The Sun.
London, England, 1836-01-09 00:00:00

AWFULFIRE- IN, NENir YORK.

(From the Arew,York Transcript of Dec. 18..)._
In mentioning in our paper of yesterday the breaking
out of an awful conflagration. in Merchant-street, and its
extension from thence to the, East River, sweeping ever
thing into wide ruin before it, we expressed our appre.
pensions that it i'vould not be stayed until the devastatioi
was still more e'xtensite,'and until' it had numbered among
the wrecks which it had made. numerous large and splendid
edifices, besides those included in the range of buildings
which we described as having alreadY been levelled with the
ground.

Our apprehensions, we lament to say, were too fearfully
realised. To the blocks of buildings and streets which we
represented as then being in flames, many, very many
others were added, the particulars of which, as far as we
are able, with the- assistance of some of our contempo—
raries, to gather them, we now proceed to state.
The fire broke out in Merchant-street on the 15th of
e.7ember, in the triangular block formed by Wall, 'Wit-
ham, and Pearl streets, at about nine o'clock. A fierce
Wind was blowing from -the NAV , and the weather so
intensely cold, as to render the efficient working of the
engines' impossible. The consequence was that the fire
.
held the mastery through the night, spreading with great
and destructive rapidity. The arm of man was:powerless,
and many of our fellow-citizens who retired to their pillow
affluence were bankrupts on awaking.
, fact of the powerlessness of the firemen, from the
almost instantaneous congelation of the water, and the be-
numbing iniluence.of the cold, increased the consternation
which prevailed among the thousands of the agitated multi-
tude who were witnesses of the calamity—many of them
doomed to stand' anitsce the destruction of their own for-
tunes, without being'. able to.lirt.a finger for their rescue.
To Fr
5 t• the flames,at one time seemed to us impossible,
save bso e blowing of'ranges of buildings in advance of
the fire, ihat its progress might thus-be interrupted. But
the difficulty was to obtain, powder; none of consequence
being allowed in the city. A, sufficient supply, therefore,
could not be obtained short. of the Navy-yard—whence,
also, the Mayor was obliged to send for a strong military
force, to preserve property from the swarm of robbers who
'are ever ready on such occasions.
Such is
diffi-
culty the confusion that prevailed, and such the diffi-
of Working one's way among the smoke, and fire, and
heated ruins, that it is impossible to detail particolos with
any pretension to accuracy. We give the.follpying as the
best result that we could arrive at from perienal observe-
tionQ
- and by lng the
South side ofconsu Watill-street,map from WI-Hiatt-street` to East
River, including the Merchants' Exchange, and "excepting
wue three or four buildings between Merchant-street (fbi-
ffierlY Hanover) and Pearl. Also from William to Broad,
buildings not destroyed, but injured in the rear.
i3xchange-street:both sides, from Broadrstreet, crossing
william to Merchant-street ; the -Garden,-street Church
was embraced in this section..
Merchant-street (formerly Hanover) both sides, from
Wall to Hanover-square.
Williain=stfeet; both sides, from Wall-street to Hanover-
square.

Pearl-street, both sides, from Wall-Street to Coenties-
in4uding the whole sweep of Hanover-square.
StOne-street, from Hanover-square to the lane leading' to
the end of coenties-slip.
Exc'eange-street and part of Beaver-street, from Pearl
nearly to Broad.
Water-street, both sides, from Coffeehouse-slip to Cocr.-
ties-slip.
South-street, from Coffeehouse-slip to Coentie,slip:
South side of Coffee-house-slip; from Pearl-street to the
East River.
Both sides of Old slip (including the Franklin-market),
from Pearl-street to the East River.
North side of Coenties-slip, from Pearl-street to the river.
Jones's-lane, Gouverneur's-lane, Cnyler's-alley, and part
or Min-street_
Seventeen blocks of buildings, of the largest and most
Oestly description, are totally destroyed ; the large block
between Wall-street and Exchange-place, bounded on the
West by Broad-street, that between Exchange-place and
Beaver-street, fronting on Broad-street, and that between
Beaver and Mills-streets, also fronting on Broad, are greatly
injured, and may almost be said to bc deikilii.),J=644except
the single range of stores fronting on Broad-:street. The
number of buildings it is impossible to ascertain, but it is
estimated between 700 and 1,000. The amount of pro-
Pear destroyed is incalculable.
Those acquainted with our city will at once perceive
that nearly the entire seat of its greatest commercial trans-
actions has been destroyed. It is not probable that the
destruction of any given section of any other city in the
world, of equal extent, would have involved a greater de-
strtOiorr of capitil, or ruined the fortunes of a greater
number of men. The destruction of goods, of every de-
scription that can be enumerated, has been immense ; and
what -Yet fie-tiler magnifies the calamity is the fact, that the
portion of thc., city thus destroyed, is one which has been
almoSt entirely rebuilt within the last five or six years,
and was covered e-ti- every hand with the most noble and
substantial range mercantile edifices perhaps in the
world.
Before the guriPefv4er was used in blowing up houses,
there were many loud reports from occasional explosions of
powder and casks of -Spirits: '.During the whole night the
scene was one of awful terror and indeScribable grandeur.
The drought of the season had contributed to the com-
bustibility o 1 the matter; and the rapidity with' which house
after house, and range after range, were wrapped in flames
was truly astonishing. The wind being high, large flakes of
fire were borne whirling aloft through the dark vault of
Heaven with fearful splendour. From the direction of the
Kind—to which, under Providence, the salvation of perhaps
the Whole city is owing—the city of Brooklyn Was, consi-
dered in danger, and the flakes of fire were borne along in
quantities beyond Flattbush.
The buildings on 'Exchange-place having become involved
in the conflagration, the flames communicated to the Mer-
chatts' Eiehange itself, the exemption of which had been
so strongly confided in that a large amount of goods was
deposited there for safety. Before these could be removed
and the numerous tenants of the edifice could remove their
private property, the fire communicated to the roof, and
this soon falling in, carried with it the wall at the east end
of the building, beneath which several persons are said to
have been buried alive. The splendid dome of' the Ex-
change, after sending columns of flame to an immense
height for half an hour, until it was reduced to a body of
fire, fell in with a tremendous crash, burying the elegant
statue of Hamilton in the ruins.
At the time the fire in Pearl-street reached Hanover-
square, the large space of ground was filled with piece goods
promiscuously piled together; and much of this property was
of the most valuable kind. S unexpectedly and rapidly
did tha flames extend on both sides of the square, that an
unsuccessful attempt was Made to remove it, for much of it
Was destroyed in the street, and the residue, though depo-
sited at a greater distance in stores and otherwise, was
shortly afterwards consumedl.'' Dr:;;Matthew's Church bad
been made a de•vository-ror gabils—irilie early part Qf the
re, which acre ‘o,' cotirsb::entietlY eMsiamed with the build=
tug, leaving nothing but the bare walls.
With the Exchange, the public:has sustained a loss in
the
,Fine Arts wlik!h is greatly!lo be regretied; We refer
to the statue of lIamilto"1, erected by the munificence of
'our merchants during the pvcseut, year, in the centre of the
rotunda of that building. Tba:,.whieli Was designed to re
main for ages, is in eight months ..pvQoipitated _,#' yip its pe:-
destal, and is mixed with the runs- of that ill-fated structure
it was erected to adorn.
The mere amount of property wasted and destroye,l, not
by the flames, but in the conftlion, and hurry, and despera-
Con of the time, is probably equal to the entire loss at ordi-
nary fires. It is laMentable to see the piles of costly furni-
ture—rich mahogany tables. with marble tops, sideboards,
Sofas, &C., &c., broken and heaped up like worthless
rubbish ; rich merchandises, silks, satins, broadcloths; fine
ruslinsi and every species of fancy goods, trampled Under
Foot ; packages half burnt ; boxes of cutlery and hardware
burst
open, and their contents scattered in the mud ; bottles
cf wine broken ; and, in short, thousands• upon thousands
and tens of thousands of dollars lying wasted around, in the
-.form of ruined merchandises.
Carmen and porters were heaping goods upon carts, bar-
rows, in coaches and omnibuses. The Battery and Bowling
Gree..n were thickly studded with piles of goods, some in
boxes, others just as they were snatched from the shelves.
Alarines with fixed bayonets patrolling amongst them for
protection against marauders, and-all eyes fixed upon the
volunaes of dense black smoke, whirling away before the
darting and roaring from the roofs and win-
~lows of
tlia firen,n
wn whole streets—walls tumbling to the ground, and
out with their exertions, and almost dis-
couraged from rfurther efforts,ni vainly striving to make head
against the
secured
flames, which ed to mock all human skill
and power.
Amidst this dreadful 1(
an-
nounce that the glil,ll distinction we are happy to an-
vas -nany v
t nt; have not sustained any material
injury. A them were lying at the docks, be(
tween tween Murray's Coe:,‘t- - '
c that the fe's slip • and at ono time
we had our fear
would have been destroyed.
The. water was veiy I^a, , could not for some time
get away. The brig r
ow mau was on five, but it was soon
kXtinguisix-1, 111)&1111, except one British-,briu• iu Comfit's
slip, tinrdlyigot into the stream, .where they are now at
anchor.
in .all cases of great public or individual eaLmit:e3, espe-
cially those -oceasicning loss of 1)11)1,t,v, the first n-npres-
sinus, and first rei.orts, are of coursejoseaOkexaprrgerated.
And. befor.o concluding this hasty and itni)e.l4
abroad •account,
- •
We take leave to caution the I,ro ‘r
credence to first reports. The ealainitt a
'tClitil lc
eine. and the losses will 1) imnienso,
.13,0 t•
-ranted in the belief that the burden will prlVlpakixia:ll)

Such a manner that it will be borne without shaking the
credit of We city; or chocking its prosperity for any length
of
_time. We take it for granted—nay, it is adm►tted on
all hands—that_ the Fire. Insurance Companies are ill
ruined. SOTTIQ.wiII not be, able to pay fifty cents. on the
dollar of their. .policies, and:others, perhaps, not more than
twenty-five—While others. may he rather more fortunate:
But vet the condition of things is not by far so bad as
many who are not, on , the spot imagine, and not by any
means as deplorable as will ,be, represented abroad. A
number of gentlemen, well known.as able and cool calcu-
lators, estimate the amount of loss to be not more than
twenty-five millions of dollars. The total amount of capital
held by the whole of the Fire Insurance Companies in this
city does not amount to more than ten millions. The cal-
culation is that about six hundred stores have been con-
sumed, the insurance of which does not average more than
ex or seven thousand dollars upon each.
The loss, thereupon, in real estate, is not be far so great
as will at first be supposed, inasmuch as the lots themselves
constitute the chief value, being often worth three or four
times more than the buildings on them. Whatever amount,
therefore, the Insurance Companies may be able to pay, the
holders of real estate-will be able to sustain and bear up
under the loss. The losses most severely to be felt and de-
plored will be those of widows and orphans, whose property
has been invested in stocks.
Some of our contemporaries are of opinion that the dis-
aster could not have occurred at a more fortunate period,
because, as they allege, the autumnal sales will have mate-
rially reduced.the stock of the different dry good stores.
On this subject we differ from them in toto, believing that,
in anticipation of a war with France, the importers have
made much more extensive purchases of late than they have
previously been accustomed to do, and had, consequently,
at the breaking out of the fire, a larger amount of goods
than usual.
During the night all descriptions of carriages were in the
immediate vicinity of the fire, either waiting to remove
books, driving away with merchandise, or in attendance
upon those who were watching the progress .of the flames.
Pearl-street, from Hanover-square to Broad-street, was
.made a depository for piece goods ; and piles, valued per-
haps at .half a million, were burned.
Old Slip was also filled with every species of valuable
`Property, which was destroyed.
A large number of the militia -were ordered
.out last
- evening, to protect property through the night ; we have
not been able to ascertain how many, but understand that
the orders embraced several regiments; among them the
Washington Grays, under the command of Colonel George
P. Morris.

_ .
None. of the .numerous banking houses in Wall-street
have received any serious injury.
Among the rumours which were afloat yesterday morn-
ing, was one that the fire was the work of an incendiary.
There was another that a fellow was seen early in the
morning to set fire to a house in Broad•street.
The columns and front of the Exchange, which yct
stand, present a magnificent, but melancholy spectacle.
We have heard, as yet, but of one person actually being
killed, upon whose body, as will be seen from our report
the C6roner held an inquest.
The fire was not effectually checked until about three
o'clock yesterday afternoon, it having continued to burn
up to that time from its commencement (eighteen hours)
with the most fierce and fatal rapidity.
The merchants who have suffered so extensively by the
great fire have applied' to the Secretary of the Treasury
to renew for the term of three months all bonds now com-

ill, due.
'''LII3ERALITY.—We state on the authority of Mr. Worth,
the cashier of the City Bank, that all rates now - due, and
fallingfdue at that institution, will be renewed on the same
securities as now attach to them. So praiseworthy an
example ought to be followed, and we have no doubt it
will be, by all the other banks in the city.
The east river yesterday presented a scene almost as gay
and lively as a regatta,- hundreds of boats skimming over
the surface for the purpose of taking- up such goods as
were found floating. Were not the associations connected
with such a scene of a most melancholy nature, the ap-
pearance of the river itself would have been a truly pleas-

ing one.
POST-OFFICE ARRANGEMENT.—UntiI a more commo-
dious building can be procured, the business of the Post-
office will be conducted at the Custom-house in Pine-street,
where letters may be mailed, and will be delivered, as usual.
A CITIZEN GUARD.—The Mayor issued a proclamation
yesterday, calling upon such of the citizens as had leisure
to form themselves- into a patrole for the protection and
preservation of the large amount of property now strewed
about the streets, and which else might be scattered to the
four winds of Heaven.
Public meetings have been held to devise measures for
the safety of the city, and a subscription has been set on
foot to relieve the immediate wants of the families who
have lost - their all by this appalling fire. The Advertiser
of the 21st; and the New York Times of the same date,
contain articles which we subjoin, stating that the first
alarm li'a'ving subsided, the aspect of affairs was found to be
more favourable than could have been expected under the
circumstances.
- • • ( From -the New York Times.)
The-pnblic mind' has experienced much relief during the
last ..ltwo ' days. We '-are- beginning to recover from the
shOek,' came onus with such overwhelming force, that
11-e were not only prostrated, but stupified by it. We are
hegiiming to look around us, to examine coolly and dispels-.
§ionately into the extent of the calamity—to inquire, vyith •
cautiousness and prudence, into the course to be pursued
to 'relieve us from our temporary sufferings—for temporary,
we trust, they will be. The elastic spirit of. our citizens. is
begineing to rise from the temporary pressure that weighed
it down. Our energies, checked for a time, have again
begun to exert themselves. Sufferers, of all classes, have
determined to Tint their own shoulders to the wheel, and
then, irne'd6s4ary, to call upon Hercules—to trust to them-
selves first, before they trust to othersto ascertain first,
whether in ou ;ity, and our own State, we have not the
means to repair our losses, before we ask aid from other
sources. Despondency now is as unwise as it is unmanly.
We want action, prompt,irnmediate, decisive action. Our
prosperity may be ehecked,but it is far from being destroyed.
We hare that within us. L--the sources of our riches, and.
prosperity—that disaster cannot break down. -We have all
that has male us what we are—energy, promptness, and
entdrpr4e. I,\7'e need the exertions of these qualities now--
and; unless we mistake the' character of our citizens, they
will be called into prompt and. vigorous exercise. In times
like these, the minor eonsideratiorm which ordinarily divide
us must be discarded. In relieving each other—in restor-
ing the prosperity of our citizens—there must be but one
party. We Must act with entire unanimity of feeling, as if
but one heart led, and one•hand acted.
We have received O. check in our prosperity, but it has
been after a business ' year ,of most unparalleled success.
The calamity, heavy as it is, has fallen at a time when it
could ere best borne by our commercial community. The
stocks of our merchants are at this season of the year gene-
rally very low. Our banks are disposed to act liberally,
and relief will and must be obtained, if not from the Gene-
ral, at least from the State Government. Our citizens are
of good heart. They will do justice to themselves ; and
we trust that within a brief period we shall be able to
state that we are again in the full tide of successful expe-
riment, and fast recovering from our recent disasters. The
energies of the City of New York cannot be easily re-
pressed or destroyed. " Onward" is the word.
(From the New York Daily Adverti.wr.).
The aspect of affairs is decidedly more cheering. Al-
though about flay-two acres of ground resemble tho ruins
of the old world, yet on a close inspection of the things it is
discovered that the losses have not been half as great as was
first contemplated. Ten to fifteen Millions will. probably be
the extent. The Insurance Offices will pay better than
Was expected ; the North Riser, Equitable, • City, New
York, Bowery, Guardian, Fulton, Eagle, ands Greenwich,
all pay.' The confidence that the Corporation will issue
teck to enable the Ciinipatiiei to "i)eY•preniptly, and the
spirit among-111e Banks to be liberal, and a corresponding
disposition among all classes to yield :o circumstances, has
imposed more hope in the public. Not a failure, as we can
Jearn,.has yet taken place ; no bonds are to be put in suit.
The merchants meet as usual. The Board of Brokers
commence to-day, and already business begins.to• assume
some appearance of activity. Our columns begin to pre-
sent a fair share of goods for sale ; many of the larger
houses have advertised to discount all their notes out. All
these conspire to give confidence. Let every sufferer re-
double his exertions, remembering that industry, integrity,
prudence, and economy will soon bring all right again.
(From an extra edition of the New York San.)
NEW YORK, DEC. 19.
The history of the United States does not record a
heavier calamity upon its citizens than that of which we
now publish the fullest particulars that have been collected.
With the exception of the great fire in London, in 1666,
and the destruction of , some ancient cities by ruthless con-
querors, we doubt if any conflagration has ever occurred
which involved the loss of so immense an amount of pro-
perty as 26,000,000 dollars, which is the latest estimate
that has been made of the loss sustained by this city on
Wednesday PiOtr
The memorable fira wf Lenden; in 1666, desolated that
city to the extent of 436 square acres, consurging 400 streets,
113;000 houses, and 86 churches ; but nearlytwo-thirds of
these buiidiugs being constructed of wood, and the produc-
tions of the arts mid oi4lllM,C!,Pres of that period being far
inferior in value to those of the present ago, the Rctuul
'a.i4.-44.nt of property then destroyed bore comparatively little
pro'portion. t,v •i4e4;, which
,occupies the same topographical
space in modern commereng
ie ere of opinion that all the preceding liTs tit thi;; pity,
or Wiric;li AVe any account, have destroYed.
'23.000A0 dollarS which include a liberal annual average