New-York tribune., 1904-09-16
WIND SAVES HALIFAX
FIRE DAMAGE OF $500, 900.
Sailors Land to Dynamite Houses
Marines Patrol Streets

Halifax, Sept ia fortunate shift of wind
saved Halifax from a great confagration to-
day. and still the city suffered loss OF $J0O.000
from a fire which swept the business part uf
the waterfront and whose progress was only
stayed by the dynamiting Of a dozen buildings
by sailors from the fleet and soldiers from the
garrison. Shortly after 4 o'clock, when the fire
at It's height. and fearful southerly gale
was pushing il straight toward the heart OF the
business centre. the wind suddenly veered 10
the west and turned the flames along the
wharves and warehouses.
There the fire ragged in lower Water-st prac-
tically beyond control, until o'clock tonight,
when two hundred sailors. with torpedo appa-
ratus landed from II. NJ. 5. Aradne and indie
fatigable. and with the assistance OF Two hun
dred troops from the garrison, stopped the
flames by dynamiting a dozen small buildings
Admiral Sir Archibald Douglas personally d.
rected the sailors In protecting imperial prop
erty. and two hundred marines patrolled the
street
The fire consumed six wharves. two coal piers
two hotels. a dozen large warehouses. and a
number OF retail shops. There is 100000 IN
surance.
ore fireman was fatally injured by a i've
wire while another was badly hurt by falling
slate. A large tree fell. killing Flora Ring
twenty-eight years old and wounding two other
persons.
The burned district, which covered about two
acres. was one OF wooden buildings. three or
four Etories high. many OF them built years
ago when Halifax merchants dealt heavily in
fish The fire started about 3 p. n IN a build
ing between Water-st. and the harbor, ar the
entrance Of the wharves OF y. * II Smith
terrific gale was blowing from the southeast.
and within few minutes the buildings on both
sides of the street. all well saturated with fish
OIL were burning herceIy. The FIRE then extended
TO the French House. a hotel IN Water-st- ana
within a few minutes the flames had enveloped
the FIVE fish stores Of y. g. NJ. Smith the largest
fish dealers IN Halifax. who had stock valued
al $4,000.
Crowds OF people who had rushed down Smith
wharf found themselves hemmed in with the
FIRE on one side and the harbor on the other ana
all had 10 be taken of by launches from the
warships. BY this time the entire city hao oe-
gun 10 realize the gravity OF the situation. The
entire IRE department was at the scene the
Tgartr7outh deparfment had been summoned,
launches filled with marines and sailors were
putting of from the warships Ariadne and Inde-
fatigable and troops were on the way from the
Al $50 O'Clock it looked as though nothing
could stay the flames from the main business
section OF the city and the Residential I5 sec
ton beyond Then came the shIIt OF VIZ;
The gale began 10 veer, until shortly after r
o'clock IL was blowing the flames up the haroor
front instead OF toward the heart OF the clty.
The fire spread 10 the Dominion Coal CoLn-
panys coal stores on Campbelrs wharf 10 the
south and worked across Smiths warehouses 10
the &; p Mitchell Co.'S on the north Inc
plant Stea auaship Line pier and stores were IN
danger and soon the fire was in the Plant stores
and Office building. There were -FOUR nrtps lh
fhe plant building-M Neville. lobster packeE;
the Dominion Packing Company. w. ID. Ross.
NJ P Office and stores, and the Plant office and
warehouse
Bv this time the government officials had as
surned full charge OF the situation. for not lar
ahead was the big ordnance yard, containing
,F fnFTG Of
The district was cleared OF spectators by ma
rines and troops from the 9th Royal Garrison
Regiment A party Of sailors, with a company
~ To,,ai engineers landed north Of the fire. and
al , O'Clock began blowing up buildings. For an
hour the city shook with the terrific explosions
More than a dozen buildings, some OF them
three and four stories nigh, were levelled. and
AT Z o'clock the fire reached the cleared space.
where IL stopped