Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1838-05-19
From the Augusta Chronicle.
APRIL %, 6 O'CLOCK, P. M.

| AWFUL FIRE in CHARLESTON.
We learn with the deepest regret, by passen
gers from Charleston, who arrived here thil
evening by the Carolina Rail Road, that the
city OF Charleston has been visited by one Of
the most awful and destructive fires that has
ever visited the United States, ONE-THIRD
OF THE CITY WAS LAID in ASHES
at the departure of the cars this morning at six
o'clock, and the fire was raging as If il tUould
consume al least one third more.
A fire broke out last night at quarter past
eight o'clock, in paint store, on the western
side of King street, corner of Beresford street.
The wind blowing strongly from the south
west, blew the flames diagonally across King
street, and at the time of the departure of the
cars the whole section of the city above Beres-
ford street, up to Society street, and east Of
King street. to the Bay, was burnt down or bur-
ming. From Beresford to Society are four
streets-from King street to the bay about as
many, or perhaps more. The fire had also ex-
tended four or five blocks west of King street,
and was still progressing with terrific rapdity
up that street in the direction of Boundary
street, when the cars left. Our informant
believes it impossible to calculate what will be
the Ultimate extent of the fire, as it seemed in
no way checked at o'clock this morning.
Among the buildings consumed are num-
ber of churches, the new theatre, the splendid
new hotel recently erected, and the whole
market, except the fish market. Nearly all the
large merchants, in the centre of business, on
King street, were burnt out, among them Par
ish, Willy g. Co, and G. H. Kelsey g. Co., Bo-
roam g. Co. and all in that neighborhood, and
the large storehouse of Miller, Ripley, s. Co.
on the corner of King and Society street, was
catching the flames when our informant left.
The Merchants Hotel, formerly Miot's had
not caught, but it was believed to be imposs-
BILE to save it. At Norris's Hotel, still higher
up King street, and on the west side, they had
removed all the furniture and bedding, inalmost
certain anticipation Of being burnt out.
A large number of houses had been blown
up, to no purpose. All the powder in the city
was exhausted, and all the water in the pumps
the people, wearied with whole nights in
cessant and unavailing toll, found themselves
this morning, able to make but feeble resist
ance to the still raging and devouring flames.
A number of persons had been killed by the
blowing up Of houses, and throwing furniture
in the streets. The steamboat Neptune, lying
in the Bay, caught on fire, but it was fortunate
ly extinguised.
Ine CunkS uiTeCleu To tnlS OIlce anu 10 Ln6
Constitutional Office, from the newspaper Offices
in Charleston, failed to come this evening, as we
presume no papers were printed there last night
--and as the regular mail was closed last night
before the fire broke out no other information has
been received here than that from passengers,
which is necessarily limited as to particulars.
This is indeed mournful catastrophe A
aourishing city laid in ashes, her people burnt
out of home and substance, and millions of pro-
perty destroyed in single night The Insu-
rance Companies Of Charleston we learn, are Of
small capitals, and will every one no doubt, be
ruined, and still be unable to make good but a
small portion of the losses. Hundreds of fami-
lies must be utterly ruined by this general ca
lamity. Years cannot make Charleston what
she was.
P. S.--Since the above was written, we have
been shown letter from Charleston closed a
little before o'clock this morning, and brought
up by passenger, which confirms all the impor-
tant facts stated above. 1t also states that the
rigging of many of the vessels lying at the
wharves had been burnt.