The Burland Desbarats Lith. Co. Montreal
RUINS OF THE GERMAIN ST. BAPTIST CHURCH BY MOONLIGHT.
From a Sketch by John C. Miles, Artist.
THE STORY
OF THE
JUNE 20th, 1877.
BY
GEORGE STEWART, Jr.,
OF ST. JOHN, N.B.
BELFORD BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS.
ST. JOHN, N.B.: R. A. H. MORROW; MONTREAL, P. Q.:
DAWSON BROS.; TORONTO, ONT.: JAS. CLARKE &
CO.; DETROIT, MICH.: CRAIG & TAYLOR;
BOSTON: LOCKWOOD, BROOKS & CO.
Entered according to the Act of Parliament of Canada, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, by Belford Brothers, in the office of the Minister of Agriculture.
TO
GILBERT MURDOCH, C. E.,
MY FIRST FRIEND,
I DEDICATE THIS VOLUME.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I. | |
| PAGE | |
| The Great Fire—Its Extent—Its Terrible Rapidity—A Glance Backward—Whatthe People Passed Through—The First Fire—Protective Movements—The People who Lent the City Money—MinorFires—Fire of 1823—The Great Fire of 1837—The Calamity of 1839—The Trials of1841—The King Street Fire | [9] |
CHAPTER II. | |
| The Late Fire—Its Origin—Bravery of the Firemen—The High Wind—TheFire's Career—Fighting the Flames—Almost Lost—The Escapefrom the Burning Building—Destruction of Dock Street—SmythStreet in Flames—The Wharves—Demolition of MarketSquare—Something about the Business Houses there—The Banks—FireChecked at North Street | [19] |
CHAPTER III. | |
| The Fire in King Street—Recollections—The Old Coffee House Corner—TheStores in King Street—The Old Masonic Hall—The St. JohnHotel—Its Early Days—The Bell Tower—King Square—A Nightof Horror—The Vultures at Work—Plundering the Destitute | [27] |
CHAPTER IV. | |
| The Fire in Germain Street—The First Brick House in St. John—OldTrinity—The Loyalists—Curious Ideas about Insurance—The Rectorsof Trinity—The Clock—The Royal Arms | [36] |
CHAPTER V. | |
| The Old Curiosity Shop on Germain Street—A Quaint Old Place—"RubbishShot Here"—Notman's Studio—The Mother of Methodism—Destructionof the Germain Street Methodist Church—Burningof the Academy of Music—The Old Grammar School—Presbyteriansamong the Loyalists—The "Auld Kirk"—Saint Andrew's—TheGrants of Land—Legislation—The Building of the Kirk—Ministers—The"Victoria" in Flames—Fascination of the Fire—The"Victoria" in Ruins—What might have saved it | [48] |
CHAPTER VI. | |
| The Odd Fellows' Hall—The Fire in Horsfield Street—The sweep alongGermain Street—The Old Baptist Church—Some Early Ministers—TwoFiery Ordeals—The Brick Church—The Ruins—The BayView Hotel—An Old Landmark Gone—The Blazing Barracks—St.James's—The Hazon House—St. Malachi's Chapel—The First RomanCatholic Church | [65] |
CHAPTER VII. | |
| A Hard-Working Manager—The Dramatic Lyceum—The TemperanceHall—The Water-Works Building—A Hard Fight—Another Rushof the Homeless—The Weary March of the Unfortunates—Historyof the Water Supply—Early Struggles—Changes—The Old Way—TheSt. John Water Company—Placed in Commission—The Companyto-day | [76] |
CHAPTER VIII. | |
| Burning of the Leinster Street Baptist Church—The Varley School—CentenaryChapel—The Gas Works—$17,000 worth of Coal burnedin Ten Days—The Tall Sentinel—St. David's Kirk—The ReformedPresbyterian Church—The Victoria School—Gigantic Ruins—AnAccident—Sketch of the School-house | [90] |
CHAPTER IX. | |
| Queen Square—Incidents in the Burning—The Old Pitcher—"God isburning up the World, and He won't make another"—Saved fromthe Flames—Overtaken by Fire Three Times—The Night of Terroron Queen Square—Alone amidst Perils—The Lone House on theSquare—Three People under a Table—The Sailor—"If I die to-night,sir, hunt them up"—The Escape—The Deserted Streets—AnAnomaly—The Marine Hospital—What a few Buckets of Waterdid—The Wiggins Orphan Asylum—The Block in CanterburyStreet—The News Office—Savings Bank | [101] |
CHAPTER X. | |
| Incidents—An Old Corner Burned Down—The Lenders and Borrowers—"Twentyper Cent."—The Shylocks of the Curbstone—The HumanBarometers—The Vultures of Commerce—Chubbe's Corner—TheOld Commercial Bank—The Telegraph Office—The Bank ofNew Brunswick—A Hard Worked Cashier—The Post Office—Nota Mail Lost—Quick Dispatch—The Nethery House and Orangemen—TheRoyal Hotel—The Custom House—The Dead of the Conflagration | [114] |
CHAPTER XI. | |
| The Old House on the Hill—A Wily Commissary—The Bags of Gold—Whatwas Done at Midnight—The Dead of Night Deposit—TheOld Vault—A Timid Money Lender—Mr. Peter Johnson—TheBoard of Commissioners—The Old Gentleman's Little Joke—TheInspection—How it was Discovered—The Fight with the Flames—"Howmuch will I Get"—What he Got—The Oil Barrels—Dashingthe Water on the Kerosene—A Lively Time on Reed's Point Wharf—TheBridge of Fire—On the Ferry-Boat—The Western UnionTelegraph Office—The First Despatch | [129] |
CHAPTER XII. | |
| A Thrilling Incident—The Burning House—The Tall Figure on theHall—Escape Cut Off—The Only Way Out—The Street of Fire—Walkingon Coals—The Open Boat—The Way to the Wharf—TerribleSuffering—The Awful Death on the Street—Worn Out—TheEscape—Saved—The Firemen—How they Fought the Flames | [144] |
CHAPTER XIII. | |
| A Chapter of Incidents—Agony on Board—Coming Up the Harbour—TheStory of the Moths—The Newly Married Lady's Story—NoFlour—Moving Out—Saving the Drugs—The Man with the CornPlasters—Incendiarism—Scenes—Thievery—The Newspapers—Enterprise—BlowingDown the Walls—An Act of Bravery—The FatalBlast—Danger and Death in the Walls—Accidents—The Fire andthe Church—The Ministers | [155] |
CHAPTER XIV. | |
| "I went againe to the ruines, for it was no longer a Citty"—The Driveby Moonlight—Through the Ruins—After the Fire—A City ofAshes—The Buried Silver—The Sentinel Chimneys—The Home ofLuxuriance—A Recollection—The Moon and the Church—Backagain | [167] |
CHAPTER XV. | |
| Aid for St. John—The First Days—How the Poor were Fed—Organizationof the St. John Relief and Aid Society—Its System—Howit operates—The Rink—The Car Shed—List of Moneys and Suppliesreceived—The Noble Contributions | [175] |
CHAPTER XVI. | |
| The Odd Fellows and the Fire—Relief Committee at Work—Searchingout the Destitute Brethren—Helping the Sufferers—The Secret Distributionof Aid—List of Donations | [203] |
CHAPTER XVII. | |
| The Losses of the Masonic Fraternity—Great Destruction of MasonicRegalia and Paraphernalia—Organization of the General MasonicBoard of Relief—Amount received in Aid of the Suffering Brethren | [239] |
CHAPTER XVIII. | |
| The Destruction—The Loss—Estimates—The Acreage and Streetage—Hasthe Land Decreased in Value?—Incomes swept away—Whatis Left—Hope!—The Insurance—The Corporation Loss—The DominionLoss—Additional Deaths—The Wounded—The OrangeBody | [244] |
CHAPTER XIX. | |
| The Books we have Lost—"The Lost Arts"—The Libraries of St. Johnwhich were Burned—The Pictures which were Lost—The few thatwere Saved—A Talk about Books and Pictures—The Future—WhatSt. John Men must Do—Acknowledgments—Conclusion ofthe Story of the Fire | [259] |