Star.
London, England, 1825-11-09 00:00:00

FIRE AND HURRICANE.

IRON THE HALIFAX FREE PRESS OP OCTOBER 18.
DREADFUL FIRE AT MIRAMICHI.
FULLER rAILTICULA Rt.

It seems that the woods in that part of the country
had been for some time on fire, but without exciting
any apprehension of the catastrophe which was about to
involve in ruin a large proportion of the population of
the province.
On the 7th inst. the flames acquired an ascendancy
which rendered flight in some instances impracticable,
and resistance unavailing.
The alarming progress of this destructive element
had been concealed by the state o the atmosphere
which it occasioned, until the night of that day, when,
aided by a hurricane which increased its violence and
rapidity, it burst with uncontroulable fury upon the
heads of its devoted victims. All the accounts that
have been received describe the rapidity of the flames
to have been such as to preclude the possibility of
saving property to any extent. In most cases, the un-
suspecting beings,suddenly aroused from their slumber s,
were unable to dress themselves, and immediate de-
structlon was the cotrequence of a moment's delay.
—ln that part of Miramichi called Newcastle, out
of 250 Louses, but 14 escaped ; and indeed the circum-
stance of any property being saved is considered as
a miraculous interference.

Were. we to give vent to the feelings that actuate us
upon this occasion, we might depict a scene at which
the heart of the ino)t indifferent would sicken; and
even then we probably should fall short in description
of the sad reality. It cannot be possible to conceive
the picture which the devoted country that has been
the scene of this visitation now presents.
An event so replete with horror is probably of rare
occunence, and the tidings of it have been met in Hall-
lax with that promptitude and compassionate feeling
A [licit they must universally excite. Sentiments of sor-
row, and a desire to tender assistance, have been every
liere.minifested, and have-not bein confined to age,

Upon the receipt of the mail, with the intelligent-,
on Saturday afternoon, gloom and anxiety were every
whete manifested ; and on Sunday morning, at nine
o'clock, a meeting of the inhabitants took place, when
the following resolutions were passed :
" That provisions and other articles for the relief of the sufferers
be sent to the store of Messrs. Deblois and Mitchel.
" That letters be written to the different parts of the Province,
requesting the aid of the inhabitants.
" *IVA a committee be appointed to request that collections may
be made in the different places of worship in this town, on ‘utiday
next, for this charitable purpose."
A subscription was opened at the mcetlng, aid before
k broke up 1,2001. wete subscribed. ACt m mime of
Alanagement and a Sub-Committee to collect subscrip-
tions throughout the town were also appointed, and,
not wi•lsstanding thz inclemency of the weather during
the afternoon of that di, and the•forenoon of•yesterday,
the sum was increased to 2,0001. Vessels were dis-
-patched with provisions, others were laden in lake
manner, and a large ripply of clothing and other ne-
cessaries. Where all have acted so generously, it would
be wrong to particularize, satisfied as we are that the
reflection of having performed a benevolent action must
afford the highest gratification to every virtuous mind.
Melancholy as are the descriptions contai:3ed in the
letters, we fear mote heart-rending accounts are.yet to
be received. Numbers must have perished of whom no
account will probably be ever obtained, and many
, persons who have been mutilated and otherwise per-
sonally injured, will continue from time to time to be
discovered in remote situations, or will perish through
want in distant and retired parts of the cc n say.
EXTRACT OF A LETTER TO A GENTLEM tN IN THIS
TOWN, DATED AIIRAMICHI, OCTOBER 10
" In the midst of the utmost confusion, and the
greatest destruction of life and property ever recorded,
I write you these few lines to solicit your aid, and that
of all friends to humanity, to assist those of us who have
parti Illy escaped from total ruin, to support the nutte-
rous distressed individuals who are thrown uson us for
food, shelter, raiment, and medical assists ce, at a most
unfortunate seartn, with the prospect of a long aild
severe winter before us, and an unprecedented scarcity
of provisions. The extent of destruttion on the fa' al
night of the 7th instant is unknowtrand iodeszribellt :
nearly the whole parish and town of Nivigattle lies in •
smoking ruins. The settlements of miIIFTog, Nappan,
and back settlements of Chatham and Newolikle, are
not only nearly all des toyed, but few persons survive to
tell the doleful tale.

" It would melt the heart of the most unfeeling to
see the numerous individuals who have just eseqed
total destruction by this fire, and many now perishing
from their wounds. Chatham has miraculously eicaped
destruction in a great measure; Many of the shipping
have suffered much, and three loaded ships fell a s.cti-
fice to the fl Imes. G. Rankin and Company hive saved
their dwelling-house only from its being sitirated so
high that the hurricane blew the fam:s past and over
it, which, however, destroyed every other building be-
longing to them ; they saved their book. and papers.
Abrams saved nothing but whit he and his family stood
in, merely night clothes. It is mere mockery to try to
&scribe the horrors this scene presents, and the abject
distress that everywhere presents itself."
EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A MERCANTILE H USE TO
THEIR FRIENDS HERE. •
" We have the awful story to tell you that one half
of the people on this river are now destitute of house,
home, and property, of any description. We had a
most awful night on Friday, the 7th instant—the fire
appeared to come all at once, and nothing but destruc-
tion before our eyes. Newcastle and Douglas.towo is
all burnt to the ground, except a few houses. and it
appears as though Chatham and Nelson were only
preserved as a refuge for the distressed. We have now
some hundreds in Cha ham who escaped from the fire,
some half burnt and. others dying from suffocation:
indeed, it is not in the power of any one to describe the
scene %ilia we now witness—men, women, and chil-
dren, coming in from all parts of the river, withuut
clothing to cover them. We have all beet up these
two nights past watching, and preparing for the worst.
Gilmore and Rankin's stores and all their property;
except their dwelling house, have been destr led;
Abrams escaped with his family, some of them with
nothing but their linen on; Salters, Allan, Crane and
Allison, Nesmith, Elder, and indeed all at the Court-
house, have lost everything, and just escaped wit's life.
'Gilmore and Rankin, Nesmith, Duncan, and Lock, were
the only persons who saved their boas and papers:'
EXTRACT OF A LETTER FBOM A GENTLEMAN TO 1113
BROTHER, DATED MIRAMICHI, OCTOBER 10.
"It is with sorrow that I make known to you, that
our late flourishing settlement is laid in ashes. On the
evening of the. 7th current, fire communicated from
the woods, which came with such dreadful violence,
accompanied with a hurricane, that it literally showered
down fire and sand, so that it was with the greatest
difficulty we escaped with our lives; poor William
made his retreat with Caroline to the house of Mr. 11.
*Callum, which escaped being but nt ; he go: his right
hind much burnt in getting out of the house; Caroline
is as well as can be expected ; I stayed behind at the
store endeavouring to save our books, papers, &c. but
it came so fast, that I had to run for my life, and leave
all behind. I took to the river, from whence I was
taken up by a ship's boat, and carried on bi arJ. . I bless
D that our lives ate saved, although our propel ty is
gone. The only thing we have saved is our timber,
and a few things in Ledslen's store ; fortunately, this
morning, some pork and flour have arrived from Live'.
pool for us, at present we are getting a areal of -victuals
where we can find it. Those few persons who have their
houses saved are kind to the distressed; the Gre corn.
menced, it is said, somewhere about Datt,bogue, and
came up the bank of the river with a rapidity impos-
sible to be conceived, destroying all as it came. The
keople if Newcastle bad no idea of the fire tieing so