Page:New Brunswick Magazine Issue 1.djvu/183

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A SHIPYARD FIRE.

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caused by the action of Lieut. Thistlethwayte, in charge of a squad, who ordered away a number of members of the Protection Fire Club from the neighborhood of the house of John Pollock, which is still standing on the corner of Portland and High streets. The members of this body were most of them prominent citizens, and their aims were similar to those of the salvage corps of today. When they were ordered away they remonstrated, whereupon the officer ordered the soldiers to charge, which command was only countermanded through the interference of Mr. Payne, the magistrate. After the fire the occurrence was made the matter of some indignant resolutions, but a little later the difficulty was amicably arranged.^[1]

Her Majesty's Brig "Racer," was in port at the time, and a portion of the crew came to the rescue in their boats, performing many feats of daring in their efforts to prevent the spread of the flames. Lieut. Elliott was in the midst of his men, and was himself considerably injured by the falling of a piece of timber.

The usefulness of both the soldiers and sailors on occasions of this kind was largely due to their numbers and the fact that they worked under orders. When the fire was over, however, the return to the barracks was not always a striking display, for the soldiers were not averse to accepting stimulating draughts as a reward for their valor, and some extraordinary scenes were at times the result.

At this fire they worked hard and did much good, especially in the work of tearing down buildings to stay the advance of the flames. In the excitement of the occasion one of them, named John Johnston,

↑ Lieut. Alex. Thistlethwaythe, of the 36th. was of a good English family, and was much esteemed by his brother officers. He died, after a short illness, on Nov. 30, 1841, and was buried in Trinity burial ground. At his funeral the body was borne on a six-pounder gun carriage drawn by four black horses, and was followed by all the troops of the garrison, with a large concourse of citizens.

[1] Lieut. Alex. Thistlethwaythe, of the 36th. was of a good English family, and was much esteemed by his brother officers. He died, after a short illness, on Nov. 30, 1841, and was buried in Trinity burial ground. At his funeral the body was borne on a six-pounder gun carriage drawn by four black horses, and was followed by all the troops of the garrison, with a large concourse of citizens.

[1]