“The worst daylight fire the Fire Department has been called upon to fight for years broke out about noon today in the T.H. Pratt Co.’s department store, Nos. 16 and 18 James street north.”
Hamilton Times. July 10, 1902.
The July heat had already arrived in Hamilton on July 10, 1895. It was already hot in the morning, but it by the noon hour things would get even hotter on the block of facing James street north, between King and King William streets:
“Mr. Otto Ante, of Lees’ jewelry establishment, while passing the store, saw a volume of smoke coming through a window and ran to the call box at the corner of James and King William streets. In breaking the glass to reach the crank, he cut his hand badly.”1
1 “The worst daylight fire the Fire Department has been called upon to fight for years broke out about noon today in the T.H. Pratt Co.’s department store, Nos. 16 and 18 James street north.”
Hamilton Times. July 10, 1902.
Every Thursday, an employee of the Pratt dry goods store had the responsibility of getting rid of accumulated rubbish:
“It started in the basement of the store where the crockery department is situated and was caused, it is supposed, by the burning of a quantity of rubbish in the furnace. It was the custom to burn the rubbish every week, and in some unaccountable way, it got beyond control.”1
The Central fire department was just a few blocks away and the Hamilton City Hall was almost directly across the street. The noon hour pedestrian traffic on area sidewalks, as well as the vehicular traffic on the streets in the vicinity ensured that a crowd of spectators gathered to watch the progress of the fire, some arriving even before the police and firefighters :
“The police were rather slow to grasp the situation and Assessment Commissioner Hall was the first to call for rope with a view to keeping the crowds of spectators out of danger and out of the way of the firefighters.”1
In the same block, but at the corner of King William and Hughson streets. As the hoses were attached on King William street, there was some leakage and the street quickly became flooded.
Mr. T.H. Pratt himself decided that it was vitally important to him that his company’s books and papers not be lost to the fire:
““Mr. Pratt went up a ladder to the first floor, with the intention of going to the office to get the books and cash, but he only got a few feet when the smoke drove him out.”
There was concern among the staff at the Times building that the flooding in the area might impact the printing plant, but that danger was averted. The afternoon edition, a little late in arriving on the streets, did appear with some hastily-assembled news about the fire, while it was actually still in progress :
Sparks
“Some leaky hose that should be replaced is still doing duty.
“There was too much smoke for the spectators.
“City Hall tower made a good grand stand, and was well-patronized.
“Chief Aitchison has frequently said that something would happen if a fire got headway in that block.
“There was plenty of water and good pressure.
“One of the chemical engines was put out of business by the horses starting off just as the water was turned on.
“Three lines of hose were laid through Martin’s leather store and two through the Times building.
“A man named Herbert Davis went into the building and secured the books.”1
The following day, July 11, 1895, the Times was able to give extensive coverage of the fire and incidents related to it:
"“Not since 1879, when the McInnes building was destroyed, has Hamilton had such a destructive fire as that which wiped the T.H. Pratt company’s establishment yesterday. Conservative estimates place the total loss at $100,000, but even Chief Aitchison admits that the figure may be much higher. While the Pratt company is by far the heaviest loser, there is scarcely a merchant in the block who did not suffer loss. The cellars were all flooded and much damage was done by smoke.”2
2 “ Worst Fire in Many Years : The Big Establishment of the T.H. Pratt Company Damaged By Fire, Smoke and Water : A conservative Estimate Has Placed the Loss at $100,000, But It May Exceed That : The Firemen Had a Hard Time Fighting the Flames and Many Were Overcome”
Hamilton Times. July 11, 1902.
The fire was a major one and required the work of more than just that done by the fire fighters:
“The police materially assisted the department. As soon as it became apparent that the fire was likely to be a big one, Sergt.-Major Prentice had the street roped off and traffic was blocked until seven o’clock last night. Policemen were placed at the entrance to the alleys to keep the spectators out, and the firemen were thereby given a chance to move about. The police also assisted to haul the heavy hose about when their services were required, and Detective Campbell assisted to get the company’s books and papers out of the burning building. Thousands of people crowded around the ropes all afternoon and evening, but it was by no means a spectacular fire, and they could see little.
“The alley on the north side of the Pratt building was a foot deep with water, and the sewers soon got blocked. The board of works department kept a gang at work all afternoon digging trenches to allow the water to escape and trying to prevent from getting into the cellars of stores on King William street. In this they were only partially successful, as nearly all the cellars were flooded.
“The firemen make better clearers of the street than do the police. Half a dozen times yesterday when the crowd refused to be moved back by the police, a stream of water from the burning building made the road look like a chapter from Goldsmith’s Deserted Village.”2
As well as describing in some close detail, the strategies and operations of the firefighters, the Times on the day following the fire published a news drawing of the scene when the smoke was pouring out of the Pratt store.
The Daily Times’ columnist, known only as the Man in Overalls, made several references to the fire :
“Lots of hot air round the Times building yesterday afternoon.
“ ‘Twas too hot to be comfortable.
“I knew Mr. Pratt had a big stock on hand, but I did not think he had dry goods to burn.
“ $80,000 was a lot of money to go up in smoke. Let us be thankful no lives were lost.
“In describing the Pratt fire, I noticed that the reporters failed to mention the ‘lurid flames’ and ‘livid tongues of fire.’ One of them did refer to the ‘fire fiend.’
“Wait till you see Mr. Pratt’s new store, it will be a hummer. Let us hope it will also be fireproof.
“Yesterday was the chief’s busy day.” 2
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