Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-03-13
-~xuS <zIxES caz1n.

| NORFOLK, March "a gentleman from Ma
thews iniorms US that the Jail of that countv 3,
burnt on the night of the 22d of Feb, between the
hours OF l2 and l o'clock, it is believed bv NO.
! gro woman, who had been confined in n room or
the ground floor, as runaway, and who hal made
het escape on The same evening; she was the only
prisoner In the jail at the lime and had efecteJ her
enlargement BY picking out the bars in The back n,
the Fireplace, which being shorter than usual
removed without much difficulty; and then nv
taxing CUT the bricks, in which she probably nseJ
! one OF the bars, she made an opening suGic;an,Iv
large TO pass through. About O'Clock in ,be
evening, the JaIlor informed that an unusr \
noise had been heard in the jail half an hour before
upon "hIch ne went immediately 10 it, but The
D'fu na1 Howh NOT uP' but through the chimney.
AS nothing better could be done, ne locked the
door and went his way. When the FIRE broLe a.,
1t was not discovered until the entire roof was in n
Name ana near falling in, although there was
large party at ball in The courthouse not rno,.
man ioO yards distant, celebrating the birth nj
Washington. rush was made 10 the soo, bn,
too late TO stop the conhagraron. Several gentle.
men entered lhs room In which the prisoner had
Deen confined, and there ascertained that fire had
Deen SET 10 the building between the lathng and
outer wall, which, by the aid OF aa ar-boIe in the
hoor. had assembled rapidly to the roof. which NE
ing ol shingles, was very soon in blaze There
was no way BY which the incendiaty could bay.
entered the room but through the hole made Lv the
prisoner. rEL.rai,
MOST AWFUL CONFLAGRAFIONi
March 9.-It has bscome our painful t.sk IN
record another most destructive visitation of ON,
unfortunate town by fire, which broke Out this
morning al nall past one O'Clock in a small shell
OF building south side OF Main street fs,,
PAGES East OF Church street, occunjed az s,hast
wright shop by MIR. E. Balance. The bnildin,
was IN blaze before It was discovered and the
tenants o. the large frame house, belonging IN the
hefs OIL DAVID Patterson, forming the S. r. cots
ner OF Main and Church sts. were not ssn,i..d ~
their danger until The flames had communicated ~
II, such was the rapidly of their PROCESS. owing
10 'he oryness oil the weather, and strong South
EasterIy wind.
The buildings on the North side of Main 81.
immediately opposite the fire, were also very
cOmbusiibe; the exeitions Of the Fire Connaniss
succeeded in preserving them. But II il bsynnd
the power OF our pen TO describe the scene which
presented iIself, when the flames had risen 10
iheir heiSht IN the second building. The ,sinJ
wbcO seemed to have increased in violence. yyb,tl
ed the sparks ndfskes Of FIRE to an immense dis.
lance, descended like drifting snow, which e,.Ilv
covering the singled roofs Of the houses IN ls.1
wstd' seemed 10 defy al human power To save
them from oonfsgTsiion. Several times were
some OF 'be most cOmbnstble Of them on fire.
Op' AZ o"eh eAunguIsbed by the active exertions
oil our hardy bremen. A length il was psrcejveS
that fake had lodged on the ample and elevated
ROOT OF Christ Church, (sbo0t $50 yards to lee.
ward OF The bfe,) aud kIndled into blaze. The
nose oi one OF the Fire Companies was immediate
~ sent to ex'ingnisb II, but alas! too late. IN.
hre had penetrated into the vacancy between Tho
Vaulsed ceiling and the ridge pole, aud there wa.
no means OF ascent within the ch1rcb-,h, st,cs,o
OF water e0a'd not reach j, from wiihoa', snd