South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-12-26


northwest, and the weather SO intense
" cold as to render the efficient work
ing Of the engines impossible. The
consequence was, that the fire held
the mastery through the night spread
ing with great and destructive rapidi-
~. I. was an awful night for New
York, aud for the country.-But we
can neither describe the grandeur OF
the spectacle, nor its terrors, nor the
desolation brought more distinctly to
view by the morning light. The arm
of man was powerless and msny OF
our fellow. citizens who retired 10 their
pillows in sffluence, were bankrupts on
swakipg.
The fact Of the powerlessness Of the
fremen, from the almost instantaneous
.congelation Of the water, and the be-
numbing influence ofihe cold, incress-
ed the CONSERVATION which prevailed
among the thousands of the agitated
multitude who we're witnesses Of the
calamity-many Of them doomed to
stend and see the destruction Of their
own fortunes, without being able to
lift finger for the rescue. To arrest
the flames was at once seen 20 be i'm
possible, save By the blowing up Of
ranges Of buildings in advance of the
FIRE, tina. its progress might thus be in
tefrupted. But The difficulty was to
obtain powder none Of consequence
being allowed in the city. A suffi.
Gent supply, therefore, could not be
obtained short Of the Navy Yard
whence, also, the mayor was obliged
to send for strong military force, to
preserve property from the swarms OF
robbers who are ever ready on such
occasions.
Such is the confusion that prevails,
and such the difficulty ofworking ones
way among the smoke, and fire, and
heated ruins, that it 10 impossible to
detail particulars with any pretension
to accuracy.
South side of Wall.street from Will
liam-s,reet to East river, including the
Merchants 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 street.-the Garden Street
church was embraced in this section.
Merchant street formerly Hanoyer)
both sides, from Wall TO Hanover square.
William street, both sidee, from Wall
street to Hanover square.
Pearl street, both sides, from Wall
street to Coenties slip, including the
whole sweep of Hanover square.
Stone street, from Hanover square to
the lane leading to the head of Coenties
slip.
Exchange street, and part of Beaver
streets, from Pearl nearly to Broad.
Water street, both sides from Coffee
house slip to Coenties slip.
Front street, both sides from Coffee
house slip to Coenties slip.
South street. from the same TO the
same.
South eide Of Coffee-house slip. from
Pearl street to the East River.
Both sides of Old Slip, (including the
Franklin market) from Pearl street to
the East River.
North side of Coenties slip from Pearl
street to the river.
Jones's lane, Gouverneur's lane, Guy
ler's alley, and part of Mill street. \
Seventeen blocks Of buildings, of
the largest and mos. costly descEip'
ton, are totally destroyed; the large
block between Wall street and Ex-
change place, bounded ON the west by
Broad street, that between Exchange
place and Beaver street, fronting on
Broad street, and that between Bea-
yer and Mill streets, also fronting on
Broad, are greatly injured, and may
almost be said to be destroyed, except
the single range of stores fronting on
Broad street. The number Of build.
ings it is impossible to ascertain, but
il is estimated between 700 and 1000.
The amount Of property destroyed is
incalculable.
Those acquainted with eur city will
at once perceive that nearly the en-
tire seat of its greatest commercial
transactions has been destroyed. II
is not probable that the destruction OF
any given section Of any other city in
the world, of equal extent, would have
involved greater destruction OF CAPT
tai, or ruined the fortunes of greater
number of men. The destruction OF
goods of every description that can be
enumerated, has been immense and
what yet farther magnifes the calami-
~ is the fact, tina, the portion OF the
city tbua DESTROYED ia one which has