The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20th, 1877 Part 15

J C Brown estate Peter and John Campbell Daniel Donovan Mrs Lantalum (2) J W Hall (2) John Gallivan John McSweeny (3) Heirs D J McLaughlin C Lawton James Dever J Fred Lawton L Burns J Hegan John Lloyd Hare heirs Mrs John Bryden John Higgins A Richardson A Yeats & Sons (3) J & T Robinson (2)

CHAPTER XVII.

The losses of the Masonic Fraternity.--Great Destruction of Masonic Regalia and Paraphernalia.--Organization of the General Masonic Board of Relief.--Amount received in Aid of the Suffering Brethren.

The losses of the Masonic fraternity have been computed, and found to be much greater than was at first supposed. The private lodges saved nothing, and all their warrants, banners, jewels, clothing, and other paraphernalia were lost. Some of them even did not rescue their seals; and Hibernia, Union Lodge of Portland, and New Brunswick Lodge, lost their records. The Union Lodge of Portland was a heavy loser. Her loss amounts to $1,250; Albion, No. 1, $850; St. John's, No. 2, about $600; Leinster, No. 9, and New Brunswick, No. 22, foot up to $750 each; and Hibernia, No. 3, to $850.

The Chapters have also fared badly. Carleton Royal Arch Chapter, formed in 1802, lost the seal and $1,150 worth of property; while New Brunswick Chapter meets with a loss of $1,475.

There were two Encampments which met in Masonic Hall. St. John Encampment not only lost $2,300 worth of property, which included the rich regalia of the order, the jewels, banners, charters, and general paraphernalia, but also the seal of the Encampment, and the regalia in the armory, which was owned by the private members. This latter consisted for the most part, of the chapeaux, swords, belts, gauntlets, baldrics, ap.r.o.ns, etc., usually worn by the Sir Knights when on parade and other duty. Hardly a member of the organization saved his masonic clothing. The regalia of this body was especially gorgeous in character, and no better dressed organization, before the fire, existed anywhere.

The Union De Molay Encampment experienced the same loss of general wardrobe and appliances. Their loss reaches upwards of two thousand dollars. The bodies of the Ancient and Accepted Rite lost everything but the records. The Royal Order of Scotland--a very select body,--saved their records only; the entire paraphernalia and regalia were lost. All the furniture and furnis.h.i.+ngs, the organ, etc., belonging to the General Hall Committee of the body, with all the paintings, photographs, and engravings, were destroyed with the rest.

Only the regalia and records, and full register of members belonging to the Grand Lodge were saved. The magnificent library of over four hundred volumes, many of them rare and scarce, and the most complete thing of the kind in the Dominion, was burned. In the work of collecting these books, the Grand Secretary, W. F. Bunting, Esq., spent many years; and the destruction of the n.o.ble volumes is a serious and irreparable loss to Freemasonry; many of the books destroyed can never be replaced.

Besides this, a good many were of incalculable value, on account of certain a.s.sociations connected with them, and each one had a little history of its own. Some of them were presentation volumes, others again were out of print, and not a few were high-priced modern text-books, especially valuable to the masonic student. All the blank forms and certificates, fyles of doc.u.ments and books of const.i.tutions, and all copies of printed proceedings were swept away in the common ruin. Grand Lodge has suffered severely, and her total loss above insurance cannot be less than one thousand dollars; while the loss she has met with which money cannot replace is enormous. Even Carleton Union Lodge, which met on the other side of the harbour, did not escape. Her beautiful banners, which she had lent St. John Encampment at the time of the late ball, were in the lodge room when the fire was sweeping all before it, and they were consequently burned.

The walls of the Lodge-room were always tastefully decorated with well executed engravings on Masonic subjects. These all perished, as well as the handsome auto-type of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales in full Masonic regalia, which was presented to the craft last year, by Thomas Furlong, Esq., and which was greatly admired. An oil painting of P. G. M.

Balloch, by Holman, in full Masonic clothing, which hung near the Master's Chair, and a fine picture in oil of "The Ascension," by Dr. T.

A. D. Forster, formerly of St. John, were burned along with everything else. Indeed the fraternity will find it impossible to replace a t.i.the of the useful and ornamental things with which it was surrounded. The order in this city was well equipped, and amply provided with everything.

Notwithstanding, however, that they had suffered so largely themselves, publicly and privately, as individuals and as masons, the leading members of the fraternity at once organized a board of relief and proceeded to care for the wants of the brethren who had met with reverses. The general masonic board of relief is a special organization which grew out of the present calamity, and is separate and distinct from the regular or ordinary relief board of the city. It is composed of city members of the Board of General Purposes of the Grand Lodge, and the presiding officers of all the Masonic bodies of the city. Grand Master R. T. Clinch is Chairman, Grand Treasurer Jas McNichol, Jr., is Treasurer, and Grand Secretary William F. Bunting is Secretary of the board. R. W. Bro. Edwin J. Wetmore is clerk, and has charge of the office and attends daily from three to five o'clock in the afternoon, to receive applications from brethren in distress. The board meets every day, in the office rented for the purpose, from four to five o'clock to consider applications and grant such relief as they deem advisable. In the administration of the fund at their disposal the board exercises great discretion and discrimination. Not only are brethren of the craft helped, but the hearts of their widows and orphans are made glad. Often the board does not wait for a distressed brother to make application for relief, but other means are taken to find out his necessities and aid is sent to him whenever this can be ascertained. All benefits are granted in money, and range from sums of twenty to fifty dollars, payable by check signed always by the treasurer, and one other officer of the board. As soon as money is received it is deposited in the Bank of British North America, in the names of the Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary. The system works admirably and already a great amount of good, in really necessitous cases, has been done. The gentlemen at the head of the board are men of sterling character and reputation, and any funds placed in their hands are judiciously and properly disbursed.

Every provision is being made for the coming winter months, when it is expected that sore distress will prevail in the city, and with this in view the board feel the necessity of having a good fund at their disposal to meet the wants of worthy but unfortunate members of the fraternity. Thus far the craft abroad have responded to the needs of the suffering brethren quite liberally. Up to late date these sums have been received:

From Craft in Chicago, Ill. $930 00 " Grand Lodge of Canada 1,000 00 " " " Illinois 237 75 " Craft in Charlottetown, P. E. I. 300 00 " " Newfoundland 336 44 " Masonic Relief Board, Memphis, Tenn. 94 75 " St. Andrew's Lodge, Bangor, Me. 95 00 " St. John's Lodge, Bathurst, N. B. 50 00 " Star in the East Lodge, Oldtown, Me. 66 50 " Alexandria Lodge, St. Mary's, York Co., N. B. 20 00

CHAPTER XVIII.

The Destruction--The Loss--Estimates--The Acreage and Streetage--Has the Land Decreased in Value?--Incomes swept away--What is Left--Hope!--The Insurance--The Corporation Loss--The Dominion Loss--Additional Deaths--The Wounded--The Orange Body.

In forming an estimate of the destruction which the fire has caused great care has been exercised. I have been careful to verify every statement I advance. Thoroughly competent engineers have, at my request, re-surveyed the area through which the fire raged, and I am therefore in a position to give reliable information on a subject which has given rise to much speculation and doubt. The acreage has been taken and the streetage made and the result has shown that the fire destroyed two hundred acres of territory and nine and six-tenths miles of streets. To be more exact the acreage is not quite two hundred acres but so very near it that it may be accepted at that estimate. Not more than two-fifths of the city have been burned and the reader will see the truth of this when he comes to consider that Carleton which forms a part of this city has been untouched by the flames, and all the upper portion of the city has escaped. While the acreage and streetage shew that the city is not totally destroyed, yet what has been burned represented enormous value. The fire penetrated to the very heart of the great commercial centre of St. John. It laid waste the fairest portion of the city. It swept away the palace-houses of our wealthy people and destroyed nearly every public building in the place. When one considers all these circ.u.mstances and begins to realize the situation, he is apt to form too high an estimate of the loss. He looks around him while going about surveying the ruins, and on every side he sees the great waste and the figures forming in his head grow larger and larger as he proceeds to sum up the result of the sad fire. Every man has his own opinion, and it is curious to observe how widely diversified these opinions are. The cautious man places it at fifteen millions, and his hot blooded and visionary friend with equal show of reason estimates the loss at nearly fifty millions. The estimate ranges widely and wildly.

The books of the a.s.sessors on examination show a loss to property of much less value than even the owners put upon it before the fire. But one can see how fallacious these results are, when the reader learns that in making up the a.s.sessments the a.s.sessors value a merchant's stock at not what it is, but what in their opinion they think it should be.

For instance, a man has three hundred thousand dollars worth of stock in warehouse. He really owns about fifty thousand dollars worth and owes for the balance. He is not taxed on his debts but on what he is worth.

Yet the fire carried away the sum total of the goods in his possession.

The a.s.sessors' books show hardly a t.i.the of the actual value of the loss. It can only be correctly stated after a thorough examination, and as nearly as can be ascertained the entire destruction throughout the city reaches upwards of twenty-seven millions of dollars. This is the loss in solid value. But that much money will not replace the goods thus destroyed. There were many things burned which were of what might be called fancy value, and which money can in no way replace. And in making our estimate these things have been valued only nominally. The loss, therefore, in round figures, is not a whit below the amount we have given, $27,000,000. The talk about taxable property is all nonsense. Every man who says so, knows that he is talking nonsense.

Hardly a man lives to-day who is taxed in the proportion that he should be. The richer a man is, the more easily he can hide his wealth, and an examination of the a.s.sessment books will enable any reader to find a hundred examples in proof of this. Another argument is brought forward.

We are told that the land is not burned up, and in that land there is great value. That is true enough, every word of it. The land is not burned out of existence. It is still where it was, but it is by no means as valuable as it was before the fire. A thousand circ.u.mstances were brought to bear on it, locality, desirability, and necessity, and all these had an influence in enhancing its value. Most of these reasons, and cogent reasons they were too at the time, have now gone out with the fire. Men who thought they must have a piece of land because it was in a good situation, and because it was located near their own lots, were ready to buy what they wanted at a good price, often merely to carry out some hobby or idea paramount in their minds. But these ideas have vanished. This hobby can be ridden no longer. He can have the lot now if he wants it, at a good deal lower rate than he offered for it, but he can't afford it. The owner's means are swept away, and he cannot afford to build again, and is anxious to sell his land, that he can go and rent a house to live in. The land in almost every part of the burnt district will drop, and has already dropped, in value. It is still there, and so it was there a hundred years ago. It is more valuable now than it was then. I don't pretend to say that we are no better off than when the loyalists landed, for we are. Our roads are laid out; our people are thrifty, enterprising, and skilful. The greater portion of the city is still intact. We have a splendid system of water supply and sewerage. We have, or, will have very soon, gas burning again. We will have comforts once more. But what I do mean to say is, that it will take very many years to build the city up again as it was before the fire. It will take very many years to enable the land-owner to realize anything like the price he once commanded for his property. Of course, in the leading business streets there will be but little difference, though it will be felt in a good many quarters. Take some portions of King and Prince William streets, for example. Some men realized a snug income from the rental of the shanties which were erected on good business sites in these streets. They owned the land, and the shanties were theirs. Their whole income came from this source. Their wooden buildings yielded them a far more handsome return for their outlay than many of the ma.s.sive brick buildings near them did to their owners. Why was this? Simply because they were in a good locality. These shanties are now level with the earth. The revenue is swept away. These men own the land, but their means are gone. They cannot rebuild. If they did, the rent they would receive would be far less than the rookeries yielded, and they must sell their property or mortgage it. The land has lost a great deal of its value, and it will take a long time for it to regain that loss. We must look these things boldly and seriously in the face. No reflection is made on the people when these statements are advanced. No more enterprising populace lives than the people of St. John. Many are used to hard work. They have hewn out of the solid rock one of the most beautiful cities in the Dominion. They have met a thousand obstacles in their path, and they have swept them all aside. And they will ride over their calamity and begin again the hard road upward. They will rebuild the city once more, and plant bright things where ruin and despair now stand, but we must not flatter ourselves that we have lost nothing, and that our land has not deteriorated in value. It is as wrong to be over sanguine as it is to give way to gloom and do nothing to better our misfortunes. We must work with determination and lose no time. We must show the world--that kind world which has fed the mouths of our poor and clothed the unfortunate--that there is backbone and muscle still left in the city, and that while we have men to work we have no women to weep.

It might have been worse. We have lost lives, we have lost all our buildings--we have lost everything that goes to make home happy, cheerful and bright--we have lost our stores and shops--we have lost a hundred comforts--but, thank G.o.d, we have not lost our glorious hope in the future. In that hope is our salvation. It is that hope which stirs us on, which quickens our energy, which tells us that it might truly have been worse. It is the one beautiful thing that is left to us.

It is the angel which smiles back to us when we raise our eyes upward.

It is the figure in the cloud which says to prostrate man, "Rouse, rouse yourself! all is not lost, there is a future for you all." Ah, yes, it might have been worse. There is desolation all around--there is death in many households--there is mourning and crying and moaning--but hope still sailing grandly near us, so near that we can almost touch her, still smiling sweetly on us, tells us all will yet be well and bids us be of good cheer.

The number of houses burned on the several streets in the city, is sixteen hundred and twelve. They were located as follows:

Georges Street 10 Mill Street 20 Drury Lane 17 Smyth Street 20 North Street 5 North Market Slip 8 Hare's Wharf 1 Robertson Place 1 Fire Proof Alley 2 North Market Wharf 11 Nelson Street 18 Dock Street 26 Market Square 6 South Market Wharf 16 Ward Street 10 Peters' Wharf 11 Johnston's Wharf 2 Lovett's Slip 1 St. John, "Water" Street 51 Canterbury Street 19 Prince William Street 95 Germain Street 87 Charlotte Street 84 Sydney Street 75 Carmarthen Street 59 Wentworth Street 34 Pitt Street 38 Sheffield Street 52 Main Street 58 Britain Street 101 St James Street 98 Pagan Place 9 Harding Street 15 Queen Square, south side 10 Queen Square, north side 10 St Andrew Street 17 Queen Street 80 Mecklenburg Street 44 Duke Street 105 Horsfield Street 17 Orange Street 42 Princess Street 106 Church Street 10 Leinster Street 45 King Square, south side 6 King Street 60 ----- Total, 1612

The number of people rendered homeless foot up to about thirteen thousand, and the number of families to about twenty-seven hundred. As near as can be got, the insurance on merchandise, furniture and buildings, is placed as follows. This is not quite correct but at this hour it is as nearly correct as can be ascertained. It will average this at all events, and amounts in the aggregate to about seven millions of dollars.

Queen $700,000 North British & Mercantile 800,000 Lancas.h.i.+re 500,000 Provincial 100,000 Liverpool, London & Globe 480,000 Guardian 420,000 Canada Fire & Marine 50,000 Citizens 200,000 National 140,000 Royal 520,000 Commercial Union 420,000 Royal Canadian 350,000 Western 90,000 Imperial 480,000 aetna 246,000 Hartford 148,000 Phenix of Brooklyn 60,000 British America 27,000 Stadacona 320,000 Central, of Fredericton 60,000 St John Mutual 75,000 Northern 500,000 Canada Agricultural 8,000

Most of the Insurance Companies paid up at once "The Stadacona" pays its liabilities within a year. The "Provincial" has suspended but promises to pay in time and the condition of the "St. John Mutual" is quite hopeless, and will pay scarcely anything. The "Central" of Fredericton, N.B., will pay in a short time, it is said.

The loss to the s.h.i.+pping will amount to about fifty thousand dollars.

The St. John Corporation loses heavily, and the insurance which was held on some properties is exceedingly light. The City Hall cost, at the time of its purchase from the directors of the old Commercial Bank, the sum of $23,000. Since then a good deal of money has been expended on it. The insurance was only $15,000. The Police Court and station on Chipman's Hill, which were both burned, the one a wooden building and the other of brick, had insurance to the small amount of $2,000. The Fish Market, useful and by no means ornamental, was insured for $600. The Lower Cove Market, the upper or second story of which contained a public hall, and was used by temperance societies sometimes, was insured for $1,200. In the rear of the first floor of this building, a lock-up was situate, for the accommodation of delinquents and law-breakers in that portion of the city. The city stables on Carmarthen street were uninsured, as was also the toll house at the Carleton ferry landing. The building occupied by Mr. May at Reed's point, and which was owned by the corporation, was insured for $1,000. Two cottages on Orange street were insured for $3,000. These were occupied by Mr. A. J. H. Bartsch, the watch-maker, and by Mr. Chas. Parker. Mr. Samuel Phillips' residence, on Duke street, and which belonged to the corporation, was insured for $400. The warehouses on Pettingill's Wharf had insurance to the amount of $5,000.

The barrack and sheds belonging to the city were uninsured. Two-thirds of the fire alarm was destroyed, and all the watering-carts, slovens, hose, &c., belonging to the corporation, were burned. No. 1 engine-house was destroyed. No. 2 experienced a little damage after Dr. Travers'

house caught fire. The sidewalks can only be replaced at a heavy cost, and the damage to the wharf property is enormously large.

The Dominion Government loses about half a million dollars. The Custom House and Post Office will be rebuilt at once, and plans are already prepared. All the Government military stores were burned, and the three hundred rifles belonging to the 62nd battalion were lost. Most of the new uniforms belonging to the corps perished likewise. None of the Dominion Government's property was insured, and the loss will therefore be complete.

The list of callings has been carefully gone over, and shows a return of the following, who have been burned out:--

Architects 4 Auctioneers 7 Bakers 11 Banks 5 Bankers, Private 4 Barristers 80 Blacksmiths 10 Block and pump makers 8 Boarding-houses 55 Boat builders 5 Bookbinders 5 Book stores 7 Boot and shoemakers 38 Boot and shoe stores 14 Bra.s.s founders 6 Builders 27 Cabinet makers 9 Clothiers 29 Commission merchants 93 Confectioners 6 Dentists 9 Druggists 8 Dry goods (wholesale) 14 Dry goods (retail) 22 Dining and oyster saloons 10 Flour dealers 32 Fruit dealers 7 Grocers (wholesale) 40 Grocers (retail) 102 Gasfitters and plumbers 9 Hair dressers 13 Hardware stores 8 Hotels 14 Insurance agents 29 Iron merchants 8 Liquor dealers (wholesale) 27 Liquor dealers (retail) 116 Livery stables 8 Lumber merchants 12 Marble works 6 Merchant tailors 36 Newspapers 7 Painters 13 Photographers 6 Physicians and surgeons 15 Printers (job work) 10 Riggers 7 Sailmakers 5 s.h.i.+p chandlers 14 s.h.i.+p smiths 8 Stove dealers 8 Tobacconists 7 Undertakers 4 Watchmakers and jewellers 12

The following list shows the manufacturing establishments, using steam power, which were destroyed, and gives the number of hands employed in each:--

Name. Business. No. of hands employed.

Jeremiah Drake Block maker 5 John E. Turnbull Sash factory 18 Armstrong Bros. Foundry 10 T. Rankine & Sons Bakery 30 S. R. Foster & Son Tack manufacturers 50 W. D. Aitken Machinist 10 John Norris Auger maker 2 R. A. Saunders Pattern maker 2 Wm. Lowe Wood turner 1 Wm. Smith & Co. s.h.i.+p-smith 8 H. Allan Bra.s.s foundry 8 Maxwell, Elliot & Bradley s.h.i.+p smiths 4 Dearborn & Co. Coffee and spices 10 J. Akroyd Machinist 1 J. Smith Foundry 4 Geo. F. Thompson White lead man'r 7 D. McLaughlin & Sons Boiler makers 15 T. McAvity & Sons Bra.s.s manufacturers 16 Bradley Bros. Block makers -- Geo. R. Bent Organs --

This, and the list above, I use through the permission of Mr. Elder, of _The Telegraph_, who had them carefully made up from reliable sources.

In addition to the number of deaths mentioned in one of the earlier chapters of this book, very large addenda must be made. Since that chapter was written, a good many more persons are known to have perished. The list on the death-roll is very large. Mr. Garret Cotter, a young man, working in the tailoring establishment of Mr. James S. May, as a cutter, and an old man named Peter McGovern, who lived on Straight Sh.o.r.e, met their deaths at the same time and at the same place. A cornice fell from the Adam's building and killed them. Young Cotter lived in Crown Street with his mother. His father met with a violent death some years since, having been killed on the railway. Two young men were drowned in the harbour before the very eyes of horror-stricken spectators. James Kemp, aged 21, formerly a clerk in Michael Farrel's clothing store, and Thomas Holmes, a lad of seventeen years, and who resided in Harding Street with his mother, put out to sea in a small boat laden with what little property they could get into it. The bottom of the boat broke, and the craft filling at once, both men were drowned in a second. The people on vessels in the harbour lying close by the ill-fated boat, were so excited at what they saw, and the men sank so rapidly, that nothing could be done to save them, and they perished in full view of those on board. Kemp leaves a wife and one child. Mrs.

Cohalan, wife of Wm. Cohalan, was lost in Smyth Street. Her body was never recovered, but it is established beyond all doubt that she fell an early victim. All that was left of Mrs. Bradley, who once lived in Princess Street, were some human bones which were found on her door-step after the fire. The remains of Richard Thomas, an employe in Fred.

Fitzpatrick's warehouse in Nelson Street, were found on the site of Richard O'Brien's saloon in Germain Street. Robert Fox, who belonged about the Marsh Road, has been p.r.o.nounced dead.

The accidents were very numerous, and were of various degrees of importance. In the hurry, the names of all persons who suffered by the fire, and had experienced bruises and fractures, could not be obtained.

Some were sent at once to the Public Hospital, and even here there was not time to fully record the names of all who were brought in. The physician in charge, Dr. Hanington, did all in his power to make the unfortunates comfortable and easy. The matron of the establishment and other a.s.sistants also rendered efficient and prompt aid. The names of those who were for a while in the Hospital, and received injuries at the fire are Daniel Dooley, John Ross, Patrick Brady, William c.o.xetter, William Donohoe, Helen Davidson, Bayard Thompson, Walter Lamb (injured at the explosion), Andrew Donovan, Michael Barrett, William Porter, Jeremiah Sullivan, Thomas Sullivan, Richard Powers, John Anderson and George Gallagher. The last two men died in the Hospital from the effects of their wounds.

The thanks of the people of St. John are largely due to C. J. Brydges, Esq., and R. Luttrell, Esq., of the Intercolonial Railway, who promptly placed fast trains at the service of the Relief Committee, and forwarded free pa.s.sengers and supplies. Excellent service was thus performed, and Mr. Luttrell lost no time in meeting the emergency. Indeed he spent several days in relieving the wants of the sufferers. Few will forget these kindly acts.

In concluding this chapter I might add that the Orange Lodges which met in Mr. Thos. H. Hall's building, King street, lost quite heavily. Their regalia was, for the most part, entirely consumed, but the banners were saved. The insurance on the hall and furniture was only five hundred dollars. The members had gone to a great deal of expense lately in fitting up their lodge-room, which was one of the tastiest in the city.

The decorations were very handsome. The loss will reach at least two thousand dollars. A relief organization has been formed by leading brethren of the order, and the wants of sufferers by the fire are being looked after. The Grand Master, Edward Willis, and Messrs. A. G.

Blakslee, John A. Kane, J. B. Andrews, Walter McFate, W. A. King, W.

Roxorough, James Elliott, and Samuel Devenne, comprise the Relief Committee.

CHAPTER XIX.

The Books we have Lost--"The Lost Arts"--The Libraries of St. John which were Burned--The Pictures which were Lost--The Few that were Saved--A Talk about Books and Pictures--The Future--What St. John men must Do--Acknowledgments--Conclusion of the Story of the Fire.

It is only when we come to look around us that we can discover how much we have lost. In one's lifetime a thousand little things are gathered and put away, and we find ourselves turning to them every now and then.