Page:1898 NB Magazine.djvu/12
All the buildings burned were not of wood. The Disbrow premises, at the rear of the Bank of New Brunswick, were of brick; Walker's building, Water street, was of stone, and several of the others were of brick. The fire was prevented from extending to the corner of King street by a brick wall, and Nethery's brick house stopped its way up Church street. The Bank of New Brunswick proved an effectual barrier on Prince William street, and the City Bank, where the Barnhill building now is, also resisted the flames.
Among the heaviest losers was Barnabas Tilton, who had a flour and provision store in Water street, with a range of sheds and warehouses extending in the rear to Ward street. His stock was valued at some $60,000, and more than half of it was a total loss. Other heavy losers were the Kinnears, Street & Ranney and John Walker. Of all the merchants burned out, the only firm remaining at the present day, in addition to Messrs. McMillan, is that of T. McAvity & Sons, which was then known as Thomas McAvity & Co., and did business in Prince William street, where the store of George Robertson is at the present time.[errata 1]
A letter written the day after the fire, by a St. John man to a friend in Fredericton, gives an idea of the desolation:
"The scene of horror on the South Market wharf and in Ward street is beyond description—valuable goods to an immense amount either burned or destroyed by throwing over the wharves—thousands and thousands of barrels, puncheons and casks of all kinds piled up in the slips—the streets choked up with furniture and merchandize of all descriptions—men, women and children stalking about half crazed; all tend to render our city lamentable indeed. . . . Horrid, horrid devastation, we know not what will be the result of it all."
Mrs. William Reynolds, wife of a well known book-seller, died on the day after the fire, and it is believed her death was due to the shock of that night of terror.