The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-02-11
FIVE KILLED IN FIRE THAT
WRECKS CANADIAN PARLIA-
MENT AT OTTAWA.
LOSS PUT AT 100000
Premier Borden and Other High Gov
eminent Officials Escape From
Burning Structure Rumors of
Bomb Plot Are Denied.

nificent parliament building at night.
destroying the chambers OF the com
mons and senate. Several others are
reported missing and il is feared they
are buried in the ruins. All night
firemen, police and soldiers fought to
save the $6.000,000 structure, which
is considered one of the finest exam
pies of Gothic architecture on this
continent. They were successful in
saving the beautiful library building
and the east and west wings of the
main edifice
Says Fire Was Accidental.
Immediately after the Gre started a
report was spread broadcast that 1t
was caused by the explosion of an in
cendiary bomb. The fire originated in
the reading room of the house of com
mons and several persons who were
present at the time. including Mayor
Medric Martin of Montreal, asserted
that Ii was preceded by an explosion
| which knocked down several persons.
! The bomb theory was rejected. how
ever. by Colonel Sherwood commits
sioner of dominion police, who insist
ed that the confagration was acct
dental.
An explanation of how the fire
started. which has been accepted by
Colonel Sherwood. was supplied by
the policeman who was on duty at
the senate entrance. The policeman
said that he saw n blaze in a pile
| of newspapers in the reading room.
He attempted TO put it out with a
chemical extingusher and, failing, ran
| for help. When he returned with an
other extinsuisher the fire had swept
through the room and was beyond his
control
List of Known Dead.
The known dead are:
Nine. Bray, wife of H. A. Bray of
| Quebec.
Nine. NORM. wife of Louis NORM
of Beauce, Que.
Alphonse Desjardins. dominion po-
| liceman.
Alphonse DesjGldins. an employee
in the building. uncle of the police
man.
Robert Tanning, a waiter.
One OF those reported missing Is
b. b. Law. a member of parliament
for Yarmouth, N. S.
All hope has been abandoned for
the safety of ]. Il. Laplant, assistant
| clerk of the house of commons, who
was seen just before the fire started
and is believed to have been buried
in the ruins.
David Ewart. consulting architect
of the public works department, esti
mates the loss at $3,000,0OO. He said
however. tfat it would probably cost
double hat figure to replace the
burned building
| Premier Borden Escapes.
Several persons who were burned
or otherwise hurt i'm fleeing through
the corridors before the swift rush of
the flames or in escaping from the
windows are I'm hospitals. One Of
those most severely injured is Martin
Burrell. minister of agriculture. who
was burned about the head Dr.
| Michael Clark, member of Red Deer,
suffered burns about the hands. Sir
Robert Borden, the Canadian premier,
escaped without injury.
Nine. Bray and Nine. NORM were
guests OF Nine. Sevigny. wife of the
speaker. and were trapped in the
speakers rooms. Nine. Sevigny
dropped her two children into a fire.
mems safety net and then leaped into
| il herself. as did another of her
| guests, Nine Dussault of Quebec
They escaped unhurt. When the fire.
men reached the speakers chamber
they found Nine. Bray and Nine.
NORM unconscious Vain attempts
were made to revive them with pull
motors.
The origin of the fire can be ascer-
tanned only through an investigation.
| which it is understood will begin as
soon as possible. Col George Brad
bury. a member of the house from
Manitoba; Mayor Medric Martin of
Montreal and Constable Helmer, who
was standing at the entrance of the
library. near the reading room where
the fire started. assert that it was pre-
ceded by an explosion.
House Members Flee in Panic.
With the spreading of the alarm
| members Of the house of commons.
spectators in the gallery and attend.
ants fled in panic for windows. doors
or fire escapes. So swift was the rush
OF the flames that many narrowly es-
capped. One of these was the minister
of agriculture. Martin Burrell. who
was overcome by smoke as he fled
through a corridor and was dragged
TO safety by Robert Rogers. the min
lister OF public works.
Premier Borden announced that un.
I'll other arrangements are made par
lament would sit in the Victoria Me
mortal museum. which has spacious
| ground floor