Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-05-04
City OF RICHMOND:


In COMMON CoUScIL, MAY, LIST 1899
rrHE President submitted the following communi-
cation from Thomas Cumming and others, ON
oehaf OF the cizens oil Augusta, IN relation TO the
late destructive fire in that city.
CIRCULAR.
AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 4 1929
IL is probable that you have already learned
through the public papers, how serious a calamity
has been experienced by the city of Augusta. On
the I'd inst. at o'clock, = M. fire Commenced i'm
closely built quarter of the town. The wind which,
from the beginning was violent, soon rose 10 n oale
and bore along the flames with irresistible firy
Showers of sparks and burning Fragments whirlcd in
irregular eddes through the air, aud kindng AT the
moment houses tar asunder rendered mpossblc
any concentration of efforts in the direction of the
wind. The intense heat, aided by the contiputy of
the buildings, and the combustble nature of their
iaterials caused the fire also 10 extend laterally
with wide sweep of Observation-Disclosures we esteem.
ed ourselves happy IN being bile arrest the coufa
grafton, even its Western side, where we were
most favored by the weather. To the Eastward in
few hours scarcely hnv thing remained but mn kcd
chimnies end smoking esnbers. The rapid pro0ress
OF the destroying element, was itself material az
gravatlon of the disaster. Many could not retnove
their effects ut ALL and still only convened them
TO situations where they speedily followed bv
the flames. Before sunset our streets were filed
with crowd Of unfortunates Of every are destitute
OF home, and mournfuy cleaning from a confused
heap OF noveabes the poor remains ofther furniture
and rament. We hope that you may never be
aole to conceive such scene; for we hope that YOU
will never behold 1t.
As you are probably unacquanted with the plan Of
the City, 1t ia presumed that description of the To-
cal ravages of the fire would be little understood
on Will obtain clearer notion of its extent from
the following statement:-About two hundred front
houses, with their Offices have been consumed More
than $500 persons of all description were deprived
OF home. The pecuniary loss cannot at present BE-
precisely estimated but is probably about half mil
lion of dollars Of which large part tails On those
who are least able TO sup ort il.
In these distressing circumstances our population
was not wanting to itself i'll Offices of frenir hin ard
humanity. Immediate and eifectuai measures were
adopted to supply the most pressing wants Sub
scrlptions have been commenced and arc literally
advancing, for the provision of continued relief Much
has been. and more will be done among ourselves.
But under affection heavy there arc a thousand
oioms upon humane sympathy, which must remain
unsatisfed, without the aid Of additional RESOURCE
Influenced by this conviction the citizens of Angs
ia have delegated to the duty of representing their
situations to the benevolent Of other communities
To have thus represented it, trust will be sufi-
clent We shall not weary you with the frinid yan-
ties OF rhetorical common place, IN which the adj
vocnte remembers himse II, rather than his cause
We appeal to your hG0rtsto the tribunal of feelings
not words. We address you in behalfof your fellow
men, and fellow citizens, struck down by sudden
shock of adversely; and doubt that we shall be
heard.