Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-08-12
PUBLIC MISFORTUNE.

lion OF our State PenitentIary by tre!
A few minutes before IL. the alarm OF
FIRE was sounded, and broad glare OF
light TO the west indicated The FIRE 10 be
in that direction. Our prophetic iears
realized, and tue extensive range Of build
ings constituting the State Penilentiary ia
pidly exhibited Tremendous sheet OF
flames. The effort 10 save The buildings
was idle.
The fire engines were hurried 10 the
spot, and crowd OF citizens were collect.
ed but the exertions we're confined to
saving the conyicts. some OF the public
prupeI ~ in the front centre OF the 5ulId>
ing. and few Wagons, plougbs, sc. un.
der sheds without Few OF The goods in
the centre building, comparatively, we're
saved.
As far as we have ascerts,ned, all the
convicts were saved. The lurnkeys, Who
slept under the building, were able 10 uD>
lock the upper rooms and those who
slept in them rushed through the front
gale A lew OF the lower cells hac not
been unlocked; aud by the most landa.
bic and vigorous eyer ions on the part oil
cur fellow citizens, through hs outer wall,
or by cutting the grazing out Of the WIN.
dows, tour wretched beings were dragged
as il were from the tomb into HE.
Capt. BoIling's company Of the Public
Qua I'd repaired with alaCnly 10 the spot
and assisted by The citizens, grouped tue
convicts together, to prevent their escape,
They were marched off to the Capitol,
and confined in its ample portico under
guard. Not one OF them seems TO have
made any attempt to escape; and through.
out the whole scene they behaved remark
ably we'll
The y hole OF tbe buildings were consul
med. No part OF the brick work fell
The penitentjary was in the form Of Sc.
micircIe. the two ends of the semicircle
connected by a range OF wall with large
house for the keeper in the line OF the
range. In tbe interior was large cen"
trail bnildIng tor workshops The fire be-
gan in this central building next TO the
east side of the semicrculsr building
1t is suspected that The fire commenced
in shoemaker's shop, where sometimes
20 or % worked at once. A strong sus'
pic ion is entertained that the FIRE was the
effect Of design, and that possibly some OF
the workmen may have contrved 10 smo-
ther up seine fire; according to this sup
position, it must have been more than
three hours before 1t burst out. But all
conjectu e is bafiled for the present.
The loss TO The Commonwealth is severe;
scarcely less at a very rough guess than
Ds00 600. II will be question. whether
the Legislature ought not to be called 10
provide against the consequences OF this
calamity.
There were 244 convicts in the build
ing OF these, II or l2 were women. We
have this moment learned that 242 have
been counted, 2 sick, supposed 10 be in
the vicinity OF the prson-no, one then
missing!
The sight was awful and grand beyond
description. No words can do justice TO
the feelings which the whole scene pro-
duced. The PenitenIiary was to The west
of the city, aud isolated some distance
from any other building. Inc fire, there
tore, communicated 10 no other. The
wind was light
Ii is long time since we sustained any
serious alarm or loss by fire ; but this blow
compensstes tor our exemptions How
many Interesting events have been crowd
ed into the shurt space OF three hours
Compiler.
Office OF the N. Y. Metcantilc Advertiser,
-dXgust6-n00n.
The following is al extract Of letter
received in this city, from an officer of the
Colombian privateer Centlla, dated at
Sea June ~. The crew OF the Wander.
err, Conway, here spoken OF, which was
lost on he- voyage from Buenos Ayres 10
Havana, reached Key Pacas in safety, al.
ter being days at sea in their boats.
NEuvrTAs, June 3.-Commences with
thick squally wea'her-3 sail in sight,
scbr and 2 briggs, one of the latter An A.
merican, apparently light and under easy
sail, standing TO the W. S. W.-wind
fresh Il N. E. At ) 2. hi. bore up and
captured the other brig, Spanish polacre.
AT z. NJ. stood Southwark; during The
night thick squalIy weather with heavy
sea--lost sight OF the prize. Al day light
brig in sight apparently in distress, her
sails partly iurled and partly loosed. ATS,
with much difficulty succeeded in board
ing her, and found her 10 be The Wander.
er, of Observation-Disclosures open her main
hatch, and found she was partly loaded
with jerk beei, with about ; tee, water in
her hold her rudder gone, being broke
off above The soaring, and appeared TO be
the same vessel seen by US yesterday, Der
pinnacle lamp being still burning We
have great teas that the crew must have
persisted at the night was very boisterous
and heavy sea running.
81 went into the cabin. where the ia
Bile, chairs, sc. were drifting about, bu.
succeeded in getting her log slate, which
induces US TO think the poor fellows on
board had lett The vessel in perilous
night. without provisions or water.
AT Z, 80. lett the vessel alter get
ting her round on The other tack, win the
hope that I'D case she kept above water
long enough she might reach the Bahama
Banks. [ succeeded IN taking of her