Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1823-03-27
NEw-Yo March IL

%'E " OhtAs Wal Ih
Destructive Fire at CIntoR We
have been favored with the perusal ofse-
yeral letters from Canton, giving the
particulars of a caamitous and very ex-
tenSive fire at that place, which, it will
be seen, was attended with a deStruc-
ton almost unprecedented, & of which
probably, the effects upon the East India
markets will be sensibly felt, more or
less, throughout the civilized world. 1t
broke out in the quarter of the city call
ed Hog Lane, and continued four days,
sweeping every thing before it. From
ten to twelve thousand houses were de
stroyed, in which are included nearly
all the factories and ware houses of tbs
foreign merchants The following is an
extract from one of the letters.
Extract OF a letter to gentleman in this
city, dated
"CANTON, Nov. ). 1922.
"Circumstanced as [ am at this mo.
ment, it is requisite that should be We
ry aconic, for have only time to say,
that, Oh the night of the 18th ult. the
western part of this city was discovered
to be on fire-the wind at the time
blowing a strong gale from the north
ward. The flames spread SO rapidly,
that all the Factories were in blaze by
8 or 8 O'Clock in the morning, although
the fire commenced ! of mile north of
them. From the factories. the fire took
a westerly direction, and DESTROYED
vast number Of buildings in that quar-.
ter. The estimates of the whole number
of Buildings burnt are various, ranging
from 7 to Is thousand; but | am of o.
pinon that from to thousand is some
where about the truth.--The number of
factories destroyed is sixty five; and on
ly FIVE or six dwellings. occupied by for
egners escaped the fury of the flames,
viz numbers in the old English Hong,
two in their new hong, and Mr.. viii.
cocks house. We foreigners are now
all adrft--to feed ard lodge wherever
we can.
The amount of property destroyed is
immense. The English Company's loss
is very great-a good part of their i'm.
portations this year, having fallen a sa.
crifce: their cloths are burning still -
The loss among the Americans is light /;
it viii not probably exceed Sl00,000.-
was fortunate enough to save every
thing out of my house, except some few
artlci es of furniture. stores, &c. which
in amount is trilling.
Canton, at this moment is in great
confusion, as you may easily conceive.
| cannot sit leisurely To write, as have
no place; and, being separated from my
writing utensils &c | am indebted to
one of my friends for pen, ink. and pa,
per-
Another letter says-"The warehouse
occupied by Mr., Filing, from Philadel-
phia, was the only one among the for.
eisn factories and warehouses that escap-
ed destruchon. He behaved most no.
blys throwing his doors open and PrOyid-
ing and distributing his stores for the re-
lief of his distressed countrymen, with
out fee or reward The sailors and boats
of the British and American vessels
were ordered on shore to assist in pro
teC;ing the property of their employers
The British commodore, who had a We
! ry respectable force on shore, offered
! every assistance to the AmeraIcans.-
=, The estimated loss as far as could be
asCertained, when the Caledonia sailed,
! would be TO the British, without caIcu-
lating their superb factories and store
houses, one Cilhon and half Of dullars.