New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-02-04
Members Tell of Two
Explosions. Indi-
eating Plot.
AID is RUSHED
FROM MONTREAL
Two Members Burned
Speakers Wife Throws
Children from Window.

Ottawa. Feb. 4.-Canada's hs.ori,
Parliament building was destroyed
last night by fire believed 70 hay,
been started by the explosion OF
gas bomb or of an internal macnipo.
Two women. guests of the wife ot
Speaker Sevigny, were overcome by
smoke and perished. Several pohcs-
men and firemen were buried under
the debris when one end Of tae
building collapsed, just before MD
night.
Two policemen and two House Of
Commons attendants. who were
working with other men in the
chamber below the Speakers quar-
ters when the roof fell. are declared
to have been killed.
The main tower fell at 1880 a. m.
It. was believed at that hour there
was still a sligh; hope Of saving the
library.
The first burst Of fame in tbs
reading room Of the house was pre-
coded by at least one explosion and
probably by two. The force Of ths
concussion was so severe that per.
sons standing some distance away
were hurled 10 the floor.
At midnight the Commons aud
Senate chambers had been destroyed
ard as the great clock doomed CJs
the hour flames were swirling up tho
magnificent tower and licking thc.-
way to its top. The Parliamentary
library at the rear probably will b
saved. Soldiers were assigned 20
carry out its contents.
Two Members Missing.
The number Of persons taAea %
hospitals had not been Determined
early this morning. Frederick I.
Pardee, chief Liberal whip. and Will
lam S. Loggie, a member Of Parlla-
ment from New Brunswick, arc
missing. 1t is feared they have lost
their lives.
Sir Robert Borden. the Canadian
Premier. who was in the building,
escaped uninjured. but others were
Tot SO fortunate Martin Burreil,
Minister of Agriculture. was burned
severely about the head, and DIR.
Michael Clark, member for Rcd
Deer. was burned about the hands.
Many of the legislators had difficulty
in cropping their way through ths
smoke filled corridors to windows
and ladders.
That the fire was of incendiary
origin is proved, officials here be-
lieve, by the rapidity with which the
flames spread from the Commons
chamber 10 the library. Three mem-
bers of the House. including Medric
Martin. Mayor of Montreal, stand
ing at the entrance Of the reacln:
room about 9 p. M, when the ex-
plosion occurred, were knocked la.
on the floor. They declare that tho
library was suddenly filled with
flames that spurted in all directions.
Montreal Asked to Aid.
The entire fire fighting equipment
of Ottawa was unable 10 cope with
the flames and at 10 p. m. Mayor
Martin, of Montreal. member OK
Parliament, ordered the Montreal
fire brigade to this city. Half an
hour after the fire was discovered
the glass roof over the Commons
chamber fell and it apeared that tho
handsome Gothic structure was
doomed.
when Speaker Sevigny took the
chair and opened the session Ct tho
House az o'clock only about hfty
members were in their seats \ dis
cussion relating 20 fisheries was pro-
ceeding when the deeorum Of the cham
ber was broken b. messenger who
dashed into the room shouting. "tirel
Run for your lives"
The flames had developed 80 sudden.
ly that although they started net
more than thirty zee, from the Cham
Der members were driven back ~
smoke and flames when they sought An
oxi, through the two ~ doors. po-
lice guards were on duty' . the ibrsry,
reading rooms ana corridors which