1883-11-18is

Compared to King and James streets, King William street was less prominent, but still a key thoroughfare in the downtown core of Hamilton in 1883.

At the west end of the street, the immense stone Lister Building stood, with the Hamilton City Hall directly across James street, its tower visible along King William street. The headquarters of the Hamilton Times was on King William street, while at the east end of the street, at Hughson, the Hamilton Fire Department’s Central Station was located, fully equipped to rapidly respond to any alarm.

In November, 1883, Mr. Alfred Wright had a second-hand store, with a frame structure to the rear of it.

At 5:25 a.m., November 18, 1883, a fire broke out in the frame structure. An alarm was sounded and the men and equipment from the Bay street station of the fire department were on scene with what the Times called “commendable promptitude.”

The wooden structure and its contents could not be saved. Later in the morning, a Times reporter called on Mr. Wright to get a statement on the fire from him:

“He stated that he was wakened by a noise in the backyard, and, on looking out of the window saw a great smoke. He rushed out of the house and to the stable in his bare feet.

“The hay was in a blaze, and his first thought was to save his horse and cow, which were in the stable. On entering he went to the horse’s head and attempted to untie the halter strap – a very strong one – but while he was doing so, the flames burst through the eastern side of the building at the animal’s head, and all his efforts to loosen the halter were futile. He did his best to break it, but it was useless.

“Mr. Wright took no thought of himself, and his left hand and arm, side of his face and neck and head were very badly burned.

“His cow was lying in the next stall; she did not move. Both animals were burned to death. Mr. Wright then ran to the Central Fire Station, which is only across the street from the alley where the fire was, and kicked at the doors and had great difficulty in making the firemen hear him.

“Mr. Wright says he lost a quantity of furniture stored in the building, a newest of harness, a bob sleigh, and other contents. He had no insurance, and places his loss, including the horse and cow, at $400.

“Mr. Wright says that since the landlord, Mr. Lister, opened the alley in rear of the premises, and pulled down a certain fence, which was a source of protection to the property, stragglers can get upon the property, and he thinks that the fire was caused by some drunken person who had taken refuge thereon during the night.”¹

¹ “A Sunday Morning Blaze : Mr. Alfred Wright’s Stables and a Horse, Cow, Etc., Burned”

Hamilton Times.   November19, 1883.

The reporter ended his coverage of the King William Street fire by noting that Mr. Wright had a “very narrow escape; there is no doubt had he remained in the stable much longer, he would have been burned to death.”¹

Also, the man from the Times commended the good work of the firemen, noting that “had the fire extended to Allen’s and other premises contiguous, instead of a comparatively small fire, a disastrous conflagration would have resulted.”¹