Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-05-05

'S'N' 80
CITY OF RICHMOND:
II COMMON COUNCIL, May list, 1922 |
Ig>EE President submitted the following communi-
Il cation from Thomas Cumming and others, on
behalf of the citizens of Augusta i'll relation the
late destructive fire in that city.
CIRCULAR.
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April =, 1929.
II is probable that you have already learned,
through the public papers, how serious a calamity,
has bsen experienced 10y the city of Augusta On
the Sd inst. at o'clock, NJ. fire commenced in
closely built quarter of the town. The wind, which
from the beginning was violent, soon rose to gale
and bore along the flames with irresistible fury.
Showers of sparks and burning fragments whrled in
irregular eddies through the air. and kndlng at the
same moment houses far asunder rendered impossible
any concentration of efforts i'll the direction of the
wind The Intense heat aided by the contiguity of
the buildings, and the combus,ible nature of their
materials, caused the fire also extend lateraly,
with wide sweep we esteem
ed ourselves happy in being able TO the conla
grafton, even its Western side, where we were
most favored by the weather 10 the Eastward, in
a few hours, SCARCELY any thing renamed but naked
ciimNies and smoking etnbers. The rapid progress
Of the destroying element was itself material ag
graratlon oftiIc disaster. Many could not remove
their effects al all; and still more only conveyed them
to situations where they were speedily followed by
the flames. Before sunset streets were filed
with crowd of untortunates of every aye, destitute
of home, and mourEiully cleaning from confused
heap of noveabos the poor remains oftiler furniture
and raiment. We hope that you may never be
able to conceive such sceEe; for we hope that you
will never behold it.
! As you are probably unacG,ainted with the plan OF
the City, 1t is presumed that description of the To-
cal ravages of the fire would be little understood
You will obtain "a clearer notion of its extent from
the following stacment:-About two hundred front
houses with their Offices, have been consumed More
than 500 persons of all description, We're deprived
of home. The pecuniary loss cannot at present be
precisely estimated hut is probably about ilf mil
lion ofdoars, of which large part falls on those
who are least able to suprortit.
In these distressing circumstances. our population
wanting itself, in Offices OF friendship and
humanity. Immediate and ciicctual measures were
adopted to supply the most pressing wants Sub
scriptions have been comneiced, and are literally
advancing, for the provision OF continued relief Much
has hcen and more viii! be done among ourselves.
But under alicion so heavy, there thousand
claims Upon human sympathy, which must remain
unsatisiicd, without the aid OF additional resources
Influenced by this conviction, Tie citizens of Angus
Ia have delegated To the duty of representing their
situations to the benevolent oi other communities
10 have tnns represented tive trust will be sut-
Gent. We shall not wcarY yen with the frgd van
tiles OF -ietoriicai common place, in which the all
remembers himself, rather tlan his cause
We appeal to your heartsto the tribunal of feelings
not words. We address YOU in behaifof your fellow
men, and fellow citizens struck down by sudden
shock OF adversely; and doubt not thatwe shall be
heard gaos. Cumming, Jr.
Jlictd. TtJn,un,
Samuel Hale,
n. Desaigh,
.Tnhn Moore,
Henry ~. Cool,
f.. Z. Cam DJei,