The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1916-02-18
CAPITOL IS BURNED
FIVE KILLED IN FIRE THAT
WRECKS CANADIAN PARLIA-
MENT AT OTTAWA.
Premier Borden and Other High Gov.
eminent Officials Escape From
Burning Structure Rumors of
Bomb Plot Are Denied.

ished In the fire which swept through
the central portion of Canada's mag
niflcent parliament building at night.
destroying the chambers OF the com
mons and senate. Several others are
reported missing and II is feared they
are buried In the ruins. All night
firemen, police and soldiers fought TO
save the S6.000.000 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 edilice
Says Fire Was Accidental.
Immediately after the fire started a
report was spread broadcast that It
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 il 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 conflagration 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
hn no
said that be saw a blaze in a pile
of newspapers in the reading room.
He attempted to put it out with a
chemical extinguisher and, failing, ran
for help When he returned with an
other extin5uisher, the fire had swept
through the ON 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 Desjcfdins, an employee
in the building. uncle of the police
man.
Robert Tanning, waiter
: One of those reported missing is
b. B. Law, a member of parliament
for Yarmouth, ~ S.
All hope has been abandoned fol
the safety of J. B. Laplant, assistant
, clerk of the house of commons, who
was seen just before the fire started
and is believed to have been buried
t in the ruins.
: David Ewart. consulting architec
, of the public works department. esti
however. that it would probably cos
double hat figure to replace The
, burned building.
, Premier Borden Escapes.
Several persons who were burned
or otherwise hurt in fleeing through
; the corridors before the swift rush o
). the flames or in escaping from tn
: windows are in hospitals. One o
those most severely injured is Martil
Burrell, minister of agriculture. wh
q was burned about the head. d.
. Michael Clark, member of Red Deer
o suffered burns about the hands. ST
o Robert Borden, the Canadian premier
escaped without injury.
Nine. Bray aud Nine NORM wer
a guests of Nine Sevigny. wife of til
a speaker. and were trapped in tn
: speakers rooms. Nine. Sevign
v dropped her two children into fire
mems safety net and then leaped int
it herself, as did another of he
o guests. Nine Dussault of Quebe,
l. They escaped unhurt When the fir
n men reached the speakers chambe
3 they found Nine. Bray and NM
NORM unconscious. Vain attempt
were made to revive them with pu
It motors.
h The origin of the fire can be asce
70 tanned only through an investigation
" which it is understood will begin &
soon as possible. Col George Bra
bury, a member of the house fro
IT Manitoba: Mayor Medric Martin
% Montreal and Constable Helmer. WI
sr was standing at the entrance of tt
~ | llDTdTy, NEAR Tic lOOh WuSl
Of the fire started. assert that it was pr
coded by an explosion.
House Members Flee i'm Panic.
20 With the spreading of the alar
W members of the house of common
IL spectators in the gallery and atten
er ants fled in panic for windows. doc
~ or fire escapes. So swift was the ru:
OF the flames that many narrowly {
capped. One OF these was the minist
q, of agriculture. Martin Burrell, vi
III was overcome by smoke as he IL
III through a corridor and was bragg
to safety by Robert Rogers. the mi
lister of public works.
CT Premier Borden announced that U
10 til other arrangements are made p;
ca lament would sit in the Victoria n
mortal museum. which has spacio