The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1828-03-27
DOMESTIC.


FIRE. About half past three o'clock
Yesterday morning our citizens were dis
turbed with the first serious alarm OF hre
we have had the past winter. The three
story wooden building, on South MalR
Street, nearly opposite the u. ). Bank, oc'
cupied by Edward, s. Sheldon, as an alc-
ton office and place for storage, and be.
longing TO Brown & Ives, was discovered
TO be in flames, which had made such pro-
gress inside, when the alarm was gwen
as 10 render all attempts to save It's con-
tents or the building, useless. The hre
appears to have originated in the counting
room, and from the quantity of feathers
and other combustible articles IL the store,
extended with great rapidlty. The two
large wooden houses on each side, one be-
longing to messrs Brown g. Ives, and the
other TO mr.. Thomas Mowry, took fire,
(bursting out at the roots,J and for some
time the whole range OF buildings from the
brick store of messrs Brown g. Ives to Col
lcge street was in great danger. An IN.
cessant flood OF water poured from the sta
tlouary pumps, the HydraulIon, and hume
rous other engines which were managed
With great effect, and the stiffness OF the
night favoring the exertons OF the fire.
men, prevented the spread Of the flames,
and confined them to tho three buildings
named. The auction store was pretty
much consumcd.--the other two buildings
wore much injured in the roofs, upper sto-
ries aud ont buildings but only so as TO be
easily repaired.
The house belonging to mr.. Mowry was
occupied by his family, and the lower part
by himself as a grocery store furniture,
goods, &c, greatly damaged The other
dwelling house was occupied by mr.----
Crump, and miss Ruth Tower, mantuama.
ker, and her sister. These ladies', we re-
gret to learn have lost nearly all the fruits
Of their industry; and we believe it is the
third time, within few years, that they
have suffered a similar calamity. Mr.,
Sheldon has sustained q loss Of two or
three thousand dollars, in his own proper
ty, and probably the property Of others, left
there for sale, has been destroyed to the a.
mount Of q thousand dollars: besides the
loss of all mr.. SholdoN's books and papers
in his counting room. A mr.. Dunning, an
agent for the sale of books. has suffered
severely - all his stock Of valuable books,
TO considerable amount, together with
some Of his personal effects, having been
consumed. There was an auction sale of
these books the evening previous to the
fire, but mr.. Sheldon, who left the store At
half past ten, is confident there was no fire
left in the stove, and that all the lights
were carefully extlngulsbed. Mr.. Mowry.
we learn had his house insured at the
Washington Office. All the other proper
ty lost or injured was without insurance.
But little if any injury was susta ined by
the removal Of property in the vicinity of
the fire one Of the greatest causes Of de.
struc ton and loss in most cases. The
confidence felt in our fire apparatus and
the ability with which it is managed, gives
great security to those who might other
wise fancy they were in danger, and pre-.
vents much useless waste of property. IL
is now rarely the case in this town, that
fire is suffered to extend beyond the build
ing in which IT originates.
Melancholy. Connected with the above
fire we have one Of the most painful occur
rences to mention that, within our know
ledge, ever happened at fire in this town
the loss Of human life. While the flames
were at their height, mr. Joshua Weaver,
John Calder, George Weeden, and seve.
raj others, attached to the Hydraulion, at
tempted 10 lead the hose Of that engine
between mr.. Sheldon's store and the house
North Of it, through a narrow passage. Mr..
Weaver was foremost, and they were all
urged on by the excitement which is so apt
to animate person at fire, not unlike the
srdor OF soldier, in the heat Of battle
and by the encouragement of some who
were directing the movements, for the pur.
pose Of throwing the water in the most Of.
fective manner. Scarcely had they enter
ed the passage, when the gable end ofthe
building in fames, with the heavy rafters,
fell to the ground and buried them be-
meath the rubbish. The unfortunate Wsa.
YER was struck directly on the head by
heavy timber, and killed on the spot.
Calder was severely bruised, principally on
The shoulder, and Weeden received blow
On the back. The others escaped uninjur-
3D.. They were Immediately carried to
thc franklin House. and it is gratifying to
state that the two wounded men, the one
, brazier and tho other carpenter are not
injured, though they must lsces-