Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-03-10
From the Boston Courier, March S.
FIRE Az ST THOMAS.

BY capt. Lane, of the brig St. Tho
mas, arrived here yesterday, the fol-
lowing information is obtained: On
the 18th Feb. a fire at St. Thomas laid
about 400 or 500 houses in ashes, and
about 100 stores, of all descriptions, in
the west part of the town. Property
to large amount was destroyed, and
hundreds who arose in the morning
rich and independent, were before noon
naked and destitute, the fire being SO
rapid, with strong gale, that little
property was saved from its fury
The markets were, however, but little
affected by the fire, there being such a
large stock of provisions, SC. on hand,
in the part Of the town that remained
uninjured, and on board the numerous
vessels in port. Not one of the Anne
rican houses in the place sustained any
injury, they being all located in that
part of the town which escaped the
fire. The Governor had issued an or
der, prohibiting the rise of any provi-
sions or rent in consequence OF the fire,
and of any advantage being taken OF
the unfortunate sufferers. Flour was
selling at Sol; white pine lumber, 20;
shingles 4; fish 2 a d per box; macke-
rel 81 4; and almost every other ar
ticle of provision in proportion.
We have been favored with the pc
rusal of letter bearing date the 18th,
which gives in addition to the above,
some further particulars. "The lire
commenced about o'clock, A. NJ. and
ragged with the utmost fury for several
hours, destroying every house and store
situated to the leeward of where II
commenced, save two buildings; one a
house on the top of the hill, and the
other fire proof store. The number
Of families now houseless are conslde-
rably more than 500. The distress a
mongst them you can have no idea OF
think but for a moment of several hun
dred families reduced from easy condl-
ton to beggary; many who on that
morning were in affluence, are now
pennyless and dependent upon the ge-
nerosity of others for their daily food,
At the time of the alarm, the writer
was quite near to where the fire broke
out, and is certain that it might easily
have been extinguished, if the firemen
had been allowed to work in their usu-
al daily dress, but the law compels them
to put on their uniform, therefore the
flames made such rapid progress, be.
fore sufficient number were collected.
to be of any use, that they could not
resist its fury. For long time we
expected the whole town would be de-
stroyed, as the flames were gaining "a.
pidly to windward, and it is owing
mostly to the crew of the Z. S. schr.
Grampus. that a check was made to
them at all. 1t was a: first apprehend.
ed that it was the work of an incendi.
ary, and the signal for general rising
amongst the colored part of the popu,
lation; but it turned out to have been
owing to the foolish superstition OF q
woman who had lost two ducks; 20
recover which, she lighted a candle,
first sticking it full of pins for the pur-
pose of putting the thief into such
pain as to force him to confession,
and leaving the house for few mi
nutes, found the curtains Of her bed on
fire, when, after an Intellectual attempt
TO smother the flames, shut up the
house and fed. without giving the
alarm; she is now prisoner in the
fort. The whole island is under mar
tial law. At present we are all very
uneasy, particularly during the night.
The merchants, one and all will be
losers, more or less, by this calamity,
as we are obliged to keep running &C
counts with the people here or do no
business"
The postscript of another letter, bear
ing date o'clock, +. NJ. 18th, says,
cit gives me pleasure to inform you
that the whole military force of the
island meet in half an hour. and then