GREAT FIRE IN UPPER CANADA. (From the Ottawa (U.C.) Citizen, May 28.)

Otago Witness, Issue 131, 19 November 1853, Page 4

GREAT FIRE IN UPPER CANADA. (From the Ottawa (U.C.) Citizen, May 28.)

The Upper Ottawa country has been visited with a terrible calamity. Hundreds of families are houseless and almost without food, and a large extent of country presents a blackened picture of desolation. On the 16th inst. a conflagration swept the country from the Deep river to within a short distance of the Bonnechere river, destroying houses, fences, barns, cattle, provisions, grain, and every description of property that came in its way. It is miraculous that the lives of the inhabitants were saved, only two persons it appears having perished.

The fire originated from the burning of new land in different parts of the country, and owing to the warm sunshine and high wind on Monday it suddenly increased and spread with fearful rapidity. During the early part of the day the wind blew from the south west, and carried the fire from the rear of the townships in Upper Canada northwards towards the settlements on the Ottawa river. At the same time it was making alarming progress in Sheen and Chichester, on the north or Lower Canada shore, and on the upper or westerly part of Allumette Island. Soon after one o'clock the wind suddenly came round to the west and blew with increased violence. The fire, which till then was scattered and spread over a considerable extent of country, through the townships of Pembroke, Stafford, and Westmeath, which lie in order as named, soon united and became a dense mass of flame, and swept with fearful fury through the interior, passing over portions of Ross, Bromley, and Horton, towards the Bonnechere river. During the greater part of the afternoon the scene was truly terrific. On the Allumette Island the destruction going on, at the same time, was equally dreadful. The island is fourteen miles long, and •was swept from head to foot. Only two or three dwellings remain out of about one hundred, thus leaving ninety-seven families here alone houseless. The Calumet island also suffered severely.

The country burnt over extends in Upper Canada, from the upper part of Pembroke and Stafford to near the Bonnechere river, in Horton and Admaston ) the distance in that direction being nearly thirty miles, and from the best information it appears that it would average some twelve miles in width. The townships which suffer here are Pembroke, Stafford, Westmeath, Bromley, Ross, and Horton, and about two hundred families are in them left houseless ; in fact totally " burned out."

The Allumette island is about fourteen by five miles in extent, with ninety-seven families, in a similar condition. The country on the north shore being settled only a short distance back from the river, contains proportionally fewer settlers ; and there the number of sufferers may be put at about thirty families. This would make altogether something near three hundred and thirty families sufferers by this calamity. In some instances the individual loss exceeds one thousand pounds. The area of country burned over is about four hundred and fifty square miles, total.

To provide seed for the ground and food for four months to come will require, at the lowest computation, seven thousand pounds. Less than that sum will not do it. One-fourth of this amount may perhaps be raised in this part of Canada, but where is the remainder — over four thousand pounds — to come from ? We look to the Legislature for this assistance. For every good reason it should be granted forthwith. The necessity of the case — the importance of the demand — the awful nature of the calamity — and withal the immense annual revenue derived from this section of Canada, should be grounds sufficient to warrant the appropriation required. Let the Legislature speedily appropriate five thousand pounds at least to meet immediate and absolute necessities.