The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20th, 1877Stewart, George
History
The Story of the Great Fire in St. John, N.B., June 20th, 1877
Stewart, George
Saint John (N.B.) -- Fire, 1877
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:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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