Jenks' Portland gazette. Maine advertiser., 1803-01-10
Rort!ano.
MoNDAr, JAvUARr 10, lSo,

a report prevailed in rown On sa.urdav
evening. that Fire broke our "a Bottom ~
ihnriday, and deilroyed 60 hcules. The
manner IN which the report xsss rece;,sa
leaves room to doubt the trr,h of i. Nev'
"a" VIII 'Liorm Us accurately cn the iabjcct
1t has been officially announced bv
The town of Portfmautb, that the late FIRE
IN that place aIole from accident. aod
n9t by deign, as was at 6.rt Rated
We readily give place to the following
addreis and hope it will duly affect the
good people Of this Dlard.
To tie humans and benevosa. Cil:zsni cf
bt Commercial Cities and Sebbo,ts, and
Of fbt Interior Of He Eaiied Sffaisr.
nc reipeafui addrcis Of the Com mt;ee Of
t.ie town Of Portfmouth in the S, ate Of New
E1ampilire, in behalf of the town
LIZ duty we owe to our Conaitu-
en's, the citizens of this deioiated town,
'mpels us to lay before you, in general
and coneile terms, its prelent futferina
Rate.
The late terrible FIRE with which Di
vine Providence has viited us, in view
OF all circumilances, is believed TO be
with out a parallel, in our common
country.-This town retarded in its
early growth by many cauies, feemed
bsg'nuirg 10 overcome thofe obnaclcs,
when tie revolutionary war, by Tvs
necefary effects, nearly annihliaied It's
former and principal branches of com
merce.-It was jait ging from tbs
tate; its Trade began 70 revive aud
ipcreafe, and particularly in the central
part of The town; where great exertions
were made, and much mopey laid out
to render il commodions for The pur.
Poie and evea to embellih it.
This fair and beautiful part of the
town, has in one lh3rt day, become a
heap OF aihes al, rnbbiih exh ib1ine
iuch ftene of devaaation and ruin,
as gives freh pam at every nev view.
The number and valve Of the hreet,
totally, or in great meafure dearoyed
the number Of inhabitants now expo
fed to offerings and haraihips, beyond
the rslieftendered by heir fympalhizicg
neighbors-The aged AID infrm, wild
ows and orphans, unhouled in mid.
winter-The aagndtion Of buinef,, ex
cepting the laboF, (Palientlg frbniitted
to, and going on) of rearing or fitting
up lhelters for parions and property ref
cued from the fames--the great deitruc-
ton of Books, accounts and papers, Of
very great value-the inability Of The
inhabitants of the town TO preierve,
without ailiitance, its trade with the in
terror, ready TO Fly cf, in many direc-
tions-and hnilly the damages con(e
quental TO fuch ftate OF ruin, which
though they may be conceived, battle
all dlfcnption and calculation ALI
concur to plead powerfully with the op
ulent and the proipeTous; indeed With
all in comfortably late, who feel
themfelvcs expoiel TO like calamties,
and that they may need ike aiifance
from fympathizing fr ends and country
rren.-It is from perlons IN prolpering
or eafy circunaanoes, that relief is pc
culi2rly deGred and folicired. but ia
juaice would be done TO our own feel.
ings, to thoie Of fufering friends
and neighbors, and TO thofe Of our be.
nevolent fellow ci.izens in the union,
did we not declare that the iinallert do
nations which may be made by the com.
pafionate of every clafs, will be CRATE
fully received, and with all others, faith
fully appropriated This town has
chearfu.ly had a fellow feeling on lk.
calamities taking place 10 di!sant parts
Of the union, and has no doubt Of expe
riencing the fympathy it feels boand to
thew.
JOHN LANGDON,
DANIEL HUMPHREYS,
TAHES SHEdFE,
WdTHdNIEL ADENS.
JOHN GODDARD.