The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1838-05-15
From the Charleston Patriot april %.
AND AWFUL CONFLA


| 1t is with feelingsso narrowing that our pen
almost drops from our hand in making the rec
ord that we have to inscrbe on our page this
evening conf1agration that for its extent, is al
most unutterahle horrors and the accumulation
of misfortunes it has heaped on our citizens, has
had parallel in the history Of similar Affections
to which our ILL., fated city has at various periods
been devoted. Unfortunately long period OF
drought, producing scarcity OF water ana a
more than usual portion of combustabe fpatefi-
ais for the devouring elements gave 1t an inlon-
sity, that it spread at least one fourth OF the
city with electrical rapidly. House after house.
square after square, were demolished, with Il
speed that seemed to concentrate all the worst nor
rors of a conffgration that defied contrivance
and paralyzed energy in its extinguishment.
| We have never before witnessedIa spectacle so
awful so narrowing, so heart sickening III all It's
dreadful accomplishments. The misfortune IS
almost imparable, and calculated to humble the
pride ofhuman ambition. 1t was but recently
:hat tho citizens of Charleston were buoyant
with hope, as TO the improvements of its CONNER
ciaI fortunes and the increase of its population
| it is succeeded by despair--by distress that
knows no mitigation--by calamity that cannot
be described, but may be imagined. But let us
to our melancholy task
The alarm OF fire was given between and
o'clock last evening the wind blowing fresh from
the south west. Before the citizens assembled
in adequate numbers to work the engines and
apparatus was provided for blowing up houses,
sufficient time elapsed to envelope in flames the
wooden two story house at the corner of King
and Beresford streets, in the occupation of Mrs.
Babson and IA small wooden tenement adjoin-
ing, occupied by fruiter, a free colered woman.
| 1t quickly communicated to the dwelling occu-
| pied by Mr. Simmons as a paint shop, on the OPP
posite corner Of Beresford and King street, but
was arrested at the house in the occupation of
Mr.. Ladaveze the third door from the south west
corner of Beresford and King streets.
Streets running North and South-On King
street from the second door below Beresford
street, all the houses are burnt on the western
side to Society street--on [ he eastern side from
opposite Beresford to Society street. On Meet
ing ST., western side, from the new theatre to the
corner of Society street-on the eastern side
from the lceHouse 10 Society at. On Arson
street, on the western side, from the Sugar Re-
fnery to ST Stephen Chapel--on the eastern side,
from opposite the Sugar Refinery TO Laurens ST..
| On East Bay street, west side, from the west
corner of HasellSst. to the two doors north of
Society street-on the east side, from opposite
lasell to Society ST. From the house on the
west side occupied by DR.. Porcher, at the corner
of Cumberland street, to Market street--on the
east side three brick houses belonging TO VIM.
Aiken, extending to Market street.
| Streets running East and West-On Beresford
st. north end south side, two thirds Swinton's
Lane, north and south side, two thirds Market
street west of King street, both sides, all with the
exception of two houses; Market street to the
east of King, all the buildings on both sides, and
also the market, including the new Masonic
Hall, fronting Meeting street down to Church st.;
Beauain ST., all the houses on both sides inclu-
ding the Roman Catholic Chapel, the Hebrew
Synagogue and the Methodist Church called
Trinity with the exception of the house on the
north in the occupation OF John Stoney, Esq !;
Wentworth ST, west side of King, both sides near
y to st Philips, on the east side all the houses
on both sides to East Bay including the Metho-
dist Protestant Church., Society street, all the
buildings on the south side from King st. TO East
Bay--on the north side all but one.
| In maiden lane, two houses were burnt being
all there was in the lane.
While the conflagration was raging in its height
fresh alarm was given, and fire was found TO
proceed from building called Norton's Mills
on Gadsden's Wharf which was burnt down.
without however, doing other damage. The
| fire was arrested in all quarters at about twelve
O'Clock, p. NJ. having burned for Is hours unre-
mittingly.
The amount insured in Charleston is about
ST. 100000, of which it is supposed the offices
here will be able to pay about 90 per cent-a
considerable amount of goods is insured in NY.
! But the most melancholy part of our duty re-
mains to be performed-to wit to record the
death of valuable lives. Among those who per-
ished from want of caution i'm blowing up houses,
was Col. c. J. Steedman, long known in our
community for his valuable qualities, Capt. Duff,
OF the ship Herald, Messrs Frederick Schniebe,
and j. S. PERT Among those riously injured
by explosions were Messrs ]. ID. Brown and MIR.
NJ Torley. Messrs Steedman and Torey re-
ceved their hurts while blowing up a house in
East Bay opposite Hasell street, Messrs Schnie
BILE and j. S. PERT, while in the House at the
corner of King and Liberty streets. Several
blacks were killed from the same cause, one
black fellow who was in the above house, and
mulatto boy named William, belonging to Mrs.
Michel, who was literally blown to pieces,
1t is subject of lasting regret that buildings,
both public and private which were ornamental
or useiulto the city, should have been involved
in this wide spread destruction. Among these,
the New Hotel, erected at an immense expense,
| is to be enumerated, and what is remarkable
circumstance, is that the new fre-proof stores
lately built on Pearl street, We're only slightly in
jured, while the buildings an every side OF them
were burnt-The Roman Catholic Chapel and
Hebrew Synagogue were neat buildings, and