1884-08-28 Ferrie Mansion Lost to Flames.

It was a fine stone residence, located on a large parcel of property between Queen Street North and Locomotive streets, immediately north of York Street.

It had been built during Hamilton’s Stone Age, when there was a sufficient  locally-quarried stone available from the escarpment.

The house was originally the home of Colin Campbell Ferrie, the City of Hamilton’s first mayor. Although Mr. Ferrie passed away at a relatively young age, in 1884, members of the Ferrie family were still living in the lovely home.

Unfortunately, shortly before 3 o’clock a.m., Wednesday August 28, 1884, fire was discovered burning in a small outhouse, which was located immediately to the rear of the big house.

The smoke awakened the family and one of them rushed out to telephone the fire department from a neighbor’s house, the call being received at 2:55 a.m.:

“The men from both the central and Bay street stations came up promptly, but they could do little or no good. The nearest hydrant was fully 2,000 feet away and there was not enough hose to reach it.”¹

¹ “A Big Blaze : Mrs. Campbell Ferrie’s Residence Totally Destroyed By Fire.”

Hamilton Spectator.   August 28, 1884.

The Bay street fire station was located on the east side Bay Street South, just a little north of Main street west  An interurban street railway ran track down the middle of Main Street :

“In crossing the Hamilton and Dundas street railway track, the Bay street wagon had one front wheel and the two back wheels broken off, and the occupants were sent flying, but fortunately escaped unhurt.”¹

When all available firemen had arrived at the Ferrie residence, the possibility of saving the home was impossible:

“The firemen did good work at the house and saved what furniture they could, but they could only reach the front rooms of the ground floor and the basement.  The flames had got great headway when they reach there. The back part was all gone and the stairs leading to the upper floor were burned away. The place must have been burning fully half an hour before it was discovered to be on fire.”¹

Fortunately there was no wind and thus neither sparks nor flames were carried to any nearby homes closer to York or Locomotive streets where some hydrants were available.

With little water to reach the big house itself,  the firemen mainly were put to work ensuring that the blaze was contained there. The fire evidently burned itself, leaving the stone walls standing but everything else lost.

For the Ferrie family, the loss of their home and possessions was bad, but equally bad was the realization of the level of insurance which they had taken out:

“The loss was very heavy. Besides the house which was valued at 8,000, a great deal of old and valuable furniture was destroyed. House and furniture were insured in the London, Liverpool and Globe Insurance companies for $6,000, and this will not cover half the loss.”¹

The initial delivered as to the cause of the fire as follows :

“The origin of the fire is not known, but it strongly suspected that it was the work of an incendiary.”¹