The TernWe Fire in Newfoundland

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 36, 10 September 1892, Page 3

The TernWe Fire in Newfoundland

A most disastrous fire broke out on Friday (July 8) at St John's, Newfoundland, and laid the greater part of the capital in ruins. The damage is estimated at £2.500,000 sterling, and thousands of per*ons have been rendered nomelesa. The fire broke oat in a stable in the eastern suburb of the town and lasted from about five o'clock on Friday afternoon until about nine o'clock the next morning. The houses in the vicinity of the stsbles were all built of wood. and as there bad been no rom for the past nionth everything was as dry as tinder^ while there was a great scarcity of water. In face of these circumstances, combined with a high wind, the firemen were absolutely powerless. The breeze hurled flaming brands upon the shingled roofs of the houses, firing them far and wide, while the flames spread with awful rapidity from street to .street, The con* flugration at length burned a track down into Water street, the principal business thoroughfare of the city. Here were .■torts aid warehouses full of valuable and r inflammable merchandise, timber wharves, coal-yards, and factories. With such material the fire soon swept the entire street from Becks Cove to the rail way wharf, the heat being so intense that stone and brick buildings were consumed almost as quick Jj a» wooden edifices. Nearly a mile of wharves were burned, and not a house is left alone the whole street. Spreading eastward from Longßhi!i, the fire attacked in succession ' the Masonic Hail, St Patrick's Hall three churches the Customs house, and the Athenaeum, besides destroying private houses over an immense area. The inhabitants were paralysed bj the rapidity with which the flames spread, and only tried to sae their furniture and effects, leaving their dwellings to their fate. One of the greatest losses sustained is that of the fine Anglican Cathedral which cost Liop.ooo. Among the other buildings destroyed are the residences of Dr Llewllyn Jones, the Bishop, the school-houses the Presbyterian Church and Manse, the Gower Methodist Church, the Congregational Church, bt Andrew's Church the Court House, and the Orange Hall. The Atlantic Hotel was also destroyed ai well at all printing and newspaper establishments, but the Union Bank escaped. The fire at length stopped at Devon row, the bouses in which were uninjured, the last buildings reached by the flames being Haryey's Bakery and Lendberg's Brewery. Beyond these was an open space by which the progress of the conflagration was checked. Some Teasels lying in the harbour were burned. The sufferings of thousands of (be poorer inhabitants have been terrible, most of them having lost absolutely everything. Tbe Government have erected huts and tents to shelter the destitute. It appears that only one woman lost her life in the flames, but two others have died since tbeir removal. On Monday II; M. S Blake, flagship «f Admiral Hopkins, arrived at St John's from Halifax with lUOO barrels of flour and 100 barrels of pork for the relief of the sufferers; and the Dominion Parliament on the same date decided to despatch a cargo of provisions from Ottawa. The marines have been patrolling the streets for the purpose of maintaibing order, and also busy pulling down dangerous walls and chimneys, raising safes' from the ruins, and clearing the streets, The Newfoundland Government haye appointed a committee for the distribution of relief. Messrs Campbell of Glasgow, haye sent LSOO in aid of the victims. The panic is abating and in view of the announcement that help is forthcoming from all quarters business men are taking courage. Great drought continues, however, and the crops are thus suffering to an abnormal extent.