The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1838-05-12
gtIEln NNWs0
AWFUL AND DESTRUCTIVE CoNFLA.
GRAFTON
Charleston csty IN Rims.


cate to our readers this morning, The city
of Charleston has been visited with an aw-
ful and most destructive fire.
A slip from the office of the Augusta
Chronicle, dated April 2sth, 6 p. M. fur
nises the following particulars.
"We learn with the deepest regret, by
passengers from Charleston, who arrived
here this evening by the Caroline Railroad,
that the city of Charleston has been visited
by one Of the most awful and destructive
fires that has ever visited any city in the
United States. One third of the city was
laid in ashes at the departure of the cars
raging as if itwould at least consume one
third more.
The fire broke out last night at quarter
past eight o'clock, in paint store, on the
western side of King street, corner of Ber-
esford ST. 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 Beresford street, up TO Socie-
ty street, and east of King street, to the
Bay, was burnt down or burning. From
Beresford to Society are four streets-from
King street to the bay about as many, or
perhaps more. The fire had also extended
four or five blocks west of King street, and
was still pressing with terrific rapidity up
that street in the direction of Boundary st.
when the cars left. Our informant believes
1t impossible TO calculate what will be the
ultimate extent of the fire, as it seemed in
no way checked at 6 o'clock this morning.
Among the buildings consumed are
number 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 CEN
ire OF business, on King street, were burnt
out, among them Parish, Wiley & co. and
G. III. Kelsey & co. Boream e. co. and all
in that neighborhood, and the large store
house of Miller, Ripley & co. on the corner
OF King and Society streets, was catching
the flames when our informant left. The
Merchants Hotel, formerly Miot's had not
caught, but it was believed, to be impossi-
BILE to save it. At Norris Hotel, still high
er UP King street, and on the west side.
they had removed all their furniture and
bedding, in almost certain anticipation of
being burnt out.
large number ofhouses 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 incessant and unavaiIing toll, found
themselves this morning, able TO make but
a feeble resistance to the still raging and
devouring flames, A number Of persons
had been killed by the blowing up of hou-
ses and throwing furniture into the streets.
The steamboat Neptune, lying in the Bay,
caught on fire but was fortunately extin-
guished.
The trunks directed to this office and to
the Constltutonalist office, from the news
paper offices in Charleston, failed 10 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 particu-
lars.
This is indeed anournful catastrophe! A
fourlshing city laid in ashes, her people
burnt out of home and subsistence, and
millions of property destroyed in single
night! The Insurance 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
calamity. Years cannot make Charleston
what she was.
STILL LATER.
Letters and slips by the Express Mail,
inform US that the fire ragged with incredi-
bic fury for sixteen hours, and exhausted
itself about ONE, p. M. on the 2sth ult.
The extshtOf the calamity is frightful in
deed.
Thirteen hundred buildings are DESTROYED
with their contents-supposed to be worth
S5,000,000! The flames were visible for
20 miles. The noble Hotel, called the
"Charleston," worth, with its furniture,
S2O0,000S is a heap of smoking ruins T!
The Masonic Hall, Methodist Episcopal,
and methodist Protestant Church, Catho-
lie Chapel, and Hebrew Synagogue, are
destroyed, with many of the handsomest
houses in the city.
Colonel O. j. Sedman, Mr.. +. Schnier-
le, Mr.. Pieut, and Capt. Duff, Of the ship
Herald have 1oet A,a;- IT,. NJ. -.