Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-01-23


O'Clock, A. M. and while the Ere was coufnet
to the aoor, but such vas the eombusiibilIty o
every thing around, that before the citizen'
could collect in force, the house was wrapped
in flames, and several others were on FIRE, par
ticularly the back buildings of stores and cwel
Iiugs fronting on King and Faitfax-streets and
running back to the alleys on which the work
shop was situated. BY great exer,ion the fire
was prevented from reaching the front build
ings Of King-street; but the kitchens, stables
and other out-hcuses of Mr.. Samuel Smith,
Mr.. William A. Williams, Mr.. John Adam,
Mr.. Archibald Douglass, Mr.. Thomas Mount,
Mr.. Robert Barry, and Mr.. Thomas L, Mar
tin, were either burnt or pulled down.
The back buildings OF several houses front
ing on Royalstreet were consumed, as was alse
frame dwelling fronting on an alley, and imme-
diately South Of Mr.. Green's workshop The
FIRE soon reached Fairfax. street, where it was
checked on the North by the three story fire.
proof, occupied by Messrs. Edward S,abler &
Son as drug store; but every other house on the
West side Of Fairfax, and between Staber's and
Prince-street, were almost simultaneously in
flames, and were speedily consumed. At Prince
street the progress Of the fire was arrested South
and West, but Notwithstanding every effort, it
crossed over Fairfax street 10 the East, consum-
ing twa three-story brick houses fronting there
on, when it was again mraculously ARRESTED.
In the mean time, however, the lighted shin
giles, borne by powerful northwest wind, had
kindled another, and still more awful fire, in
separate part OF the town. This commenced
| about four hundred feet from the termination
Of the first, and on the north side Of Prince
street, near the intersection Of that and Water
stree:. In few minutes, both sides of Prince
street, between Water and Union, together with
warehouse on the east side Of Water street
four others on the west side of Union street
south OF Prince, and three others on the same
side of Union, north of Prince-were all in
flames, and every house except Two was de-
s,roycd--many OF them with their whole con-
tents.
II was while the last FIRE was in its height,
and the first yet raging-and al moment when
the exhausted citizens, were almost without
hope-that our brothers of Washington and
Georgetown, came to our aid-reanima,ed our
dropping spirits-s,imulated US to new exer-
,ons-and redeemed the most valuable part OF
the town, and perhaps the shipping, from the
inevitable destruction that otherwise awaited
il. For Ave hours the flames were rushing
,rcs, bouse TO house With incgcasing surg--iar-
niture and goods, were scattered in every d.
rec,ion, women and children were flying for
safety, and houses that were not burnt, were
often on Ere, sometimes dozen at once. Lam
puape cannot paint so distressing picture,
nor will those who did not see the original, ev-
err be able to equal il in their imagination. But
thanks to Heaven and the friends it sent to US,
we have escaped with less injury than We ex-
pec,ed, and there are fewer Of US reduced TO a
dependence on charity, than might have been,
had the fire ragged to the same extent, in almost
any other part Of the town. Even those who
are thus reduced, have the consolation to be-
leve, that, through the generosity oil Congress
and our sister Cities, who we know are making
exertions in our behalf, they will not be allow
ed to suffer-
We shall proceed now to detail as accurate
" as we can, the nature and extent Of the loss
We have already enumerated the buildings
which were burnt in the interior Of the square
where the FIRE originated. The sufferers there,
in personal property burnt, and injured by re.
movals, were Mr.. James Green, Mr.. Samuel
Smith, Mr.. William A. Williams, Mr. John
Adam. Messrs James ard Archibald Doug
lass, Mr.. Thomas Mount, Mr. Robert Barry,
Mr.. Thomas L. Martin, Messrs. John M. John
son s. Co. Messrs Withers S Washington,
Mr.. Presley Simpson, Mr.. James w. Scott,
and Messrs. Edward Stahler S Son. On Fair
fax-s,ree, the houses burnt, were:
4 frame warehouse owned by Messrs. John
Lloyd and Mordecai Miller, and occupied by
Mr.. George Hill, timer and representatives.
considerable.
A frame house owned by Mr.. John Lloyd