Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-01-25
From the Savannah Republican.
DREADFUL CONFEDERATION.

Having suffered Will otHcfS Ill VIC
late calamity, We have made haste to
collect the remains OF our printing ma
terials, and now present to the public
the circumstances which accompanied
this event. LIN the whole course of our
editorial career, we have frequently
had to record matters of deep impor
lance, of various nature !; but never, no
never before has it fallen to our lot to
give to the world an account of so dis
tressing complexion.
On Tuesday, the i th inst. this city
exhibited a scene of desolation and dis
tress, probably more awfuiIy calamifous
than amy previously experienced in A
meriCa.
Between one and twn o'clock in the
morning, livery stable. belonging 70
a Mr.. Boon, on trust lot Of The estate
of Isaac Fell, in Baptist Church Square
was discovered to be on fire. The citi,
zens, and different Engine Companies,
| together with the officers and crews of
the vessels in the harbor, were soon
convened but, unfortunately, no i'm
mediate and decisive measures were a
doptcd, by which the fire could be stop
ped at its BEGINNING.
The season for four months with the
exception Of two rains) previous to
this incident, had been dry /: the night
was cold, and brisk breeze from W.
n. ". which was soon increased by
the effect Of the frc.-Seyeral of the
adjoining houses were soon affected.
and then almost instantly in fam, S.
The wind now became strong, and
whirled into the air, with agitated vio-
lence, large fakes of burning shingles,
boards, and other light substance which
aliSh!Ipg at a distance, added confusion
to the other terrors OF the conlagra-
ton. The use Of water was now rem
dered totally vain-its common extin
gushing power seemed to lie lost. Tor
rents OF flames rallied from house to
house, with destructive rapidly which
bid defiance to all human control and
indi1id exeriions were from this
time, almost suspended, and principally
pointed towards the securing private
property.
The fire now ragged, sweeping all the
buildings from Baptist Church Square,
to the West, taking in from the North
side of Broughton street to the Bay,
down 10 Abercorn street on the East,
save few buildings on the Bay, be-
tween Montgomery and Jefferson SITS.
That large and elegant building, Wash
ington Hall, is safe, twice was it on
fire, but through great exertions it was
rescued. A few building also are sa-
we'd between Abercorn and Drayton
streets. The State Bank, the Planters
Bank, and the Episcopal Church, were
for some time in imminent danger, but
were saved. The former building was
on fire two or three times--tImely as
sistance and unrenitlcG exertions a.
lone saved 1t.
IN fact every house is swept away
from the spot where the fire common
ccd, through Market Square, and the
Day. from " Washington Hall, to the
house lately occupied by George Jones,
ESQ. (exccpt James Dickson & Co.'S
large fire, proof storel. 1t, and it a.
lone. is the only building remaining
between the twopoints named. We are
really at a loss how to describe the
damage done. No pen can describe
no tongue can give utterance to words
strong enough to do this melancholy
subject justice. To those at a distance,
we can only say to them-come. come
and look at our poor, devoted, ruined
Savannah.
1t is thought by many individuals,
that the fire would have been arrested
in Market Square, had it not been for
the circumstance of large quantity of
gunpowder being in some of The shops
in the square. This struck panic in
every one and that part of the town
was abandoned. Explosions soon took
place, and the blazing fragments scat
tered in every direction A good deal
of powder, however, was taken away,
and thrown into well in st. James
Square. We hope the Police will en-
force the ordinance against every per-
son who had, or may have, gunpowder
in their stores. Had the explosion ia
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