The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20th, 1877 Part 4

Mr. Graves (first appearance) Mr. F. S. BUXTON.

Sir Fredk. Blunt " " N. DAVENPORT.

Capt. Dudley Smooth " " W. A. DONALDSON.

Sharp J. C. WALLACE.

Toke (first appearance) D. J. MORIARTY.

Clara Douglas Mrs. J. W. LANERGAN.

Lady Franklyn (first appearance) Mrs. FRANK REA.

Georgina Mrs. J. C. WALLACE.

_The entertainments of the evening will conclude with the Amusing farce, with_ NEW READING, of MR. & MRS. PETER WHITE.

Mr. Peter White Mr. F. S. BUXTON.

Major Pepper " N. C. FORRESTER.

Frank Brown " E. B. HOLMES.

Widow White Mrs. J. W. LANERGAN.

Mrs. Peter White " FRANK REA.

Kitty Clover " J. C. WALLACE.

_PRICES OF ADMISSION._ Parquette 1s. 3d.--Dress Circle 2s. 6d.--Private and Family Boxes $4, 5 & 6 each.

==> Private and Family boxes can be secured in advance by application at the Box Office.

DOORS OPEN AT HALF PAST 7--COMMENCE AT 8.

_Ladies unaccompanied by gentlemen not admitted._ Good order is expected and will be rigidly enforced.

PRINTED AT DAY'S JOB OFFICE, 4 MARKET STREET.

[N] On these premises was situated the St. John Meteorological Observatory. This was destroyed, but all the instruments belonging to the Dominion were saved. Night and day observations have been made here under the superintendence of Gilbert Murdoch Esq., C. E., during the last 25 years.

CHAPTER VIII

Burning of the Leinster Street Baptist Church--The Varley School--Centenary Chapel--The Gas Works--$17,000 worth of Coal burn in Ten Days--The Tall Sentinel--St. David's Church--The Reformed Presbyterian Church--The Victoria School--Gigantic Ruins--An Accident--Sketch of the School-house.

After destroying the fence which enclosed the premises of the Water Company, the fire crossed the street, burned Mr. Wm. Murdoch, jr.'s, house, and turned its attention to the Leinster Street Baptist Church, which was soon brought to the level of the earth. This building was cleanly and squarely burned, and nothing approaching to the semblance of an edifice could be seen on the spot half-an-hour after the fire ceased.

The building was completely swept away. The corporate body of the church was organized in 1858, under the pastorate of the Rev. E. B. Demill, son of Nathan S. Demill, with a members.h.i.+p of sixteen. The church was begun 1861, and in two months and a half the bas.e.m.e.nt was finished and ready for service. In three years afterwards the church proper was completed, and the parsonage was erected in 1874. The former cost $13,000, and the latter $6,500. The second minister who presided over this congregation, was the Rev. W. V. Garner, who officiated for the first time in 1864. He was succeeded, in 1867, by Rev. W. S. Mackenzie, a trenchant writer and an excellent reasoner. The Rev. J. D. Pope followed him in 1874, and was the pastor of the church at the time of the conflagration. The early deacons and prominent men of the church, were the late Nathan S. Demill and Saml. Kinsman. Hon. A. McL. Seely, A. W. Masters, J. F. Marsters, and Stephen E. Gerow are the present deacons. The building was fully insured, and after the church debt of $3,000 is paid, the people will have about $15,000 with which to commence re-building.

The old Varley Wesleyan day-school, a brick building which a prominent Methodist--the late Mark Varley--designed for the purpose of educating, free, the poor belonging to his faith, made a resolute stand against the forces of the leveller. But in vain was water dashed upon the building.

The intense heat drove the people back and no efforts of man could prevent the school-house from being in the end subdued. This property was erected a little more than twenty years ago and served its purpose long and well. A first-cla.s.s education could be gained here. The teachers were usually men of brains, and the system employed for imparting instruction was simple and efficacious. After the school law came into force this school was no longer necessary under its old management, and the school trustees leased the building from the Varley Trustees, and it was used as an advanced school, at the time of the fire. The building occupied two stories. The upper room was used for girls and the lower apartment for boys.

The rear of Centenary Chapel adjoined the Varley school, and being built of wood and very large, it went up in a sea of flame without warning.

The church was opened on its present site, corner of Princess and Wentworth streets, in 1839, the first Sunday after the fire in Dock street, and was designed by Mr. Burpee, an American architect. Mr. W. B.

Frost put up the frame. The Rev. Dr. Wood, of Toronto, in 1838 preached the sermon on the laying of the corner-stone, and after the church was built he officiated for some years till 1846 when he left St. John. He was succeeded by the Rev. Henry Daniel and Rev. Mr. Sutcliffe, whose ministry lasted some three years. Rev. Dr. Knight and Rev. Mr. c.o.o.ney followed for four years. Then Rev. Messrs. James Hennigar and Cardy were the ministers for three years. Rev. Mr. Albrighton and Rev. Dr. Stewart, and Rev. Mr. Botterel held service for three years more. The Rev.

Messrs. John McMurray and Wm. Wilson, were the clergymen for three years, and Rev. J. R. Narraway followed with Rev. Dr. Richey for the same period. After them came for two years Rev. Mr. England, who in his turn was followed by Rev. Mr. Lathern for three years and Rev. Donald Currie for two years. Rev. Dr. Henry Pope, who published a year ago, an acceptable series of sermons in two volumes, ent.i.tled, "Draughts from the Living Fountain," succeeded him for three years, and Rev. Howard Sprague, one of the most eloquent and popular divines in the conference was the last clergyman of this church. He was elected to proceed to England shortly after the burning, to get subscriptions and a.s.sistance for the rebuilding of the chapel. This church occupied the north-west corner of Princess and Wentworth Streets. The other three corners contained three splendid residences, those of J. V. Troop and Chas.

McLauchlan, jr., Esqs., Simeon Jones and Alexander Lockhart, Esqs. These houses being solidly built and very strong were a good while in burning, but they went at last and a large portion of the furniture and other household goods that were got into the street were stolen afterwards by the ghouls which infested the place. One lady lost in this way a valuable box of furs, another her jewelry and a third a work-box of ornate design and curious pattern, which contained many little nick-nacks of value and interest. In this street depredations of a wholesale nature went on unchecked all through the night. The houses of Mr. W. C. G.o.dsoe and Mr. T. Amos G.o.dsoe were both burned, and a house near by was pillaged by the mob even while the walls were swaying to and fro. Mr. J. W. Scammell's house on Princess Street and Mrs. Chas.

Patton's residence caught fire from blazing brands which consumed them speedily, and the heavens were soon alive with burning bits of wood, which being borne on the breeze sailed lightsomely away. The fire burned several houses in Pitt Street, and though the occupants of Orange Terrace moved out quickly, their residences were saved, the paint only on the doors and front being singed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Burland Desbarats Lith. Co. Montreal

WENTWORTH STREET.]

The Gas house which is located on Carmarthen Street was long in catching, but when the fire did reach it, its destruction was one of the most beautiful sights which were witnessed that night. An immense heap of coal took fire and the flames mounted to the sky. The great blaze lasted nine or ten days afterwards and the value of the coal was over $17,000. Nothing was left on the spot but the tall sentinel-like chimney, blackened in the fire, and standing like a monument over the wreck of an inst.i.tution, which the morning before represented a value exceeding two hundred and sixty thousand dollars. The company under the excellent direction of Robert Blair, Esq., the President, had just received a new lease of life and impetus. Since his a.s.sumption of the duties of the office, the stock rapidly rose in value, the price of gas was reduced, and improvements on a large scale had been inaugurated. In a single night these works were swept away and only blackened heaps of ruin remain. But the energy of Robert Blair has not departed, and in less than six months gas will again burn as brightly as ever in the less luxuriant halls of the stricken population who can afford it. The works were built in 1845, and in the evening of the 18th of September of the same year, gas was first turned on in St. John. Philip Peebles, Esq., C.

E., now of Quebec, was the engineer who furnished the plans, and Geo.

Peebles, Esq., C. E., was the Superintending Engineer. The latter remained for a time and took charge. The first Secretary Treasurer was Mr. Robert Reed. Mr. Gilbert Murdoch C. E. was Superintendent of the works, and had charge of the pipe-laying and distributing arrangements.

Mr. Robert Britain, the present Secretary, succeeded Mr. Reed in the office, and was subsequently appointed Manager, Robert Blair, Esq., was made President but a short time since. The price of gas up to 19th June 1877, was $3.00 per thousand feet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Burland Desbarats Lith. Co. Montreal

BURNT DISTRICT, SHOWING GAS HOUSE CHIMNEY AND SMOKING RUINS, TAKEN FROM LOWER COVE.

Photo by G. F. Simonson.]

One hundred thousand feet of gas were in the holder's close, and the flames not a block away. The direst danger was imminent, and an explosion terrible in its character might occur at any minute. No one can say how many lives might have been lost, or how much valuable property destroyed. No provision had been made to prevent this blow-up, when Mr. Robert Britain with a prudence and forethought wonderful in a time like the present, sought the President and pointed out to him the vast extent of the danger which was so near. Mr. Blair immediately gave Mr. Britain full charge, who notwithstanding that his own private residence was being burned before his eyes, and his furniture and books, wholly uninsured, were being swept away, stuck to his post like a hero and averted a calamity, which might have resulted in the instant death of hundreds of people. Such grand conduct as this deserves more than a mere mention. Words are weak rewards for such conduct.

[Ill.u.s.tration: The Burland Desbarats Lith. Co. Montreal

WESTERN SIDE OF CITY, TAKEN FROM LOWER COVE, SHOWING RUINS OF GAS WORKS.

Photo. by Simonson.]

Leinster Street was burned wholly, both sides down to Pitt Street where the fire ceased, excepting one house, on either side which were spared.

The whole of East King Street, south side, from the jail to Pitt Street, Princess Street both sides to Pitt Street were all destroyed. Mr. J. S.

Turner's walls in Princess Street remain in fair condition, but the house is totally gutted. Orange Street fared the same fate. The handsome residences of A. C. Smith, H. D. Troop, J. A. Venning and J. W. Hall, Esqs., were devoured early by the flames. On Sydney Street two churches suffered severely. Both of these were of the Presbyterian faith, St.

David's (Free) and the Reformed Presbyterian Kirk. The former situate in Sydney Street, was built in 1850, and Rev. Dr. Thompson, afterwards an eminent divine of New York, was its first pastor, and preached the opening sermon in the new kirk. Before the kirk was erected, this body wors.h.i.+pped in the old St. Stephen building, King Square, and Dr.

Thompson preached there when the congregation gathered. The Rev. Wm.

Ferrie, at one time editor of a little journal called _The Protestant_, was the second minister, and on his retirement from his charge, he was succeeded by the Rev. Neil McKay, and Mr. Ferrie went to New York. Mr.

McKay was followed by the present pastor, the Rev. Dr. David Waters, whose loss in the fire was very large, the greater part of his library having been burned. The Doctor was away at the time in Halifax, and only reached the city when all was lost.

The Rev. A. McL. Stavely is the senior Presbyterian clergyman of St.

John. He came to the city in the s.h.i.+p _Eagle_, August 3rd, 1841, having been ordained minister at Kilbrought, Ireland, June 12th, of the same year. On the 7th of August, 1841, he preached his first sermon in the first Reformed Presbyterian Church which was then in the building in Lower Cove, opposite the Public Schools, known as the Wheeler property.

He was the first minister of that denomination who came to the city, and has continued ever since in charge of this body. In 1850, the Lower Cove Church was sold, and has been since used for manufacturing purposes.

The church on the corner of Princess and Sydney Streets, and which was burned, was erected in 1850. The house adjoining and which was originally intended as a parsonage, was purchased by Mr. Stavely, as his private house, and he has been living in it for twenty-seven years. In 1870, at a cost of $2,000, the bas.e.m.e.nt of the church was excavated, and a fine new hall for general purposes was made. By the fire Mr. Stavely loses heavily, and his library, the acc.u.mulation of many years, was destroyed.

Probably, the greatest wreck of the day was the destruction of the costly and splendid new Victoria School--a building which presented a ma.s.sive front, and occupied a commanding position on the corner of Duke and Sydney Streets. This was the edifice which many who lived up the street as far as Carmarthen Street firmly believed would act as a barrier to the flames, and keep off the fire from their houses. Some so implicitly believed this that until the high walls fairly bent over, not an effort was made to remove even a picture from the rooms. O, said the householders on Upper Duke street, that immense pile will never burn; we are safe enough. But the proud edifice where a thousand children received daily a free education, did burn, and the sight though terrible, was one of the most impressive of the day. Now there was hurrying and packing in three score houses at once, and loud cries to teamsters and shrieks to servants and porters rent the air. Those, who talked the loudest before the school was in ashes, exhibited the greatest despair when they saw what they believed up to this moment to be their surest safeguard, encircled in the fury of the flames, going down before their eyes. First the wood-work around the sashes gave way, and lights shot from half a hundred windows, and the crash of gla.s.s as it was hurled to the pavement showed that the great fire had abated not a jot. The hot slates on the roof came down the giddy height in scores, and one man pinned to the earth by a falling slate was carried away insensible of pain but with a two-inch wound upon his scalp. The flames crackled for a while and then the dull, heavy sound of weighty bodies falling inside sent a shudder through the waiting, watching crowd below.

The woodwork snapped and sang in the blaze, and the great stones on the windows and cornices crumbled into fragments. And still the watchful and waiting crowd stood in the street, straining their eyes trying to look through the smoke, and seemingly unable to comprehend it all. It was only a building that was burning after all. Only another splendid edifice to add to the total of this day's fell work. Yes, this was the last, surely it might be spared. But the despoiler would not leave one.

All, all must be swept away in the general scourge.

As the last vestige of the school-house went down all hope for the city pa.s.sed away from men's minds. If that strong building could go so easily, where would the fire end. Men who had lost their stores and houses wandered about aimlessly, surveying the work of sorrow that was going on so unceasingly and relentlessly. It was a hopeless thing now to try to save anything.

The Victoria School-house, of which an ill.u.s.tration is given, was begun in the spring of 1875, and was occupied in the following May. Messrs.

McKean & Fairweather made the design, and it was erected under their supervision, by Messrs. Flood & Prince. It cost $46,000; heating, $4,000. The workmans.h.i.+p and materials employed in its construction were of the most substantial character. The foundation was on piles, capped with Georgia pine; and the bas.e.m.e.nt above ground was faced with granite.

The fronts were of pressed brick, relieved with Preston bands, window heads and cornices. The slope of the roof was slated and the deck was gravel roofed. The building was 82 feet on Duke Street and 68 feet on Sydney Street, three stories with high French roof, and a bas.e.m.e.nt 12 feet high. The bas.e.m.e.nt contained two play-rooms, janitor's apartments and furnaces and fuel. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors contained four rooms each, 28 x 32, with clothes-rooms and teachers' closets. The top floor had two rooms, 26 x 30, and a large Exhibition Hall, 16 feet high, 26 x 75. These rooms were separated by folding doors and could be thrown into one room on occasion. The building was heated by hot water, and ample provision was secured for ventilation by means of tubes carried between the floors and entered through a main central shaft through the centre of which the wrought iron smoke pipe was carried. A central projection on Duke Street of 4 x 24 feet was brought up as a tower, above the main roof and finished with a steep high roof. This roof and the main roof were finished with a cast iron cresting. The lot was enclosed with a neat iron railing set in a free stone wall. The school-house was well equipped with furniture.

[Ill.u.s.tration: VICTORIA SCHOOL HOUSE, CORNER OF DUKE AND SYDNEY STREETS.]

In Duke Street the meeting-house of the Disciples of Christ (Christians) was situate. This church was built of wood and of course burned very rapidly. The members had their first place of wors.h.i.+p in Charlotte Street where Mr. Jack's buildings were. About twenty years ago they removed to this building in Duke Street. Brother Tuttle was the first pastor and Mr. Eaton was the second, Bro. Patterson the next, and Elder Geo. W. Garrity was the fourth and last. A few years ago a division took place in the church, and a new edifice was built at the head of Jeffrey's Hill, and about half of the members of the old congregation linked their fortunes with the new order of things.

The old Madras School on the south side of Duke Street, and the Roman Catholic School-house on Sydney Street, adjoining the Victoria School and which was formerly taught by the Christian brothers were burned also.