all a mass os
r flames, and the streams Of water
thrown into them had no effect
Flames Leap Across Street.
8 The Gale Manufacturing company
|. an tmmense plant in the rear Of An-
f lev e. Co., was the next to fall prey
Z to the fire, and shortly afterwards the
: flames from the east side Of Dingum
It & Moneypenny's were carried across
d to the east side by Bay street TO tne
n Office Speciality building.
i It was here that the firemen united
forces and made desperate stand to
le check the progress Of the flames
rs northward In the heart OF the city.
d They won, but not until they had LOST
h, control Of the flames which were now
l. sweeping down Bay street TOWARD tne
The office Of the Evening Telegram
f the next building north Of the On1ce
Specially building, was slightly dam
n aged In the two hours fight With the
Ct raging flames.
IA q
10 warehouse Of w. r. Brock company
Id on the southwest corner of Bay and
m wellington streets, was being sub
N 1ected to the intense heat from thu
le burning Brown building on the Yves
v and the Digmun & Moneypenny pulia e,
scarcely a stream Of water playing
,1nnn them. The big wooden waite
tank on the roof caught fire. but y
some strange manner the building IL
be self escaped destruction for the tim
being.
Z. Fire Cuts Thru the Block.
ty The fire cut its way thru the rea
'ss ~ the Brown Bros. to the Gage q &C
en- building, which faces on r Front ron. s1ree'
d. In q brief space Of time, From
es street on both sides was like roar
d ing furnace. For over half an nou
the fire in Front street burned hercel1
H 1 practically unchecked.
70 It then began to work itself pac
ad unon Ray street, Gordon Mackay
ler Co.'S warehouse serving as fuel
70 Few minutes before midnight the Car
Dy ada Rubber company's plant starte
y. to burn. While 1t lasted, this ful
.g- nisled the hottest and fercest confs
IT. grafton Of the night.
ha The flames, shooting hundreds
nc feet into the air and scattering gres
as. masses Of sparks and cinders 9
. sss every side. continued north on BE
[ad street until complete circle OF fl
nt had formed around the Brock bulit
ca ing on the southwest corner OF Bs
the and Wellington streets, over wnl my
=. the flames had 11urdled tp their hr
of dash south. The Brock building WI
he soon In ashes.
o.. Park Saves Queens Hotel.
his It was only the intervening PAL
ind that saved the Queens motel one