The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1835-12-26


vertiser, containing the following account.
From tho New York Commercial Advertiser, of
Thursday, Dec 18th.
DREADFUL CALAMITY.
New York has been for fifteen hours
in flames They are not vet extingush-
ed. A large section, and that the oldest
and most wealthy portion of the city, is in
ruins, and whether the progress of the
Destroyer, is yet completely arrested, we
cannot tell Since the confagration of
Moscow, no calamity by fire, so extern
sive, and so dreadful, has befallen any city
in the world. The fire broke out in Mer
chant street, in .he triangular block form
ed by Wall, William, and Pearl streets,
at about nine o'clock last night. A fierce
wind was blowing from the northwest, and
the weather so intensely cold as to rem
der the efficient working of the engines
impossible. The consequence was, that
the fire held the mastery through the
night-spreading with great destructive
rapidity. 1t was an awful night for New
York, and for the country. But we can
neither describe the grandeur Of the spec
tacle, nor its terrors, nor the desolation
brought more distinctly to view BY the
morning light. The arm oe man was pow
erless /; and many Of our fellow citizens
who retired to their pillars in affluence,
were bankrupts on awaking.
| The facts of the powerlessness Of the
firemen, from the almost instantaneous
congelation Of the water, and the benumb-
ing influence Of the cold, increased the
CONSERVATION which prevailed among the
thousands of the agitated multitude who
were witnesses Of the calamity-many Of
them doomed to stand and see the de-
structon of their own fortunes, without
being able to lift finger for the rescue.
To arrest the flames was at once seen to
be impossible, save by the blowing up of
ranges of buildings in advance OF the fire,
that its progress might thus be interrupted.
But the difficulty was to obtain powder
none Of consequence being allowed in the
city. A sufficient supply, therefore, could
not be obtained short ofthe Navy Yard
whence, also, the mayor was obliged to
send for strong military force to pre-
serve property from the swarms of rob-
beers who are ever ready on such occa-
sions. What commentary upon the
depravity of man
Such is the confusion that prevails, and
such the difficulty Of working ones way
among the smoke and fire, and heated ru-
ins, that it Is impossible to detail the par
ticulars with any pretension to accuracy.
Below, We have given the account,
prepared for the Mercantile Advertiser
one of the two surviving morning papers
at the late hour al which that paper
was put to press. The conAagration con-
tinued to extend for some hours alter
ward. The reader may form some opin-
ION of the magnitude Of the calamity, by
the following statement, prepared by con-
sulling the map, after we had walked a.
round the ruins for the purpose of delibe-
rate survey.
South side Of Wall street from William
street to East river, including the Mer-
chants Exchange and excepting some
three or four buildings between Merchant
street formerly Hanover) and Pearl
Also from William to Broad, buildings not
destroyed but injured in the rear.
Exchange street, both sides, from Broad
street, crossing William to Merchant st
the Garden street church was en,brac.
cd in this section.
William street, both sides from Wall
street to Hanover square.
Pearl street, both sides, from Wall st
to Coenties slip, including the whole
sweep Of Hanover square.
Stone street, from Hanover square to
the lane leading to the head Of Coentis
slip.
Erchange street, and part Of Beaver st.
from Pearl nearly to Broad.
Water street, both sides from Coffee
house slip to Coentis slip.
Front sireel, 10th sides, hom Coffee
house slip to Coentis slip.
South street, from the same 10 the same.
South side OF CoGee-howe Sip, from
Pearl street to the East River.