Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-07-11
who should come forward could occupy one OF

the side rooms.
When the members of the Society arrived at
the gate, they found that, instead OF being occu-
pied for Church purposes, in the sense meant 10
be conveyed, it was thronged by congregaGon.
of blacks, assembled to hear q black preacher
by the name OF Hewes.
That the members of the Sacred Music So
ciety should feel indignant at this abuse OF their
confidence, is not surprising. Justly deeming
that consent thus surrepttiously obtained was
not valid, they claimed their right of possession
The Vice President, DR.. Rockwell, asserted
that right i'm their behalf, in manner altoge-
Their mild and peaceable. One of the colored
men-a respectable person, by the name of
Wright, we believe student for the ministry
admitted the reasonableness Of the claim, and
requested his colored brethren to retire. In an
instant, says morning contemporary, black
fellow got up and directed the congregation
to keep their seats" A dozen insolent fellows
then rose and swore that the blacks should not
leave their places. Indignant at this, the Soci-
ETY. took possession of the pulpit, and led one of
the officials out of it-but STILL without the least
degree violence A struggle then commenc
ed, the ladies Of the Society retired, and the
blacks rushed upon the orchestra with clubs and
canes, beat the Vice President violently over the
head, and severely injured several others, throw
ing benches and every missile upon which they
could lay their hands, and succeeded, by their
ing the Society, temporarily, from the scene.
The chairs and benches were broken into
clubs, the lamp broken, and principal part of
the furniture Of the Chapel destroyed by the
blacks. The police officers and the watchmen
in the lower district at length collected in suftl-
cient numbers to queli the riot, and at about 10
O'Clock the house was cleared and the doors clo-
sed. Several persons were bruised and had
their clothes torn, but we do not learn that any
fatal, or even dangerous, wounds were inflicted.
| Six of the rioters were arrested and conveyed
to the watch-house. Gangs of black fellows
| were congregated at the corners of the streets
through the night, some ofwhom threatening to
burn the city, and declaring that at the next
| time they would be in sufficient force to over
come. the whites. Even till after daylight this
morning they were parading the streets, breath
| ing violence and revenge.
IF this state of things is to be suffered to CONT
nue., neither white men nor women can much
longer leave their doors in safety. The blacks,
however, are far less guilty than the reckless
| fanatics who urge them on. We regret any re-
sort to personal violence; but the finger Of scorn
and the scowl of reprobation should meet these
| fomenters of mischief wherever they go.
| IP Since the above was in type, we learn
that handbiIls have been circulated this morn.
ing breathing the true French Revolutionary
Observation-Disclosures to Tyrants- Obedience
to God"-N Y Com.
Most Destructive Confagration.- one
o'clock this morning we were awakened from
our slumberS by the alarm bells for fire, and on
looking out found it to be in the lower part OF
the city, and apparently raging with great fury.
On Fastening to the spot We found it to be the
large FIVE story brick building No. 209, Pearl
street, four doors east from Maiden lane, and
occupied on the first floor by Messrs. Doremus,
Suydam & Nixon, wholesale dry good merchants
the second floor by Messrs. Bowers e. Addoms,
dealers in the same articles.
So rapid had been the progress of the flames
| Within before the fire was known without, that
the entire building was almost instantly envelop-
| ed in flames before twenty persons had arrived
on the spot
The whole of this building, with all it contain
ed, was soon heap of burning embers. On
the arrival Of the engines, so intense was the
heat, that 1t was for some time impossible to ap
.proach within playing distance. The building
was owned by Mr.. Redmond, and was insured
its value may be stated at $4,000. Messrs.
Doremus, Nixon G. Co. were insured for $40 900,
which is not near the value of their goods We
have been told that but few days since, SEC, 900
worth ofstock had been received into their store.
The adjoining store east, No. 21l, also OF the
same dimensions, was soon in flames, and the
four upper stories destroyed This building
was owned by Mr. William Colgate, and insur-
ed for 5000, about one half of its cost. The
| first floor was occupied by Theo. F. Brett and
Doremus, who had an insurance of SIC, 900. The
second floor was occupied by John Rankin, inn
porter Of lace goods. large portion Of the
goods in the lower story were taken out consi-
derabe damaged
The building adjoining Messrs. Doremus, Suy-
dam & Nixon on the west was a three story,
! NO 207. Ut was occupied by Revo G.. Hance,
wholesale dry good merchant and the second
floor by T. H. Messenger, as an umbrella ware
house. A .considerable portion of Mr.. Hance'S
goods were removed to Mr.. Coskey's store in
Maiden lane-the whole Of Mr.. Messengers
stock was destroyed. The destruction of this
building was caused by the falling OF one Of the
high walls from the adjoining store-the noise
of which was distinctly heard by persons in
Greenwich-street.
We regret to add that member of engine
No. IA had his arm broken in two places, by
coming in contact with the brake of No. II
while she was playing.
1t is impossible, at this moment, to state the
actual loss of property. We have heard it stat
ed at two hundred thousand dolars--the lowest
sum conjectured is ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND,
~ The fire it will be recollected broke out