The fire that made a pearl

Category: Ramblings | Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 8:55 am

Imagine lying in your bed at two A.M. It's January, and it's cold outside. Suddenly you are woken by the tolling of the bells. There's a fire to the west, there's a storm on and you had better pack up and flee! What to bring... And with what to bring it! Qickly the hand cart is packed up, your old, infirm aunt is put in there along with what valuables and necessities you have time to pack, and you start walking westward with thousands of other refugees. Turning back, you can see the red of the flames and hear the roar as they devour the eastern part of your home town. Will the fire brigade manage to stop this?

The only sounds heard are the roaring from behind, the howling of the wind and the slushy sounds from thousands of suddenly homeless souls that trudge silently along, their faces shocked and panicked, eyes staring stiffly ahead. Yes, it is a very silent exodus. The reality is too horrifying to talk about just yet.

But there is help. The first houses on the outskirt of the town are already filled up, but you're told to keep walking. Further along others are waiting to take you in, or help you along if that's what must be done. Finally you get welcomed in by a friendly farmer who just cleared a space in his barn. Your aunt is brought inside, there is soup, and you make yourself as comfortable as you can, all the time fretting and worrying about your home.

After more than 20 hours the fire was under control, but not much was left. 850 buildings were gone, and about 230 were left inside the town border. These were not all homes but also barns, storage houses and such. More than 10.000 people were homeless, but only one life had been lost.

Many Norwegian papers printed the story of the fire this Saturday 23d of January 1904. They had received telegrams about the fire, and knew help was needed. The Chief of the fire brigade, having successfully gotten the flames under control, went to send a telegram report to the government late Saturday evening. While sitting in the telegraph office a message ticked in from Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany. He had heard about the terrible fire, and was already loading food, clothes, medicines and other aid onto ships in Hamburg and Bremerhafen.

Help started coming in early Sunday morning, and three days after the fire, the Kaiser's ships arrived. Mrs. Sarah Bernard held a matinÃƒÂ© in Paris to the aid of the fire victims. Money were sent from all over the world, for example from Chicago USA, Leith in Scotland, Rio de Janeiro, and even from Africa.

The fire over with, and the cleaning-up done, one would have to rebuild. This time, no wood! The town would be built in stone. And the year being what it was, all architects flocking to Ãƒâ€¦lesund brought with them a new way to build. The Art Nouveau or Jugend style. And since town planning was rather new, all houses were built differently, according to the taste and money of the owners and the quirks of the architects.

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glendann wrote on Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:16 am:

I can't imagine how a person would feel with this behind them and what was to happen to them.I do hope I never have to find out.I know that
California just faced this kind of disaster.The Kitrina
victims also .Its terrible I'm sure to be homeless and know place to go or turn too.
Thank God there was wonderful people to lent helping hands and support for them.

eileen wrote on Mon Nov 12, 2007 10:46 am:

I remember my grandparents talking about helping to load supplies on to ships in Leith (I was born and raised in Leith) bound for Norway. I never knew the whole story, or if I did, it was forgotten by me over time. Now I know what it was all about and feel pround that my hometown was there to help in a time of need.

Biita wrote on Mon Nov 12, 2007 11:32 am:

Awesome history droopy, thats why i love to read your blogs, i learn so much about the rich culture, the history, an the people who live here in my new home. To me what i have noticed from modern norwegians is they give an give, an was probably that way back then, so no wonder the world came to help the norwegians. you give, you get, then you take what you got an pass that along,, its what i have seen over an over here on tv an the island. great story.

Frank wrote on Mon Nov 12, 2007 2:00 pm:

Great reading Droopy, I can't imagine having to go through anything like this, or any natural disaster for that matter.

What is the date on the illustration? I can't quite make it out.

Droopy wrote on Mon Nov 12, 2007 4:27 pm:

Oh, Eileen, how exciting to hear! The town had surplus food for at least ten years after the fire, because of all the aid received.

Biita, I think we've got big hearts because of the hard climate. To share one's surplus one year means somebody will help you next year.

Frank, the first one is a coloured photo from between 1890 and 1900 but the signature doesn't say. It's just a photo referance number.

Palm Tree wrote on Mon Nov 12, 2007 6:56 pm:

Hi Droopy

That is so terrible to be driven from one's home in such a fashion. I have never experienced such a catastrophe myself, but that sort of thing happens often here in Cape Town, especially down the mountain slopes. Usually it is the rich folk, who is almost never at their houses, always holidaying someplace else, who own the houses that ar at stake.

Us common folk are lucky in that respect since we live in the area that is called the Cape Flats.

What is more amazing is that you actually have photos of the old town. WOW.

cajunbelle wrote on Tue Nov 13, 2007 3:28 pm:

I have never, thankfully, lost every thing to a disaster such as this. But I do know the agony of not knowing. Every time we leave our home because of a hurricane I am in a frenzy until we can go back. The not knowing is horrible. After Katrina and Rita my husband went back to check first, I just could not go until I knew the extent of the damages. Thank God we were spared for both storms,only minor damages and inconveniences.