Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-05-14

The crowded audience and the attendance o'
respectable strangers from all parts OF the Ohion'
as well as the number of seatarng men present.
afforded proof of the growing interest ieit Dy the
communty in favor Of long neglected, though
highly meritorious class of fellow beings.
Snndov School Union.-The different schoo's
connec,e3 with the New York Sunday Schcoi
Union. amounting to some thousands, cohseheo
on the Park Yesterday afternoon, asreeaoly TO APP
no;n,heot. accompanied by their respective, SUI
pper;n,endants and teachers. We could not heiP
contrasting their neat and tidy appearance NO
use no stronger epithet) with some groups vi
ragged, dirty children who were playing marbles
within the same enclosure, and seemed 10 take
no notice of what was passing around them.-
These last. we presume, never attended, sun
day School. :, =. ,-n >,
niyersary at the middle Dutch Church-Kev
DIR. Minor presiding. Prayer having been Offer
ed by the Rev. Mr.. Mccarthy, the reports were
read by Erastus Ellsworth and Horace Holden,
Esos. respectively. from which it appeared that
there are now in operation in this city, connected
with this Union. So schools, containing ll,27S
scholars, and instructed by l,7S5 superlntend'
ants and teachers. OF the teachers 2SS, and 222
of the scholars have made profession of religion
since the last annual report. The whole num-
Der of teachers who are professors OF religion is
1860. and of scholars 247, There are49 Libra.
ries, containing l5.162 volumes.
-<ne9eaa-
Destruction of the Penilentiary by FIRE.
Monday night last. a few minutes alter O'CLOCK
fire was discovered to issue from the root OF the
work shops forming part of the Pententlary Edi'
flee, and in spite of all the exertons OF those hav
ing charge Of the Institution, aided by the clta'
zens of the town. the fame spread rapidly to the
main building. and the whole was burnt, togeth'
er with the wooden house in the yard, and the
couniy Jail, about 60 yards off. The County
Courthouse was saved with much difficulty, and
although tie wind was light, the fire caught some
houses at the distance of three hundred Yards
The light of this great conAagration was distinct
! " seen at Eatonon, twenty miles from this place.
| None Of the prisoners escaped, or were burnt
all the books and papers of the institution were
saved The loss in manufactured articles, raw
materials, tools, &c. may amount to eight or ter
thousand dollars. Temporary arrangements are
making for the shelter of the cOnvicts, who are
kept at labor within the high brick wall tina
encompassed the building, and secured at night
by being hand-cuffed and strictly guarded. In
short time part of the cells, the construction Of
which was directed by the last Legislature, vii
be in readiness for their reception.
The buildings destroyed cost the State, we be-
leve. upwards of an hundred thousand dollars
but the construction was very bad, and if the sys
tenn of Furnishing crimes by Penitentiary lmpri
sonment shall be peIsevered in, of which there
NAV be some doubt the demolition of an editice
so unsuitable to the purpose, will scarcely be
public loss. 1t is not doubted but the fire wa:
communicated by some of the convicts-asy yet
however. no discovery has been made that will
fix it on any one Of them. In the general con
fusion and anxiety to secure the convicts. pri
soner in the county Jail. of the name of Wilkin
son, charged with the robbery of the public mail
of which he had been the carrier, made his es
cape. -MAedgeu,Le Rec. Mays.