Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-01-01
From The ~ y. Com. AdO. Of Dec.
II,
DREADFUL CALAMITY!

New YORK mas been f0r 10 h01rS in
flames! They are noi yet ex,inguish
ed A large section, and that the old
est and most wealthy portion of th4
city, is in ruins, and whether the pro
gress of the Destroyer is yet complete
ly arrested, we cannot tell. Since the
conAagra'iou of Moscow, no calamity
by fire, so extensive and so dreadful,
has beGallen any city in the world.
The fire broke out in Merchant street
in the triangular block formed by
Wall, William and Pearl sts., at about
9 o'clock last eight. A fierce wind
was blowing from the north west, and
the weather was so intensely cold as
to render the efficient working of the
engines impossible. The consequence
was, that the FIRE held the mastery
hrong the nlght-spreading with
great and destructive rspidly. 1t was
an awful night for New York aud for
the country, But we can neither d..
scribe the grandeur of the spectacle,
nor its terrors, nor the desolstion
brought more distinctly to view by
the morning light. The arm of man
was powerless; and many Of our citi-
zens who retired to their pillows in
sfAuence. were bankrupts on awak-
ing. ~
The fact Of the powerlessness of
the fremen, from the almost instanla
neous congelation of the water, and
the beEumbing influence of the cold,
Increased the CONSERVATION which pre-
vailed among the thousand of the agi
tated multitude who were witnesses
ofthe calamity-many Of them doom
ed to s'and and see the destruction of
their own fortunes, without being able
to lift finger for the rescue, To ar.
rest the hlmcs was az once seen to be
impossible, save by the blowing upOf
ranges Of buildings 10 advance ufthe
fire, that its progress might thus be in
terrupled.- But the difficulty was to
obtain powder, none of consequence
being allowed in the ciry. A sufi-
cient supply could not be obtained
short of the navy yard whence, also
the mayor was also obliged to send
for strong military Force, to pre-
serve property from the swarms of
robbers who are ever ready on such
occasions. CWhal commentary on
the depravity Of man!
Such is The confusod that prevails,
and such the difficulty of working
ones way among the smoke, and FIRE
and heated ruins, that it is impossible
10 detail particulars with any preten-
sion to accuracy. Below we have
given the account prepared for the
Mercantile Advertiser, one OF the two
surviving morning papers, at the late
hour at which that paper vas put TO
press. The coDh,gration continued
TO extend for some hours afterwards.
The reader may form some opinion
of The magnitude Of the calamity, by
the following statement, prepared by
consulting the map, after we had walk
ed aroOnd the ruins for, The purpose Of
deliberate survey.
South of Wall street from William
street 10 Fast river, includingl 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 bulln
iured in the rear.
Exchange street, both sides, from
Broad street, crossing Williamro Mer
chant reet-the Garden street church
was embraced in this section.
| Merchants street formerly Hano.
ver) both sides, from Wall TO Hano>
yer square.
William street, both sides, from
Wall 10 Hanover SO uare.
Pearl street, both sides, from Wall
street to Coenties ship, including the
whole sweep Of Hanover square.
Stone street, fromI Hanover lsquars
to the lane leading TO the head Of Coen
ties slip.
Exchange street and part Of Beaver
street, from Pearl nearly to Broad.
=
| Water street, both sides, from CoC-
ree-hOuse slip 10 COenties slip.
From front, both sides, from Coffee
house slip to COenties slip.
South street, from the same 10 the
same.
South side of COffse.hOuss Slip,
from Pearl street to East River.
Both sides Of old Slip, (ncluding
a ,..l.GN c.~--