The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-01-30
From late Canton Papers.
DREADFUL FIRE AT SURAT.


To whatever cause its origin may he attributed
it appears in consequence of the difficulty in OBJ
tanning water it was at first much neglected. A
fresh northerly breeze was blowing at the time,
the flames spread rapidly, and shortly after sun
set exhibited fearful extent and strength of fire
The wind in the evening decreased, but the fire
was augmented, and the vast volume of dense
smoke which rose in enormous masses, was bril-
| liant with the intensely fierce flame. In some of
the narrow streets crowded with fine spacious
| houses, the fire acquired force past all endur-
ance or description The fire was so fierce, the
heat so intense, tho volume of fame so Vast, that
nothing escaped. In its progress the flame as it
were licked up every thing. Walls fell in, and
when tie trc continued with such strength, eve
| ry thing was levelled with the ground. The heat
and dryness of the season aided the combustion,
and the conhagration was soon beyond the pow.
er of man to control. All night the fire ragged
fierce, and within few hours Of its commence
ment must have covered it is s:nted, an area Of 3
miles, shifting its course the wind varied. Al
ter an interval Of calm, Jlst at daylight Tues
day. breeze suddenly sprung up from about S.
w. and directed the fire up column of
buildings, and il ragged the whole of Tuesday in
the same awful manner as before. Many of the
poor inhabitants who had removed their proper
" TO places Of fanced safety, from which the fire
had passed away, were surprised by return
there ofthe conflagration and lost their all. AT
, p. Nj. on Tuesday it was at its height. 1t then
ed, and the timber which supported the road be-
ing burned, the bridge fell in.
In the quarter of the city inhabited chiefly by
people of the Borce Caste, there was one entrance
only from the street to the houses they inhabit.
All the men had left their homes to aid in exlin-
gushing the fire, which did not then appear
likely to reach this quarter This it unfortunately
afterwards did, and before they could return, the
only outlet was enveoped in flames, and num-
bers of helpless women and children persisted,
and the property was all destroyed. Some Bor
ras are said to have taken refuge in one oftheir
m,ujeedS, where, it being entirely built of stones,
they fanciCd themselves secure with their fumi
lies and the,lile property they carried with them.
Surrounded eventually by the fire, however the
building became so heated, the inmates were
scorched to DEATH and all persisted, iierateIy IVA
ked us it were in an oven.
Corpses were discovered in such Fl position MS
to indicate that the parties had persisted in the
very act of escaping, with money and gold and
silver ornaments found in their hands. The loss
henr - aan immense, and as far rs has yet
persisted. GreHt IinTFsbss' 500 arc stated r. have
been burnt to death, and the whole scene IS one
of wide spread ruin and desola;Ion.
The number of houses destroyed Is said 10 be
upwards of6OO0, and from the dense population
Surat contains, some faint idea OF the misery ana
wrctched state of the inhabitants may be concc-
we'd most Of them are left without tool or shell
ter and life has been preserved but to sink I'M
der famine and want, Whole tamliies nave
been dispersed, md parents are seeking their
children, and children their natural protectors;
so that besides being deprived of all the proper
ty they possessed, numbers have to bcWhI' the
loss oftheir nearest and dearest relatives.
The Kennebec journal states that Mr. Ehen
Peavy was killed i'll Windsor, Kennehec county,
on thh night ofthe 9Th ult. He had Went with
some olheryoung men, to the house OF solomon
Bruce, with tho intention MS it is supposed OF
pulling it down; 1t being supposed to lie resort
for the lceutious Tho inmates escaped:
Bruce ran to n neighbours and borrowed II gun,
loaded with buck shot; put in ball, ran BACK.
and fred upon group of men near has door'
killed Peavy instantly. Bruce was arrested, eA
amincd. and committed; he is State Irson
graduate. peavy wns respectable man, an"
left wife and two children.
PraEoNs. The Hopkinsvile, Ky. Gazette gives
tho following account of the sport they have IN
killing pigeons:
aFor six or seven weeks there has been large
nicoon roost commencing about seven ml'es
south of Hopkinsvie, and extending IN various
directions. The birds TOO have at different uihes
shifted their position, but always IN me same
neighhorhood. With the beginning of twilight
j., he evening, they present 10 the spectator al,
oppearance, enrapturing and sublime. lhey are
seen aDproaching in millions, preclseiy reSe'uo-
ling swelling cloud in the hor!Aoh-in 'oW
moments the dark mass IS hurried over MS "'"''
with tremendous roar Sii'''"i W i"e :
and with an impulse communicated TO the ar
,,h;ch nutsit in violent motion, and seems to
snake the ' very earth In ow additional mo
ments ey ery tree over an area OF perhaps n"n-
drel acres is filled by single cloud OF the BIRDS
Some of these trees, which are Scncrai'y sma'''
sustain their accumuinl'hg o"roci'' o.ne,n "io
ben, to tho ground and others are split to pieces
Sill increasing millions continue to pour III WIN
Increasing tumult. and increasing noise, burden
ngovery for miles in extent NOV ,me h work
IN n,,orv direction, scattering destruction among
the ieaihered ranks. This sport is often continued
till midnight, when every man gets his bag billed
and returns home, leaving the harrasse't pigeons
to rest the balance orthe night Early in the morn
inc they begin to move eff, and in short time
oI nre on the wing except those which are scatter
ed over the ground, the remains of the preceding
nipht's carnage and which will never fly again.
another Sub Treasury Bark ran Olive learn
That n Mr., Kncpeeler, or some similar name,