The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1835-04-22

Fire on the Rail -Road-Yesterday soon after
the cars had departed from Bordentown, and when
about two miles from the Sand Hills, the conductor
discovered that the baggage was on fire. The en-
CINE immediately stopped, and every exertion
used to extinguish the flames; but being some dis
tance from water and procuring but two buckets,
the fire obtained such ahead-way, that it was
found impracticable to put out. Efforts were now
made to obtain an axe to cut away the sides OF the
car-but this could not be procured; and the only
resort was to capsize it, when rolled over, and
fortunately rested bottom up preventing any access
to the trunks, &c. The passengers land there were
upwards of two huDdred) had to stand by and wit
ness the destruction of their property, saving now
and then article it could be snatched from the
flames. The wind blew very fresh, and the fire was
seen at a great distance, and many persons came
from the Sand Hills, distance of three or -four
miles, but only to witness the destruction that was
going on. Knowing that the cars bound South
were approaching, engine was sent off to stop
them. Besides the passengers baggage, the mail
bag was totally burnt, with the newspapers. The
letters also much mutllated, many of them
burnt, but the number is not ascertained.-The
number lost cannot be known until we learn the
amount of the mail sent from Philadelphia, as the
way bill which accompanied it burnt. A
scorched bundle of letters has been received, and
the superscrptons on forty-four were decyphered
How the fire originated has not been ascertained
but it is believed to have caught from spark from
the chimney of the engine, The loss is great, bu
we have not been able to ascertain the amount. We
have heard various sums nentloned from five to ter
thousand dollars. Many of the passengers were
left entirely destitute-and we have heard of som,
peculiar cases of misfortune. Among the number
is that of lady with child, who had a journey OF
more than SIX hundred miles to perform, and who
lost every vestige of her property Some of the pas
sengerS returned Immediately to PHILADELPHIA anC
those who came on, their arrival board the
steamboat at Amboy held a meeting, and sndeav-
ored to ascertain the amount each bad lost. A COM
mittee was then appointed to wait upon the Rail
Road Company, and to lay the case before them.
The following additional particulars we copy from
the Gazette -
Among the passengers who were the greatest suf-
ferers, Mrs Re, of Boston, and Mrs. Austin
of the Theatre. The former lost large quantity
of valuable clothing, worth fifteen hundred dollars
but fortunately saved her diamonds and other jew
elry. Mrs. Austin also lost all her baggage, inclu-
ding many valuable articles of dress, but saved a
box of Jewels which was providenualIy taken from
the centre of her trunk.
A German gentleman and his wife who lost al
which was in oRs o e a"Hgh dh H rfsayar soStaas III
documents necessary for the recovery of large
tate i'll Europe, whittier he is proceeding for tha
purpose.
Mr.. Knowles, of Amherst, Mass. had packag,
in his trunk, containing fifteen thousand dollars
which was fortunately rescued from the fIames tn,
top of the trunk having been burnt up. We under
stand the money put in his charge by one ofth.
Philadelphia Banks, for a New-York Bank
We understand the Agent of the Company acted
with great GOODNESS and inrepidity, and did every
thing IN his powerto arrest the progress of the flames
". y. Com. Adr