Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1822-05-07
ANOTHER CALAMITY,

NORFOLK, May l.-Our town. happily ex-
empted, for a long time, from the awful and
destructive ravages of Fire, last night presen-
ted tn the feeling heart, one of the most pain
itIi spectacles ever witnessed here. Between
I aud IL O'clock at the moment of closing
our paper, the terrific cry of Fire : resound-
ed through the streets, and upon repairing TO
rhe spot whence the flames were observed to
issue, our ears were assailed with the cries of
parents and children, flying the conflagr;eton
of their dwellings, eagerly enouring for their
relatives and friends, almost in "a state of nlI-
dirty suppilcating all whom they met, for pro-
lection, or assistance IN saving the wreck of
their little all. But such was the devouring
fury of the flames that the little they succeed
ed in dragging from their dwellings, to the
street, became the prey of the de,ouring ele-
Raent, before it could be removed TO a place of
security.
In the scene of confusion and distress, cog
sequent oil such calamity, and which still
continues, it is almost impossible to obtain
any thing like an accurate account of its orr
gin; co ascertain with any precision, the a.
mount of property destroyed, the names of
all the sufferers, or the extent of individual
loss.-For the present we can only say The
watchmen, as we learn, first discovered a bO-
dy at fame issuing from AN old frame house,
on Fayette street,nearly adjoining the large fire
proof warehouses, (owned by Mr.. George Nc
IntcSh, and lutely occupied by Mr.. f. white.
The wind blowing fresh from the South, alone
saved this fne block of Buildings from destruc-
ton, as the snls Of some of the windows and
doors We're on fire in several places from the
heat.-Frem these warehouses to .Ulrray's
on the point, formerly occupied as the Gus
tom House in length, including the frame ware
houses of Mr. Hillock, Mr.. John .HcPhaii, Mr..
tho h.,
and in depth, compromising all the buildings
from McintoslI's ware houses to the fire proof
warehouses of NIessrs. j. g. u. T.. Tab, on
Kelly street, with the exception of the Tobac-
co ware house and The ERE proof bake house
of Mr.. Stephen Harris, including the tenements
on both sides of Fayette-street, were in less
than an hour one mass of flame, and were TO-
tally destroyed
The Tobacco Ware House, belonging TO
the corporation, was in imminent danger, but
was saved by the exertions Of the officers of
the U. 5. Ship Hornei, who repaired to the
spot with their men, with an alacri:y, charac-
teristic of the service, and 10y the aid of some
enterprising members Of the E'tre Companies,
boldly maintained their posts on the roof OF
the Warehouse, Notwithstanding its proximity
to the immense volume of flame continually
setting towards it from .DcIh0iLe and Jhor-
burns Warehouses.
Much credit is also due To the exertons Of a
detachment of Artillery from Fort .Rorfok.
The number of houses destroyed, is COM
puted at between 80 and 10, which has robbed
nearly AS many poor families of their only shell
ter-but we trust the liberalty of those in
better circumstances, wall rescue them from
suffering.
The sympathy Of the community is very
warmly excited for the loss of Me-. John Ne
Phdu, IN comparison with which, that Of any
other individual is very iHconsiderable His
ware houses being stewed with Rice, Tobac-
co and Coffee, the cargo Of the Brig Unilp
which recently put into this port in distress,ou
her voyage from Baltimore TO Rotterdam land
a large quantity of Salt, Staycs, and Cotton
all of which, with the exception Of few tier
ces Rice, were entirely destroyed.
Mr.. .hcThdiPs loss il estimated at between
l 5 and $4,000. beacon.