Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1826-01-13
THE LATE FIRE IN PETERSBURG.

From the Peieryburg Rtpujl,ca1r Of Tuesday lest
The cucer will have heard this, through the rei,iun
Of friends Of the lnclliHcsr that "Wednesday night
last, visited by ful degtuc i've
fire. which, in about hours time consumed MOI less than
eighty buildings
The given by the Ic!isenccr in The general
correct except that the tiCe commenced in stable the
of n Niary and DuGge,s Timber house, situated
the back of their store, Oil Street From this point,
the flames spread 18th nc0uceivab velocity. CARVING ter
and dSmay into the hearts of those vino hitherto had
witnessed 1oion ire with apparent conlposure The
flames assembled to the heavens while ny dads of gutcd
brands oated through the atmosphere n.,mg az iumin-
atCd canopy the heads OF those whose Fate vas 10
witness calamity, which scented Ia say. that "the night
Oi dGsOiation ciguc, and The awful dav O! :etibu-
ton hand.
VIZ witnessed the fge of I9i5-it was uneouivocallv
more desucve but IA the awful grandeur of its carac-
ter, it rushsh placed by the side of blazing
meteor Ihn, the wind presented, cOnpa lively speak
ing, the stiffness O. death. amt the g,ed particles as
they assembled the space, which separates cath from ca-
ven, lost their vitality in their elevation. descended!
again blackenCd coal: But, in t- instance, the
wind WAS hgh and instead OF steady fame which men
might view with comparative composuc, whole atnos-
pierre wasa lighted torch and li;e ovrd under an
arch fire.
Reader, This is flncy- it is exagseration: We
speak the wo,ds of "s"beress and tlun Never did W.,
witness sCene.-It beyond ts-cr)tion f,il
II was horribly sublime.
We have a!icady said, lhas the fire commenced in Il sta
bic, IN tie rear OF Maby aud Duggers lunnei house. In
an instant tue buildings adjoining ls.tcd pile, and
The blasting enrut bli defiance to the efforts of human
resistance. The e did progress step by step, or ra
cy, house by housebut it few the winds of c-
and in Instant, buildings felt influence
and acknowledged the onmpOtencc of the destroying ule-
Oar feelings (fot these lines were penncd the dav after
the hfe) must be apology iO the strain Of the pIeccd-
remarks, which repeat neither fiction, nor faucy
nor eSuggeratiou. We now in a can, moment en-
deavouro nonao The progress OF the fire, aud its
Qucnces.
Commencing IN the stable in the Of Nessrs. MaJry
ano Dugsefs lumber house, in moment it communica
10 the adjoining buildings which with much Of tirir con-
tents were destroyed. The lumber houses Of Mr. Akin.
aud Mcsrs. lmnou and Daniel, Thirty wards Distant
speedily in light blaze; and at the same moment
tho frame High Street occupied ly Aes,rs J
+. and ID. May, Dr. May, aud MIR. il. Nausiticr, as
Offices, discovered be fire. burning brand hay
ing lodged on tie roof which it ioInd impossible
exlinguiSh.
The fire having thus commenced a, different points, all
lost aud every cxernu appeared 10 be
From the tenement pied by the Messs. Aays &c the
flames communicated the large brick building belonging 20
the estate oil Tie late WIN. Bowdcn, which entirely con
sumcd. In quick succession, the family residences of
Messs. Jos. Mason, VIM NJ. Atkinson and ". jones' as
well as the spacious workshops OF Messcs Jones and
Young, were on fire, and in few leveed the
earth number of ouh0uses nd other small BUILDINGS
were also consumed in this direction.
From the vicinity where the fire first commenced tho
hancs proceeded as we have already stated, the
guouS lumber houses From thence they continued the
Oh custom house, Durells lumber house, Meades large
stable and extensive and premises and Frustrated
every building that side of the street above Mead til
they were stayed by the large lot the Nh
From Mcade's the fire communicated to Mr. H. p
Heath family residence, the opposite side aud IN quick
succession followed Mr. OTIS family residence Mrs Nj
chol s, Mr. Matthews MI Worias vern and residence
aud Mrs RusseHs residence. Here another vacant lot
stopped the progress OF the flames Mrs being the Ia
house burnt.
II would be useless number of houses
nat were on fire during the progress of tic cunGagraon
80 great was the distance which burning brands were
carried that the tobacco factory FORMERLY belonging to
Capt W. wills, IN Gfed, one time ON fire. The
house IN which live, well the Kitchen attached
were several times fire. were also almost every CON
unguous building; but by great exerous, flames were
suppressed In the alarm Of the moment, removed our
printing ma teas and they throw great con-
fusion by the bury Of the removals we found impractical
bic to issue paper on Friday last
me principal part cf the valuable houses DESTROYED.
we're insured Much furniture either injured W total
" destroyed, including several carriages belonging to
Nessrs Jones aud Young. quantity Of Cotton, slowed
the lumber houses the river destroyed or very
mach injured.
We have heard estimate OF the loss sustained by the
late confagratoD, but it be, think less Than
100000.
rs this was evidently The work Of uccudia5y would
not the Common Hall b. acting the part Of real guardia rs
to the town. by Offering liberal reward fo the detection
and conviction Of tie monster
-aH9-
The Bank Of the United States has declared dividend
o. ~ per cenl' foE the las: 6 months,