The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1836-01-01


wards consumed. DIR. Matthews church had been
made depository for goods in the carly part of
the hre, which were of course, entirely consumed
with The building, leaving nothing but the bare
walls.
With the Exchange, the public has sustained a
loss ia the me arts which is greatly 10 be regret
ted We refer to the Statue OF Hamilton, erected
by the munihcence Of our merchants during the
present year, ia the centre of the rotunda OF that
building. That, which was designed TO remain
Tor ages, is IN eight months precipitaled from lis
pedestal, and mixed with the ruins Of the i'll fat
cd structure II was erected to adorn.
The mere amount of property wasted and de-
stfoyed, not by the flames. but in the confusion
and hurry, and desperation of the time, is proba.
bly, equal TO the entire loss at ordinary fires. 1t
IS lamentabc TO see the piles of costly furniture
rich mahogany tables, with marble tops, side
boards, sofas, &c. &c broke and heapcd W like
worthless rubbish rich nerchandizes-silks, sa-
tins, broadcloths, fine muslins, and every species
Of fancy dry Goods, t-amped under foot; packa.
yes half burut-boxcs Of cutlery and hardware
burst open and their contents scattered in the mud
bottles Of vine brokeu-and in short, thousands
upon thousands and tens OF thousands of dollars
lying wasted around, III the form OF ruined mcr.
chandlze.
Carmen and porters were heaping goods upon
carts, barrows, IN coaches, and omnlbusscs the
Battery and Bowling Green are thicky studded
with ples oi goods, some IN boxes, others Just as
they were snatched from the shelves; marines
with fixed bayonets patrolng among them for
protection against maFaudcrs md all eyes fixed
upon the volumes OF dense black smoke, whlrlnr
away before the Sind-fiames dartng aud roaring
Ia. a -, 49,.
walls tunbllng 10 the gropad, and the fremen
worn out with their oxcrtions and almost discou.
ragged from farther efforts, ysny striving 10 make
head against the hames which seemed 10 mock
all human skill and power
Amidst the dreadful destruction, We are happy
10 announce, that the shipping have not sustained
any material INJURY. vast many Of them were
lying At the docks between Muuay's wharf and
Cocnilcs slip, and al one time We bad our fears
that the whole would have been DESTROYED. The
water vas very low, aad they could not tor some
time, get away. The brig Powha,an was OF FIRE,
but 1t vas soon eXunguished, and all except one
Br. brig IN Coeuties slip finally got into the
stream, where they are now at anchor
In oil cases Of great public or individual calami-
ies, especially those occasioning loss Of property,
The first impressions aud first reports, Of course
greatly exaggerated. Aud before concluding this
heavy and very imperfect account. We take leave
to caution the public abroad against giving ere.
dencc 10 rrst reports. The calamity is indeed
terrible one, end the losses vii be immense, But
st NC are warranted IN the belief that the burden
vii principally fall IN such manner that It viii
Be borne without shasiug The credit Of the city or
checking lls pruspe:'y for any considerable ioBrth
., time. We taae il ior gsanted-nay, 1t Is adj
mticd on all hands, that the IRE lnsurane, com
p4niCs aTr I'LL ruined. Souc will not be able 10
pay h.ty cents on thg dollar o. their policies, and
Others, perhaps, not more than twenty five, while
others may be rather more fortunate
But yet, the condition Of things is no, by far SO
bad many no are on the spot imagine, and not
by any means dcp'ot1blg as VII. be- re lr,seuteG
abroad, number OF able aud cool calcuatofs ia
consultation this morning, have estimated the loss
81 fifteen millions o, do.,aIs. Now tie fro iHsGg-
ance carinl ia this city, to say nothing OF lnsu'-
anccs Effected elsewhere, Is about ten mllhoas.--
he calculation is, that about 600 stores have been
consumed, the Insurance Of which DOES not aver
age more than about $1,000 on each, making the
sum OF about three millions. Tho loss ihoreupon.
u real estate, Is not By TAT great as viii u fret
be- supposed, inasmuch as the lots Themselves CON
sttutc tie chic: value, betty often worth three OF
four times more than the building on them. What
ever amount, therefore. the insurance companies
may be abb 10 pay, toe holders Of roa! estate viii
be- able 70 sustain aud bear mp under The loss. Tn
Der tals ytW Of tie case It viii BE- seen that there
will remain seven millions OF insurance capital 10
be divided lgto pro-fata dividend towards coytr-
ing IT,, losses 90 personal property. Many mel
chants, likewise, have doubtless insured Their
stock OF goods 90 OthuI cities so that, on the whole,
it need not be supposed thet the credit Of New
York win be disturbed. The losses mos, severely
to be ic.t and deplorct, viii be those Of widow and
orphans, whose property have been invested IN
st8Cbs.
We had written thus far when well informed
gentleman called with the following calculations
and estimates. II corresponds very nearly with
our o"n.
Tho estimation of the buildings burned is so.
II No estimate these at s60UJ each, II Wi! give in
round numbers three millions and halt OF dollars.
And If we estimate the value of merchandise Ia
each building at 100000 destroyed, 1t viii give
about eleven millions; making IN all about tout-
teen millions aud half And though It may ap-
pear that the estimate OF the value OF the mcr-
chsudlse o. each store IS low vet II Is believed that
the property saved Viii reduce the amount 10 TINS
average. Two.thlrds o, thus property It is bchcv-
ed was insured, say ten millions. And II the IN
surancc companies each had an average share,
their capital which amounts to eleven millions
and seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars,
would pay the wholcloss. butwe apprehend that
1t will be found tina, many OF our Offices have but
small amounts covered by them, Willie other OF our
Offices have taken an amount far exceeding their
capitals. II is also probable that the insurance
offices OF Boston and Philadelphia will come IN 10
bear small proportion Of the loss. The above,
although mere matter of opinion, will help our
citizens from the data given 10 correct this estl.
mate, or form opinions for themselves.
In one respect the disaster has fallen on us at
most fortunate period. l. is the season OF the year
when the stock of goods are reduced to the mini.
mum quantity; and the autumnal sales have this