Suggest This Page To A Friend!
Submitted by Christine Gorman
As printed in the October 12, 1906, Daily Examiner.
Major Fire in Summerside
Practically all the Business Portion Remains Unscathed - the Post Office Escapes but Has Close Call - Catholic Church is Safe - Great Loss and Hundreds Homeless. Eight blocks, comprising about seventy-five houses have been destroyed in Summerside. This is the result of a fire which started at 9:50 last evening in the freight shed of the P. E. Island railway.
The churches destroyed include the Baptist, Christian Baptist and Church of England.
The hotels destroyed are the Russ, the Strathcona, the Plaza, Charles, Mrs. Seaman's and Mauley's.(?) Besides these, many of the town's finest residences are completely destroyed. Seventy-three houses in all were destroyed. The total loss is over $100,000 of which $11,000 is covered in W. K. Roger's office and $25,000 in other companies.
The burned buildings include:
Railway Freight shed
K. F. Ellis' house
John Dickieson's warehouse with full stock/ implements
John Monroe's house
Mrs. Arsenault's house
John Gould's house
Ferguson's lobster factory and house with $600 worth of tools
L. Gallant's house
Bert Clarke's house
John Perry's house
Hall Wedge's house
C. Milligan's house
James Wilson's house
Charles Hotel, kept by Lewis Leard
Joseph Read's house, occupied by Mrs. McLeod
Coal shed of Joseph Read & Co., full of coal
Neil McLeod's house, occupied by Mrs. Arsenault
Wm. Brehaut's house, occupied by Wm. Trowsdale
Nelson Bishop's house
Plaza Hotel, owned by Jas. McDonald, E. S.
A. H. Wadman's undertaking rooms
John Crozier's house
Allan McKinnon's house
Strathcona Hotel
Electric light works
Alex Waugh's House
Mont Waugh's house
Mrs. Casswell's house
Mrs. H. Tyle's house
Mrs.? Arsenault's house
John McDonald's house
Miss A. McDonald's house
Mrs. Larkin's house
Robert Waye's house
J. A. Brace's house
John Adam's house
Mrs. Dempsey's two houses
Mrs. Clarke's boarding house
A. W. P. Gourlie's house
Mrs. Doyle's house
Baptist church
John McKay's house
Mark Taylor's house
Wm. Gould's house
John Cunnigham's house
Dr. J. F. McDonald's house
Cyrus Hick's house
Wm Brown Jr., house
C. R. McLellan's house
Russ Hotel
Public gardens
Church of England and the rectory
Robert Sharpe's house
Dr. A. McDonald's house
Mawley house
Mrs. (Dr. )Beairsto's house
A. C. Rogers' house
Christian Baptist Church
F. W. Strong's house
C. R. Rogers' house
Wm Brown, Jr, house(?)
Muttart's boarding house
Percy Tanton's residence and saw mill
The Court House and Jail
Mrs. Gourlay's house
Mrs. Cobb's house
Geo Godkin, M. L. A., house.
The rain came on at six o'clock but by that time the fire had gone right through the town; the burned path being about two blocks in width. The blaze and the heat was something terrific, but everybody worked like Trogans (sic.) Numerous pathetic scenes were be witnessed as people were carried out in their beds, on stretchers, etc. The Post Office had a very narrow escape, the fence around it being licked up. Other escapes just as close were numerous.
At one o'clock this afternoon the Court House and Jail was still burning. But otherwise, the destruction was practically at an end. St. Paul's Roman Catholic church had a very narrow escape. Happily, the whole business portion escaped.
The Charlottetown firemen rendered splendid assistance and were the great means of saving the Presbyterian church. The message asking for assistance came to Mayor Paton at 12:25. The Charlottetown fire bell was rung and in short time many firemen had assembled. The following party left by special train after two o'clock and reached Summerside after a quick run:
Chief Ranahan
Thos. Wakeling
E. Heartz
R. B. Rattray
Jas Connolly
A. Trainor
James McMillan
Wm. Martin
S. McKearney
G. Goudin
J Turner
B Large
H. Matheson
The special train bringing them back to the city left on return about half past eleven o'clock.
Above Photo: The aftermath of the 1906 fire in S'Side --- Prince County Court House remains , where the blaze was finally brought under control. Photo taken from the top of the Post Office building -- now City Hall. Scan courtesy of Paul H. Schurman.
