Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1820-01-25

Between twelve and one O'Clock g.
rage OF the fire was arrested. III. 0'e
lIaaz.ed sufferers, of both sexes. ha a.
now to remain exposed to the incIsm "au
cy OF cold day, and to witness ~ :
distressing spectacle of their numer. VIC
dwellings,, covered with ,olamcs '" "s
smoke and flame, tumb|ing into ru, vi
Yes the best part of Savannah u
more! The flames have prostrataa II" i"
the buildings which were the prids ' os
our city Thus was the emporium :" os
our State, which was promising co. III
siderable figure among the comm "
cIal cities OF our Sister States. aImOst
destroyed in t1oelve hours The "nn'
mercial part of the town is bean IS
ruins ! There is but one solitary drv "a
good store remaining. All, all are
gone! WV
We have taken considerable pains 70
ascertain the number of bnjIdincs
burnt, and the probable amount Of nro
perty destroyed by this dreadful p o.
lastrophe. "
There are ninety four Lots strinDet
completely; and it is calculated that tbat
there are three hundred and twenty
one wooden buildings. many of which
were double tenrments, thirty.Hve brck
ditto. exclusive Of those owned by tbe
Presbyterian Church, by Messrs. Glib,
bons', Shad, Morrison, Johnston and
Hunter, which contained thirty tene.
ments. Altogether. making not lcss
than FOUR HUNDRED and SIXTY
THREE tenements, not including Out.
Buildings Thirty years must eIapse
before Savannah will be again what She
has been. Good God We can hardly
believe our eyes when we cast look at
the scene before us.
The propable amount of property
destroyed by this unfortunate occur.
renee, is, from calculation nicely
made, upwards of FOUR MILLIONS
Or DOLLARS T. But if We take into
consideration the stoppage of business,
and every direct and indirect loss,
ZEN Nj LLfONS will not be too great
an estimate.
The day Of the catastrophe, a most int.
resting and melancholy picture presented
itself in the depressed countenances of its in.
habitants-the smol ing ruins, the forest Of
naked chimnies and walls, the various kinds
of destruction of goods and furniture, and The
crowds of houseless Inhabitants. The hospi.
tally Of the few, whose houses remain, has 1
been general and unrestrained their lene.
ments are shared with the others. Every
thing which an affecting sympathy, which AM
active benevolence among their fellow ctl- i
zens can perform, will undoubtedly be done. /
1t affords US much pleasure to state, that the
City Council have been very jealous in their
exertIons to give relief to the sufferers ma
ny of whom they have provided for. A time
Iy interference of the State Legislature may
also be expected Indeed it is looked for.
But we presume to hope that the prospects,
Of relief will not be limited to those resouF-
ces alone--the truly humane are not conhnedg
in their benevolence to objects that are near
them-and many instances have occurred OF
misfortune, far inferior 10 this, which have
evinced the justice by which the Americans
;an claim the honor Of being humane
The anxious eye of immediate distress,
must however be turned to the planters OF
he neighboring counties and we should be 3
orry TO do them the injustice to suppose that
hey will not feel satisfac ton in afordlng
hem the necessary relief
We persuade ourselves that we shall be
incerely joined by our readers, in terVent
wishes, that Providence may avert from o.
hers as severe and affecting calamity
We have not yet been able to ascertain, sa'
how the fire originated-whe'
her by design or accident. We understand
hat ten or twelve horses were burnt up lh
he stable that the fire originated in
We can write no further account OF this
most dreadful of all visitations. Our heart
ckened. The pen drops from our hand !!