Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1836-01-05
From he Nee Yorker.
FURTHER PARTICULARS OF THE GREAT
FIRE

fire originated, as was supposed, in the store of
Messrs Comstock & Andrews, % Merchant
street. The occupants of other stores in the Vi
cinity heard an explosion about o'clock of the
fatal evening and Immediately thereafter the
flames burst from the first and fourth stories of the
building aforesaid, occupied above, while the
intermediate stories, in the possession of unoiher
firm, remained for some minutes perfectly dark.
Of course the conhagration mus, be attributed TO
attached 10 any person.
We are aware that our city will rest under the
impu,aion, from The appalling extent of this cal
amity when viewed IN connex'on with other cir
cnms'ances, of being peculiarly exposed to these
affective visitations. We ask those at a distance
to reflect that the fire broke out at very worst poin,
in the whole city-,hat the night was one of the
coolest ever known in this city and over the whole
face OF the country-that the wind was unusually
high throughout the highland that it was utter
ly impossible TO work the engines, after short
time owing to the accumulation of ice in the
hose. Had the fire obtained SO sudden aud com
ple,e an ascendency in The most compact portion Of
any other Of the large cities of the Union we
firmly believe that it must have been fearfully,
though perhaps not equally, disastrous.
The spirit with which the very grea, loss sus-
tanned is borne by the great body of the sufferers
excies universal admiration. Not one in hun
dred dreams of despondency-few seem to regard
II as any thing more than serious check to our
career of unrivalled prosperity. Many of the
merchants had sdcured new stores for the contnu-
anco of their business before their old ones had
fairly fallen victims to the devouriug element aud
some we learn, even before it had actually reach
ed them Arthur Tappan 81 Co. had their goods
fairly in store the morning of the fire, and actually
tcaI ~. 90 g ,,.,
ness at their new stand and that the contracts had
been completed for rebuilding their old premis-
es At this moment, it was probably but Just pos.
sible 10 set foot on those same premises. The re-
moval Of the ruins was in many instances com
men;ed as soon as the bricks were cooled sufi-
ceu'ly TO be handled. The Gazette forclbly re-
marks:
There IS one point Of view in which this disas-
ter, great and serious II s, has been instrument
tai IN calling forth cheering and even plsasurable
feeling that is in the evidence it furnishes Of
the fortiinde, and enterprise, and elastic spirit Of
our mercantile community. Even IN the very
height of the agration-under the first pres
sure OF the Impending run-it was beautiful TO
see the manly conposnre with which hundreds of
merchants stood looking upon the destruction of
their weslth. and the selCpossessed activity with
which they, and indeed all exerted themselves
wherever there was hope that exertion might be
useful. instances were not rare in which mer
chants wh0se all was IN the flames were laborng
TO assist their nelghbors in removal Of goods With
as much energy and spirit as though their own
fortunes were beyond the influence of disaster
And during the intervening time-sfter the excite
ment had passed away, and there was leisure for
reflection upon the magnitude Of their losg-,here
was not single weakness word Of unavsIng
complaint, or a moment VI yielding TO The pres
sure Of the evil
We believe very general satisfaction was given
by the efforts Of the Banks, &c To relieve the im
mediate pressure Of the calamity. conference
Of their Presidents was held, and resolution mu
ually adopted that the notes Of the sufferers fall
ng due within thirty days should be rene Sej in
'arihbiy the endorsers remaining the ssme. fB,
singular good ioTtone-or rather BY the excel
fence ct their construction not a single Bank
"ss destroyed, though nearly oil were 10 the ia-
mediate vicinity, and several were 10 imminent
danger from the haines.l Individual Iberahiy
snd public spin, we're uons picuously d,splayei.
Several Of our first business houses--B Ay,oa, 4
Co. 5. V. X. Wilder, Rowland & Aspiuwal lbe
latter themselves sufferers 10 The amour, Of es0
OO0,) promptly offered 20 cash all their ouistapd-
log paper. At the legal rates OF interest as re-
lief 20 the money market.
The COaT.er des Flats Unis Gays:
The Ices sustained By frcneh commerce il
immense. II Ia stated that bot three French ia-
pOteFs' Of Lyons goods have escaped. We have