Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-03-27

defied any exerttou or means That could
have been used TO stay their progress.
Tue principal proprietors were iEordecai
Cooke aud Richard Bior. Esq's the heirs
OF John Foster. DR.. Ma"pin. aud MIR. Tho.
INNS Brooks. The three first named, We
are informed. were insused--bui no
others. DR.. Maupin's loss is sreat-he
had a valuable brick dwelling and many
other improvements destroyed. besides
10 .ing n considerable amount in furni
ture. DC. Many Others lost their all
the earnings of years OF hard labor and
foil; amongst these were Captain Sea
uard, Mrs. BROOKS, Mrs. Spady and Mr..
.drnistead.-A number of poor families
are left destitute by this affective vista
tion---ADd the widow aud the orphan are
deprived of home and sustenauce.--
Here ia indeed call upon the brmevo
lsnce OF those swho can feel for the dis.
tresses Of their fellow creatures. Herald
AWFUL CONFLAGRATION.
NoRFoLK, March 22.-vesierday morning
between z aud 3 O'Clock, our neighbours OF the
town of p Portsmouth, were reused from their
sumbers by the cry of fire. and in less than an
hour many OF the most worthy and respectable
Inhabitants. who had rushed Into The street
10 rescue theft neighbours property tom The
5, ravages OF the devouring element, could see
nothing but the smOking ruins OF their own
late happy habitatioiis. How fatally, alas I! is
dtlxeu 10 tntnl ny dNlul Ni>tdttOU, The
truth nf the sacred admomiicm, ye kRow not
tchdi day an hour may bring forth
Our daily paper being then printed aud rea.
: dy for distribution, aud the count, ypaper just
commenced. we applied our di,taut readers,
by hdsty Postscript, OF The scene of dssolAtion
aud distress, which was at the momeut pass
kng before ms, promising the melancholy re-
il al OF par ticuInrs, in this days paper.
Our anticipaIi0ns OF the extent OF mischief
(reatened by This ferocous guest are but too
5ain'uiIy verified, as the following tale of w0
Ilwill testify.-1'hose who first repaired 10 the
Scene state that the fire originated in an M.
b. teUanted kitchen attached to the house at the
: n. w. corner OF High aud Main streets, be :.
longing TO Mr., Wdrdccai Cooke aud tha, when
FIRST discovered. few bucket. o! wafer, ju-
diciously applied, would have eXtiiguished il.
But The buildings being very com 6usiibe, aud
the vird blowing heavy iron, the ). w. il gain
ed in few minutes, such an asceudenCy as TO
bafh- every effort to restrain its fury, aud ma
ny whose condition only an honr before The
alarm might, III a proper appreciation ct world.
= ly ComfQriS. be considered enviabe, have now
ecarcsl,-a shelter for their heads.
We have not even heard "A suggestion OF the
probable total value OF property destroyed :;
aud Will therefore only say that il is such as
many years of the most productive lhour
would NOT repair, and thai such is The distress
which it.las bfau.bt-iron those whose means
wer. humble, thai il calls loudly upon The hu :
uianr Tor immediate relief.
Tie assurance ut trIen,i enables us TO pre-
sent the folio wing view # the houses That have
-
rect idea OF the extent OF the injury sustain
ed may be formed by persons at dis
tdnce, who have ever visited Portsmouth,
Ga High street Il lie Market (beinE the
esstrrn limit of The fire. itt lower story bulii
OF brick, tiIr upper OF wnOd. ioialiy de.troyrd,
three story biisk building belcusng TO Nh.
Moidecai Cake occupied by Capt Rookie, do
wooden buiiilings, also owned by MIR. Cooke,
piIhciraiiy orrupi,d by retain grocerS, most OF
whom are by-ihi, Calamity deprived OF their
all. 4 two story frame house, belonging To the
her, OF John Bronx diitJ, ditto pr0peii,
OF Thomas Nash, Gospori small biick iene-
ment, rrnpprt, of james Dranp.
= On Miia Street-A tram buiIdin. belong
Ing 10 The estate OF - Burgess ;iwO do, 10
10 MI. Cooke; Que d0 OwueJ aud occupied
10y Fraacis Arniistead three sinry brick
dwelling, owned aud occupied by Doct. Geo
w. MaIpia !; snail flame dwelling O Sued by
The heirs OF John Robins Two do. do. do.
Thomas Brooks large thicr story brick
dwelling ownedby the estate OF John Fo.,er,
formerly ocrnpird d. "a tavern ihe reSdrucs
OF Riciiaid Blow a Large 2 siuIy frame build
Ing @hG IA couniias roam and store adjoining
here u street aiii lnIgp vacant lot inter.
ve"i"g, the fire va, prevented iro'u rrogIe..
inS intther III ,this Girecti9n-Ail the above
totally destroyed
iw" sio,y frame dwelling, recently pnr.
chAsed br capt Seward. aud occupied b, his
family situated on Tie north side Of London
sireeI, near L,e head OF Daviss wharf, caught
fire from the fakes waited in thai direction
by the wind from the vicinity of the mlrkel
and was entirely consumed before ,ae fiIc
hdu Communicated TO many OF the inieivpn.
ing buildings From this house il extend Il
across ], ater strect aud swept every building
IN us course 10 the end OF Davis's wharf.
On U"fer street. : The ware house. kiicb Ell
siabie aud other ont ho-ses, belonging 10
Richard Blow Nh. Peed's blacksmith shop
Two stor, frame house beiongiug to the
estate OF John Brooks; frame dwelling and
grocery. pronetiy OF Mss. Spady seIall do
do. do. OF Doctor hiaupin; ID large frame
hohsc, th residence of MIR Cooke with a
Blacksmith shop in frost of it, completing
the NO squares toimed by Main, High, Wa.
ter, London aud Queen streets. The ware
loIse on DdVis's wharf, occupied by Bal
tentine a "a sail loft, those Oh Blows wharf
aud sn Myers wharf. "ne ct which occupied
~ sal loft by Jahu Kay, aud another fitted
WIN rigging aud other ships apparel were
all DESTROYED
The tasis of the ships Loihair and Geo,gi,
ana, lying at the end OF Myers wharf, in deeJ
whier, we're cut before the fire could reaci
them. aud drifting over la the euiTdnce of the
county ,iock. they were safely nioored oil hi,
Siue whiie the ship Homer. laying at the
SIDE OF tie wharf aud bsiug aground, coult
NOT be got off aud was much damaged. She
vas on tire several times, but was exiinguish
eh Immediately by the euginrs. Toiai num.
Der OF Dwellings burnt, 81 Ware houses, 6
mo allowing tie nsnaI proportion OF ont.
houses TO each residence, II would not b,
excessive 10 compute the whole humber o
houses destroyed, ~ sc To 60.
The principal sufferers are, L. e.. w Man
nm. not injured; z. " Cooke partially imsur
40 f.; ). Francis ARMS, cad not insured 4
/Capt. Seacard do; 8. Orphan Children o
! Joha Robbins, do; 6 Heirs of JOHN Brooiies
4 do 81. Richard Blow Insured.
We ara requested 10 acknowledge, on be-
half OF the Citizens of Portsmouth, the promp
aud effective services reuderrt in checking
tie progress of the flames, by the Engine
from the NAVY Yard, sent 10 ibeir aid b,
Capt MCPHERSON OF the u. $. Navy; the H.
niou aud Franklin Fire Companies OF Norfolk
Capts. ARCHER and MYERS the u. ). AriilIe
risis from EniI NeIsnI- muder lLe nIdet. O