Results for ‘Fires’
LOSS, $150,000
(Press Report}
[Welland Tribune, 28 June 1898]
THE TRIBUNE gives two reports of the Clifton house fire-the general press report and a report from our own correspondent. Where there is any difference in statement is may be assumed that our correspondent’s report is correct, as he had special advantages for securing a full and correct report.
NIAGARA FALLS, Sunday, June 26th.-The world-famed Clifton house tonight lies in ruins, being totally destroyed, together with its contents by fire this morning. When the flames were first noticed, they were in the rear of the big hotel, in the room over the kitchen, and, although the alarm was promptly given and the entire fire departments from both sides of the river responded promptly, the water supply in this particular portion of the town was not equal to the demand, as the flames shot their fiery tongues through the large hotel, and soon had it a burning furnace.
The fire was noticed about 12 o’clock, and burned fiercely until 2 o’clock. The flames that shot out of every window and towered high in the air seemed to laugh at the futile attempts of the laddies with their toy streams of water, and when they had exhausted their fury, the large four-storeyed hotel with its shady verandahs, supported with immense pillars, stood out a total wreck, the walls only standing to make the spot of the world-wide hostelry, that had been the home during the summer of the best families of America as well as Europe. The hotel counted amongst its many guests the royal families of Europe who had visited Niagara.
The hotel was a four-storeyed, a large stone roughcast-faced building, the letter “L” shape, with a court in the centre that contained a regular greenhouse of cool and shady promenades. The building contained 250 rooms, which were all very expensively furnished, and only the very best of the travel was catered for.
This morning 85 guests were on the register, and all of them, with their belongings were safely taken out of the place without a single hitch. Amongst those on the register were: Mr. and Mrs. John Penman, Paris; Dr. Laure and family, New Orleans; Mayor Taggart, Indianapolis, Ind.; Mr. James Mackenzie, Sarnia, Ont.
The hotel proper was first built by Harmanius Crysler, during 1836, who named it the Clifton House. It afterwards got into the hands of Mr. Zimmerman, who made quite an addition to it, and brought the place as a fashionable resort before the sightseers at Niagara. Its present proprietor Mr. George M. Colborn has controlled the place for 30 years past, and had everything to do with the famous name the hotel has throughout the world. Mr. Colborn is absent from home in Philadelphia, but has been apprised by wire of the loss. The hotel was owned by the late John T. Bush estate. Loss to the building, $100,000, partially covered by insurance; contents and furnishings, $50,000, partially covered by insurance. The cause of the fire is unknown as yet.
CLIFTON HOUSE BURNED DOWN-LOSS, $100,000-FULLY INSURED.
(From our own Correspondent)
[Welland Tribune, 28 June 1898]
On Saturday a portion of the Clifton house kitchen chimney was blown down, which probably left it in a defective condition, for at 9.30 on Sunday morning, the roof at the north-east corner of the building was discovered to be on fire, and Town Clerk Robinson, who happened to be in his office, was called up by telephone. He ran out, rang the alarm and the hose and hook and ladder companies were soon on the way with the patrol wagon full of hose. When they reached the Clifton house they found that an attempt had been made to check the fire by a “bucket brigade,” but unavailingly.
The firemen were soon at work, augmented by the West End Hose Co., Bender hose, Niagara Falls village firemen and three companies from across the river. There was plenty of hose, fully 150 firemen to use them, but the water pressure from only a four-inch main was too weak for effective work. Still the firemen worked hard with hose attached to the main on the hill behind the Lafayette, the hydrant on Ferry st., and the 6-inch main on Bender avenue. The flames spread rapidly a brisk gale blowing towards the front of the building. A gang of bridge workers’ gave great assistance at removing furniture and carpets, which were piled up in the park opposite, and a number of Miller & Brundage’s employees saved all the stock from their curiosity store in front of the building. All the guests (about fifty) and employees escaped without injury.
For four hours the flames played havoc with the east and front of the building, the floors falling at intervals, finally yielding to the many streams of water and want of material to burn.
The northeast corner, stables, cottages and large hall at back all escaped, but the rest of the building was gutted. Portions of walls and chimneys had to be pulled down to prevent accidents.
The great bulk of the furniture was burned. This property was covered by $15,000 insurance, and the building was also amply insured.
Mighty crowds watched the conflagration, and somewhat impeded the firemen. The Ontario and park police did good service and prevented pilfering, though we may hear a little on this point later.
Later in the evening we viewed the scene of desolation, and the firemen were still busy pouring water on the smoking ruins of pulling shaky walls down. The steam fire engine was taken up to pump water from the park pond, but it was out of repair and useless. The firemen were often in great danger, and it is wonderful how they escaped injury. One of our boys, Jos. Winterton, received a bad gash on the wrist. There were other minor mishaps, but nothing serious. The standing walls, composed of stone rubble, fronted with pebble plaster, seem to have been very strong. The front was two storeys and the east side four storeys high.
The fire was a calamity in many ways. First, it was the principal hotel at the Falls and an old landmark; and secondly, fully 75 people are thrown out of work, not to speak of the loss to business generally witch will ensue.
The property belongs to the widow of the late Hon. J.T. Bush, and was leased for many years past by G.M. Colburn, who is absent in New York. The first Clifton House was built in 1835 by Harminus Crysler, one of our pioneers, and was added to from time to time, being run by J. Cummings, Chippawa; Bromley & Sayers, the late Mr. Zimmerman, who was killed in the *Desjardin canal bridge accident in 1855, afterwards being purchased by late Hon. J.T. Bush, a well-known American citizen, who died about ten years ago. Clifton played no small roll, and in its day, entertained some of the world’s greatest people. The dismal ruin looks most depressing, surrounded as is by beautiful nature. What would have been a very prosperous season had just commenced. There were some fifty guests in the house most of whom crossed to the American side. Architect John Nichols told us it would take fully $60, 000 or more to replace the building as it stood. No doubt it will be built on a grander scale for its site is simply unequalled. We heard an authority say that the C.P.R. might build a great hostelry there. There is no doubt but that it will be replaced at an early day. If not by Mrs. J.T. Bush by some person or company. The firemen think they might have saved a large portion of the building had the water main been larger and pressure greater. However, they did their best, and deserve great praise for their pluck and perseverance. We would venture to suggest to the mayor and council that the firemen be sworn in as constables, which would give them some power to protect themselves from crowds, also that the water mains down Clifton Hill be enlarged. When the fire was at its height it presented a grand spectacle. Some difficulty also was experienced in bringing water across the M.C.R. track at the top of Clifton Hill, space having to be dug out under the rails to pass the hose through and prevent stoppage to trains.
The front of the Clifton house was somewhat Grecian in style, but the east side was as homely as a building could be, with nothing to relieve it but a plain verandah at each storey. This is the most serious fire the town has ever known, but perhaps a greater and grander building may soon spring up from the ashes of the famed Clifton house.
BACK IN THE FIFTIES
HAPPENING IN WELLAND COUNTY FORTY YEARS AGO
INTERESTING EXTRACTS
Mrs. A.E. Rooth of Port Colborne has favored us with copies of the Welland reporter, published in the village of Drummondville (now the Village of Niagara Falls), away back in the fifties. Our selections on Feb. 15th for a similar back number leave little more to be gleaned of interest to the present generation, but we cannot refrain from noting a few of the important events found in the Reporter’s columns.
DESJARDINS CANAL CATASTROPHE
The issue of March 19, 1857, gives a thrilling eight-column account of the dreadful railway accident which occurred at the Desjardins canal bridge on the Great Western railway, on the 12th of the same month. About sixty-four lives were lost in this fearful catastrophe, among the death list appearing the names of Samuel Zimmerman and Mr. and Mrs. John Bradfield of Niagara Falls, and John Morley of Thorold. Mr. Zimmerman was buried with Masonic honors, over two thousand people attending. The body was deposited in a vault built on his own grounds immediately below the house. Thos. C. Street and Dr. Macklem of Chippawa were injured in the accident. The Reporter appeared in full mourning; a day was set aside by the authorities as a holiday as a mark of respect to the memory of Samuel Zimmerman.
Welland Tribune
8 March 1895
Pelham News
[People’s Press, 4 September 1900]
The frame blacksmith shop and carriage barn of Brown Bros. Company, nurserymen, at their nurseries near Ridgeville, was burned to the ground last Friday evening, together with a quantity of tools, etc. Cause of fire unknown. The building was a good frame one, and was particularly insured; the tools were also insured. Had the wind been in a different direction than it was, in all probability a valuable barn would also have been destroyed. The insurance was with the Waterloo.
Fort Erie News
[Welland Tribune, 8 January 1904]
The Power Specialty Co. occupies the rear of Kensington hall, the front being used as a church and Sunday school by the Disciples. The building was owned by John T. James and was valued at $1,500. At 3 o’clock on Monday morning a railway man named Thomas Hood, who lives in a brick cottage, belonging to Mr. James, next to the hall, discovered that the Power Specialty premises were on fire. He gave the alarm and the firemen, soon after the alarm was given, were on the spot, but, owing to a chapter of accidents, including inability to call up the waterworks engineer (Mr. Jukes, Fort Erie) to put on fire pressure, frozen pipes and uniforms, it was half an hour before a stream of water (a weak one) was thrown on the building. The water pressure (there being no person at eh pump house to put on fire pressure) gradually grew weaker and became useless, the result being that the hall was burned down, but a little water poured on the nearby houses saved them. The Amigari hose company next arrived, but want of water rendered those willing fire fighters powerless. Both hose companies worked hard under discouraging circumstances such as no water and a thermometer down below zero. A kind soul, Mrs. Hamilton, wife of the foreman of the Specialty Co., very kindly brought the firemen into her house, warmed them and gave them hot tea. The hall, valued at $1.500, had $600 insurance in the Waterloo Mutual. The Specialty Co. lost $3,000 worth of tools and machinery, the insurance on which was $2,000. Mr. James’s cottage, occupied by Thomas Hood, insured in the Guardian for full value, was damaged to the extent of about $150. Mr. Hood’s furniture was damaged to the extent of $75 in being removed from building. He had no insurance. The cottage west of the hall (also owned by Mr. James) escaped with slight damage to its windows. A short time ago Mr. Herman, Power Specialty Co., wanted Mr. James to rent him the whole hall, and had concluded to do so and have another building erected for church and Sunday school, but he now declares he will build nothing else in the village until it has a proper fire alarm, a good system of having fire pressure turned on at any time and provision made for the care of hose and firemen’s suits so that they will not find them frozen when needed; and we quite agree with him. There is no need for us to point out what might result if there had been a high wind. There should be a stove in the fire hall to prevent the appliances from freezing, a tower for the hose, and some person living in this village should always be available when fire pressure is needed at the pump house.
ALARM HAVING BEEN SENT IN TOO LATE, FIREMEN WERE UNABLE TO SAVE OLD BUILDING
[Welland Tribune, 6 March 1919]
Between five and six o’clock yesterday morning fire totally destroyed the lodge at the entrance to the old Pew Estate at the end of Fitch street. At about twenty minutes to six an alarm was rung in but by the time the brigade reached the scene the fire was too far advanced to do anything. It had had a good start before the alarm had been given. The lodge was occupied by Mr. James Farr, all of whose effects were lost in the fire along with the building. Mrs. Holme, daughter of the late E.A.C. Pew, lives in the residence upon the property. The damage is estimated at less than one thousand dollars. The fire progressed rapidly; there was such a reflection in the sky that many residents of the city thought the hospital or some other large building in the west end was burning.
Works Near Marshville Totally Destroyed
HEAVY LOSS
Active Operations Were to Commence on Day of Fire
[People’s Press. 18 September 1900]
The works of the Central Peat Fuel Company, located in the marsh historically known as the “Great Cranberry Marsh,” 2 ½ miles northeast of Marshville and seven miles from Welland, were totally destroyed by fire early last Friday morning. The buildings are nothing but a heap of ashes. Nothing escaped the flames. Most of the machinery is lying in the ashes. All that can now be seen is the big engine, which is warped and cracked by the heat, so that is why it is a total loss. The brick drier and stack, the three presses and the boiler are all so badly burned as to be almost a total loss.
The Works
The buildings burned consisted of the pressing room, 60×80 feet in size; engine room, 30×40 feet; blacksmith shop, 25×25 feet, with an upstairs over part of it.
The Contents
The buildings contained a large amount of new and expensive machinery. The main items are: Three large and ponderous presses, four processing the peat into blocks; a new 200 horse power engine; a complete set of machine shop tools, including steam drills, lathes, etc., etc.; a new 15 horse power engine; two large boilers; and all the other tools, etc., besides shafting, belts and all small machinery.
A Hot Fire
The fire was first noticed about 3.20 a.m. by a young son of Superintendent Simpson, and the alarm was given immediately. It could not have been burning long, as Mr. Simpson had been out on the verandah only a few minutes before, when everything was all right. There was also a night watchman.
When first discovered the flames were confined wholly to the pressing room and had gained little head way, but before the fire-fighting apparatus could be got into working order the entire building was burning fiercely. Mr. Campbell and his men fought the flames heroically but without avail. The tin roof on the building kept the flames confined and the heat soon became unbearable. The fire spread rapidly. The hungry flames lapped up more and more of the buildings, and soon the entire group was a mass of flames and a heavy column of smoke stretched over the country. The fire had now reached a stage when nothing whatever could be done to check it. No one could go near the buildings. The entire country was lighted by the fire, which could be seen for miles. The flames died out entirely about 6 o’clock for lack of more fuel, and nothing was left but ashes.
The fire protection was good but the flames had gained too much headway to make it of any use. Over 200 hundred feet of hose was attached to both of the big engines, with a good water supply; a big tank full of water was on the roof of the main building and water barrels were scattered through the place. But the buildings were dry as tinder, there having been very little rain lately.
Central Peat Fuel Company
The company now operating the peat works is called the Central Peat Fuel Co., and has had possession for about six months. T.F. Simpson is superintendent of the works. Previous to his engagement with the present company he was with the Massey-Harris Co. of Brantford for many years. Mr. Simpson has had considerable experience in the peat business, and since has had the management of the works has largely remodelled them. The present company were determined to make a success of the peat fuel, and their anticipations would seem to have been in the way of being on the eve of realization when this untoward event occurred. Although their plant had not really been running yet, they had pressed and shipped between two and three hundred tons of the fuel. For the past six months Mr. Simpson has been putting gin new machinery and making changes in the plant which he considered necessary and the result is stated to have been that it has been fully demonstrated that the manufacture of peat fuel here would prove a success. A large sum of money has been invested in the works in accomplishing the above results, and this has now gone wholly up in smoke.
A Big Loss
When asked by the press reporter what the loss would be Mr. Simpson said: “The loss to the company will be very heavy. I could give figures which would startle you.” There is some insurance, the amount could not be learned at the works.
Peat was to be Manufactured that Day
Owing to the many changes which the present company has made in the works the past six months in which they have had possession have been used mainly in getting the works in thorough running order. Active operations were to have been started the same day as the fire. The three presses would have a total capacity of thirty tons per day, and it was the intention of the company to install five more presses in the near future, which would have increased the capacity of the works to eighty tons per day. Previous to the fire fifteen men has been employed, and when the proposed increase was made in the plant fully two hundred men would have been employed.
It was very unfortunate that the fire happened when it did-on the first day that he works were to be started running to their full capacity.
The plant had now been put in a most complete condition. The bog owned by the company comprises 5,000 acres, with a layer of peat from three to twenty feet deep. An electric peat digger had been delivered to the company a few weeks ago. This machine is propelled and operated by electrical power generated at the works, and as it travels over the marsh, scoops up the peat from the marsh to the works. An 80 horse power engine runs a dynamo to supply the electricity.
Will They Re-build?
Mr. Simpson says he does not yet know whether the company will rebuild or not, but the possibility is that the work will be started again as soon as possible, but the re-building cannot possibly be completed before next spring.
The fire has given a severe check to the manufacture of peat fuel in this country, but everything is so well adapted at this spot for the manufacturing of the article that the work will undoubtedly be resumed sooner or later.
[People’s Press, 29 May 1900]
The old Rice homestead in Thorold township about two miles from Welland, was completely destroyed by fire on Friday morning. The building was one of those old-fashioned, rambling ones, built in three sections, the oldest of which was occupied by the grandfather of the present owner ninety years ago. The old homestead had been the dwelling place of four generations of the Rice family, and owing to these cherished remembrances Mr. Rice feels keenly the loss in its destruction. It was one of those staunch buildings, as were put up in days gone by, with heavy oak timbers, and lines throughout with brick inside the weather boards. Two of the sections were frame outside, the dimensions of each being 18×24; there was a brick kitchen in the rear of these, and in the rear of the kitchen was a big woodshed and the ice house-the whole is now a mass of ruins, nothing standing except part of the brick walls of the kitchen. The cause of the fire can only be assumed-the kitchen chimney had burned out just before the family sat down to breakfast, but all danger from this was thought to be over and Mr. Rice and his help had gone into the fields for the day’s work. About eight o’clock, Mr. Rice, happening to glance in the direction of the house, saw smoke rising above the trees; he hurried over, but on reaching the upstairs found the roof so far gone that fire was falling through into the room. To check the fire being out of the question, all efforts were directed toward saving the contents. Very little was got out from the upper storey, but with the help of twenty or more men who had reached the scene in the meantime a great quantity of the contents of the lower section were removed safely, bot notwithstanding this the loss on contents alone will be very heavy. There was a small insurance of $275 on the house and also a policy on the contents, but these cover a very small portion of the actual loss. Although the house was only some fifty feet from the barns, the wind fortunately was very light and from the right direction to blow the fire the other way.
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 3 March 1921]
The Fire Department received a call about ten minutes to six on Monday evening for a fire at the residence of B.J. McCormack, East Main street. When the company arrived the roof near the chimney was afire. It is believed that the cause was from a spark from the chimney. The firemen soon had it extinguished with the assistance of the chemical. The damage was light.
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 4 January 1921]
The peaceful citizens of our fair city were disturbed from their daily routine by the clanging of a bell on a foreign fire engine on Friday. Investigation showed that this truck is the newly acquired property of Crowland Township. This truck is a Ford one ton engine which we believe will fill the need of the industrial section of Crowland very nicely. As yet there has been no use for the engine, and although Chief Jones states that they don’t want any, we believe that in their hearts there is a desire to give the thing a tryout.
Little Housekeeper Used Coal-oil to Help Kitchen Fire
[The Welland Tribune and Telegraph, 12 May 1921]
A startling fatality occurred in Smithville on Monday afternoon when Alice, the eleven year old daughter of Jacob Sames, was so severely burned about the body that the little one passed away within 24 hours after the occurrence. In the absence of her father, who was taken away from home teaming gravel at the lake shore near Beamsville, the child in company with her two younger sisters, aged 7 and 9 was keeping house and after doing a day’s washing and cleaning, attempted to light the kitchen stove, and finding the fire not burning as she desired, used a coal oil can full of oil to make the wood burn.
After applying the oil the can was left on the flat oven door, while she retired to a nearby lounge to lie down for a short rest. Being tired, the little one dozed into a light sleep, the coal oil can became overheated and exploded, throwing the oil all over the room and over the prostrate child, igniting her clothing and the contents of the room.
She immediately ran screaming to the street and the alarm was at once sounded by the nearby townsfolk who rushed to her assistance and with coats smothered the flames as the little on rolled in the ditch. She was carried into the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Downey and Drs. Zumstein and Robinson hurriedly summoned who gave her every assistance.
The clothing was burned off the body and the skin peeled off with the little clothing that was left. Her condition was pronounced hopeless and she passed away the following afternoon remaining quite conscious near the end. Her sisters, who were playing outside, were unharmed. The room in the house suffered considerable damage before the flames were extinguished by willing hands who hurriedly gathered at the alarm of fire.
The loss of the contents of the house is covered by insurance.
Mr. Sames was sent for at once and he arrived home a short time after the accident. He is heart-broken over the sad occurrence.
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