The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-09 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

" A Spectator," who writes from Brighton, is informed that
we always publish the prices of the Shares to which h•
refers when they are given in the Official List.
Owing to the great press of Parliamentary intelligence we
cannot find room for the letter on the Woodstock election.

AMERICAN NEW►.

THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 9, 1845.

DREADFUL FIRE AT PITTSBURG.
TWELVE HUNDRED HOUSES DESTROYED.
LIVERPOOL, WEDNESDAY EVENING.
The fast-sailing ship Sea, Captain Edwards, arrived here
this evening, having left New York on the 14th April, two
days later than the last arrival.
There was no news of the arrival of the Great Western on
her outward bound voyage up to ten o'clock on the morning
of that day, or even of her being near the port, although she
had been out 16 days ; she had therefore probably met with
contrary winds, which had retarded her arrival ; she i,, how-
ever, confidently looked for this evening or to-morrow, on
her return voyage to this port.
We have received by this arrival distressing accounts of a
most disastrous fire at Pittsburg, a rising and important city
in Pennsylvania, destroying twenty squares of the city, com-
prising about 1,200 houses, the loss of which is estimated at
2,000,000/. sterling. It is the next largest city to Philadel-
phia in the State of Pennsylvania. Its population is about
25,000, and was becoming a place of great commercial im-
portance. There had also been great fires at Boston and
New York.
The following account of this tremendous conflagration is
taken from the Pittsburgh Post of the 11th April :
" it is our painful duty to record one of the most terrible fires
that ever devastated any city on this continent. A great portion
of our busy and populous town is In ruin ! The destruction of
property is said to be about twenty squares, and comprising from
1,000 to 1,200 houses ; many of the warehouses contained goods
of immense value—they were grocery, dry goods, and commission
houses, and their spring stocks had been just laid in.
" The fire eriginated in a frame building over an ice-house be.
longing to William Diehl, near the corner of Second and Ferry-
streets. The wind was blowing stiffly from the north-west, though
it frequently veered to other points, and, owing to its variations,
the fire extended farther than it otherwise couldba ve done. It
was discovered about twelve o'clock, and was not materially
checked till five in the afternoon.
"The councils met in the afternoon, and attempted to devise
some means to stay the conflagration. It was proposed to blow
up houses that seemed in the way of the flames ; the deliberations,
however, were ineffectual In results, and we believe but one or two
buildings were blown up.
" There is abundant reason for thankfulness that so few lives were
lost. There are many rumours of men being killed, and burnt and
wounded—but they are not authenicated. One woman is cer-
tainly burnt, and we saw a poor old man tottering along with the
help of two friends, his face badly burned. The less of life, how.
ever, cannot be learned in the awful contlision which prevails.
"The following are the principal public buildingsonanufactories,
and offices that were destroyed :
" Globe Cotton Factory, corner of Second and Ferry-streets.
" Fire Navigation Insurance Office, Market between Second
and Third.
" Firemen's Insurance Office, corner of Market and Third .
" Bank of Pittsburgh, Fourth, between Market and Wood.
" Office of Daily Chronicle, do.
" Job Printing-office, of J. B. Butler, Third, between Market
and Wood.
" Merchants' Hotel, corner of Third and Wood.
" A. Kramer's Exchange-office, do.
"Jones and Sibbet's Exchange-office, corner of Fourth and
Wood.
"1 Wm. A. Hill's Exchange.office, between Fourth and Dia-
mond-alley.
" R. and R. Patterson's Eagle and Bazaar Stables, Diamond.
alley and Fourth.street.
Associat • Reform Church, Fourth, near Grant-street.
0 13aptIst Church, Grant-street.
" Blackwell's Extensive Glass Works, Water, above Grant,
" The Monongahela House destroyed, with all the furniture.
" The Monongahela Bridge entirely destroyed. It is rumoured
that several lives were lost on the bridge.
" The Dallas Iron Works in Pipetown entirely destroyed.
" The loss sustained in the destruction of buildings is immense,
but it is small when compared with the destruction of merchan-
dise in the warehouses on Water, Wood, First and Second.strects.
The merchants found it impossible to attempt to save anything ;
twhole blocks were destroyed in a few minutes, and the most they
could do was to make an effort to save their books, and but few of
them succeeded even in that.
" It will be many years before our city can recover from the
effects of this dreadful calamity ; it has cast a blight over the
;:ommercial and manufacturing enterprise of hundreds of our
most worthy citizens, and in an hour has swept from them all the
profits of years of toil and industry."
The jury who tried Mrs. Bodine for murder brought in a
verdict of Guilty.
The papers by this arrival are quite destitute of any poli-
tical news. In commercial affairs business was at a pause,
for the arrival of the Great Western.
Foreign Exchange inactive—the rate quoted 1091 to
109* on London, and sf. 25c. to sf. 231 c. on Paris ; the Cotton
Market is quiet, neither holders nor sellers being anxious to
do business.