The fire of ’84
Liverpool, Nova Scotia

Last night at about half-past eight o’clock, the Masonic Temple, a Large building three storeys high, with a mansard roof, situated on the upper side of Main Street near the old Bridge corner, was discovered to be on fire.

A FEARFUL NIGHT FOR FIRE

The wind was blowing strongly from the South West with rain squalls and the prospect of a serious conflagration on such a night was enough to bring terror to every heart and almost paralyze the efforts of the citizens to stay the progress of the flames.

FIRE COMPANIES PROMPTLY ON HAND

In a very few minutes after the alarm was given the engines were on the ground manned by the full strength of the respective companies and no time was lost in getting to work, as there was an abundant supply of water near at hand. Both the fire engines were in good working order and did capital execution both in quenching the fierceness of the flames in the Masonic building and in preventing the greater destruction of property which at the outset seemed inevitable.

When the fire reached its height in the building where it originated, the heat in the immediate neighborhood was intense, and the spreading of the flames to the opposite side of the street appeared for a time to be impossible to be prevented, but the heavy rain which fell at intervals did much to quench the flames and arrest their progress.

THE BRAVE FIREMEN

The men of the fire companies No. 1 and No. 2 under the command of A. W. Moren and Charles F. Lockhart worked nobly and too high praise cannot be accorded to them for their bravery and pluck. No. 2 engine played on the rear of Masonic Temple and effectually prevented the flames from extending to the Cullinen house, which for some time was in the greatest danger of destruction from the fiery element, but by the efforts of the firemen aided by the high wind which carried the flames in a North- Easterly direction, any destruction of property to the Westward was averted. Fortunately the buildings immediately adjoining the Masonic Temple on the East were only a story and a half in height, and it was comparatively easy for the firemen to work at them. The progress of the flames to the Eastward was not arrested, however, until the building owned and occupied by Mr. Joseph Cole as a Tailor’s shop, was totally consumed and the building adjoining, owned by the Knaut estate and occupied by J. Hammond, much damaged by the flames. Another small building adjoining the last mentioned also owned by the Knaut estate, but unoccupied was partially torn down.

No. 1 Engine played on the buildings on the opposite side of the street. Here the firemen also displayed a great amount of bravery and endurance as the heat was most intense and showers of cinders were falling thick and fast. Young Morgan, the nozzleman of No. 1, stuck to his post until the last, althought ^sic he is quite new to the business. Patch’s stores, Crowell’s tailor shop and the building occupied by R. S. Sterns were on fire several times as the scorched and blackened fronts testify but victory finally crowned the efforts, of the firemen and at two o’clock in the morning all further danger was declared to be over.

SECOND ALARM

At four o’clock, however, the wind having come around to the northward, blowing smartly, the fire among the ruins began to blaze up and the fire bells again sounded out the alarm, but on the firemen re-appearing on the scene, they soon effectually quenched the last remains of the conflagration.

ORIGIN OF THE FIRE

When first discovered, the fire was in the upper part of the Masonic Temple, in the south west corner adjoining Mrs. Cullinen’s Hotel. The supposition is that it originated from a defect in the chimney, but nothing is known positively as to the cause. There can be no doubt, however, that the fire was purely the result of accident.

THE LOSSES

The Masonic Temple a noble building, an ornament to the town, erected by Zetland Lodge of Freemasons about ten years ago, at a total cost of about $12,000 is totally consumed.

THE FREEMASONS

The upper story of the building was occupied by Zetland Lodge and Rosignol ^sic Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. These two bodies have lost all their regalia and furniture, on which there was no insurance. Their loss cannot be far short of $730.

TIMES NEWSPAPER

Our contemporary the Liverpool Times has suffered severely by this disaster, its printing press, type, and all the usual paraphernalia of a newspaper office, which was on the second story being totally destroyed, but we are glad to learn there is some insurance.

The billiard table on the same story, owned by Mr. J. E. Barss is also a total loss.

Some of the stock in Mr. Barss’ shop was saved in a damaged condition.

Mr. Patrick Butler who was about to open a restaurant in the smaller shop, in the same building and had just moved in, succeeded in saving the most of his property.

Mrs. Cullinen had no insurance on her furniture which was very much damaged by water and in the hurry of removal. Her loss exceeds $500. The building was partially gutted, a large hole having been knocked into the roof by the falling of one of the chimnies of the Masonic building and was completely drenched with water.

Mr. Joseph Cole succeeded in saving his stock of cloths and clothing but his building was totally destroyed. There was no insurance either on building or stock.

The two small buildings owned by the Knaut estate were partially insured.

On the opposite side of the street the stores occupied by Mr. F. O. L. Patch were considerably damaged both by fire and water. When the building first took fire Mr. Patch began to remove his stocks which was more or less damaged in consequence. Both Building and stock are insured.

The building owned by Mr. Edward Kempton and occupied by Mr. Jonathan Crowell as a Tailor’s Shop, was much damaged by fire and water. Mr. Crowell succeeded in saving the most of his goods.

Mr. James M. Kempton’s building, occupied by Mr. Edward Kempton in the upper part as a dwelling, and by Mr. R. S. Sterns in the lower part as the Government Saving Bank and Insurance Office, etc., was much scorched. The building is partially insured, we understand.

The building occupied by Mr. Patch as also his stock, are partially insured.

The shop in the McLean building is occupied by Mr. Stephen P. Clement’s who had no insurance on his stock and suffered the usual losses inevitably accompanying a hasty removal.

INSURANCE

The following is the amount of insurance that we have been able to ascertain: J. E. Barss, on the Masonic building in the Royal, $2,000; on stock in shop, in the Western $3,000; and in the Northern, on printing press and material, $300; on billiard table, $200; total for Mr. Barss, $5,500.

The building occupied by Mrs. Cullinen, and owned by Miss Jane McLean, is insured but we did not learn for what amount.

INCIDENTS OF THE FIRE

The Fire Wardens being promptly on hand were conspicuous in their efforts to preserve order and advise the Captains of the Fire Companies as to the best manner in which to use their skill in attacking the foe sic.

The Fire Constables should have been very busy and we suppose they were, as the usual amount of small thievery was indulged in.

The citizens generally, male and female, worked nobly in assisting the firemen and endeavoring to save the property of those who were in danger.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

We need a Protection Company whose duty it would be to rescue property in a systematic manner and protect it after it was saved.

A good deal of property which might be saved is destroyed by careless handling and a good deal is lost, stolen or mislaid.

We are glad that we have no casualties to report, althought ^sic our heroic firemen seemed to run all sorts of risks without thought or heed of danger.

Although we have had a severe lesson, we must congratulate the community upon escaping a more serious calamity, happily averted by a kind Providence aiding the efforts of those whose special duty it is to protect us from the fire fiend.