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 circumstances 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 assessors 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 assessments the assessors 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 assessors' books show hardly a tithe 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 assessment 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 circumstances 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 massive
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 God, 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
Lancashire 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 shipping 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
Brass 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
Ship chandlers 14
Ship 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. Ship-smith 8
H. Allan Brass foundry 8
Maxwell, Elliot & Bradley Ship 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 Brass 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
Shore, 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 pronounced 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 assistants 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 Coxetter,
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 passengers 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.