Litchfield enquirer., 1839-10-24
AWftLi Conflagratiourn.
Cerre.pOudence Of ne COurier and Euou;r,r
Mobile. Oct. 8. $50

by most destructive contiagr0tion. Anoth-
er fire broke out last evening between and
O'Clock, in an untenanted house on the cor
ner of Conception and Dauphin streets,
which the unwearied exertions of the citi-
zens for hours were unable TO resist. The
wind was fresh from the east, blowing direct
| " across the city.
The only water to be obtained was from
| the river, which was to windward Of the
! fire, and as there were not enough of en-
zines and hose TO lead It around, the ma
chimes were entirely useless-in fact, scarce
| " twenty hhds. of water were thrown by all
of them combined. To say how many hon.
ses and stores were destroyed is now an ut
ter impossibility, but the devouring element
has left twelve large blocks but so many
heaps of burning ruins.
I Rising twenty houses were blown up by
powder, but as the wind was very strong for
the frs, four hours, that expedient proved al
! most entirely unsuccessful, until near mid
night, when happily it became calm, and at
Franklin-street the progress OF the flames
was arrested. For the information of those
who are unacquainted with the localities of
| Mobile, will give you the boundaries of the
burnt district" Every building within
I Conception street, on the east, Centre street
on the south, 81. Francis-strcet on the north,
and Franklin-street on the west, is levelled
! with the ground.
The amount of property destroyed it is
thought will not fall short Of a million Of dol
lars, and the misery and distress it has occa-
stoned is truly heart rending. Not less than
1000 persons are made houseless, and almost
every article of their property destroyed,
even after it was, as they thought, conveyed
to place of safety.
So very rapid was the progress of the FIRE,
that what at one moment was considered q
secure spot, the next half hour, was bat a
heap of blazing ruins.
The buildings destroyed were, with but
four or five exceptions, all of wood. Those
on Dauphin-street were mostly retail stores,
and those on the other streets dwelling hous-
es The fire was evidently the work of an
incendiary, as the place in which it origina-
ted had been unoccupied for the last six
months. None of our wholesale dealers and
commission merchants suffered, as they are
principally located on Commerce, Conte and
Water streets, near the river.
MoBrLE, Oet. O., 1880.
I have again sorrowful tidings to commu,
nicate. Unfortunate Mobile was last night
the theatre of another extensive confagra-
ton, which though not SO great in extent MS
the one of the previous evening, has destroy
ed property to the amount of HALF MILLION
OF DOLLARS, estimating the buildings alone,
without their contents. The fire originated
in the dining room of the Mansion House,and
the whole of that extensive establishment, to-
gethef with all its oathouses, was i'm coup
le of hours levelIed with the ground. The
beautiful edifice of the Planters and Mer-
chants Bank on the opposite corner, and the
large unfinished Hotel adjoining the Man
sion House, on which 100000 have al
ready been expended, next took fire, and
were totally destroyed. Tho flames then
communicated to the stores and offices on
the west side of Royal between Cont and
Government streets, and the greater part of
the block including the guard house, is now
heap of smoking ruins. The Post Office
was ia the Mansion House, and of course
shared its fate, but the letters and valuables
were timely removed. There is great
deal Of anxiety felt respecting the vault Of
the Planters and Merchants Bank. The
Cashier and first Teller who kept it's keys
were absent and none Of its FUNDS could De
removed. II was considered to be lire proof,
but whether it will stand the intense heat that
has surrounded it for the last five hours, and
which will be- but little lessened for the next
half day, remains 10 be seen.
This fire was also evidently the work ofan
incendiary, and while the flames were ra-
| ging at their highest pitch, another attempt
was made on brick building directly oppo-
site the bank. A barrel of Moss, fired but
few moments before, was discovered under
the caves Of the roof, which, If it had remain
ed ten minutes longer, would probably have
been the means Of destroying the whole
square on which il stood.
p. S.-The vault Of the Bank is SAFE.
! China Opiuns Trade.-The late act Of the
Chinese Government for the suppression and
extirpation of the opium trade, is one Of the
most extraordinary, for its decision and per-
feet irresistibleness which the history Of the
world presents to us. This drug is the alco-
hol Of the celestial empire. 1t operates up
on the Chinese much as ardent spirit does
| upon our countrymen. The great rather on
the golden throne, watchful of tho best inter-
ests Of his children, resolved some years ago
upon its extirpation, and forbade its introduce
ton into his dominions. But 1t has been
smuggled in and has continued to perpetuate
its desolating evils. At length. decisive
measures have been taken ana me results
are before the world. Fifteen million dol
lars worth have been delivered up Dy me Iof-
| eign merchants to he DESTROYED. And where
is the man, in the length and breadth Of our
Am. Temp. Union.
Pursuit Of knowledge under D.t,cuA'es.-
So has knowledge almost always been cul-
tivated and genius nurtured,-tnat Is to say
amidst difficulties. Where did franklin
first cultivate the knowledge that at length
boro him to the heights of fame! Ina prin-
ting office. Where did Bowditch study the
mathematics In early life on shlp-board,
and ever after. IN hours snatched from the
cares of busy life. How did Ferguson be-
gin 10 study astronomy Tending sheep in
Scotland lying on his back upon the bare
earth, and gazing upon the heavens. mapping
out the consultations by means Of simple
string stretched from hand to hand, with