Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1839-10-01


oeess ssssssss sssso
. Dutch Rs'o,~sd Z ~
Eject
Rcpaa
sssssss sssese
This was on franklin street where the confusion
and alarm was very great; boys and girls run
mag an and out 81 the school 10 get their books, de
lighted toe At the thought ~ getting holiday next
dsy. Negroes were running oat 81 the Dutch
Church with benches, and knocking down passers
by, without regard 10 age or Eek. Women were
tumbling their furniture tables and mirrors out OF
windows, 10 save them; the fragments were carried
off by the negroes. never To return tn their owners
again. Two or three hungry and brainiess poets
were endeavoring To ''cudgel the dull ass for some
senseess lines the subject. MIR. smith, the
treasurer, reached the az Church and Frank
lin streets his way TO open the theatre jest the
roeffell before he knew II was on fire Jameson was
quietly trudgng along TO the theatre with his bundle
of clothes 10 play King Henry IN, and first the
theatre burning at the conner 81 broadway and
Leonard street Auwil VA playing ON the piano
TO his amable wife and family, and was astonIshed
10 see a fake Of FIRE dash through his window and
set his music book on ERE. The old lady next door
was wringing her hands, whilst her maid was wiring
inc the mops and trying 90 spot the "wetness made
by the ircmen the street all the time crowded with
loaf.rs Of all sorts, shouting, some imporing,
cursng. and two couple fighting like bull dogs,
although they could not see each others faces for
the smoke.
On Church street the scenes were equally ludi-
crous the heat great at the side Of the French
ehurcn and in front Of the theareas to prevent any
one standing there; and yet there were so many
rum shops there, and much good liquor IN them,
that some daring and seldenying spirits, dashed fu.
rousIy aepg the street and into the bar room, in
der drink the Spirits and thereby prevent an ex-
poson should the fire reach them The pro houses
OF designation here turned out the frail ladis Of
or by dozens, their dresses and orna nents OF the
.oilet table, rouge, hair powder, pomstum, curling
tonss, small tooth combs nail brushes, pots, tooth
brushes, perfumes, cologne, bergamot, and sweet
oil, were thrown out Of the windows before they
waddled out Of the doors; their beds came after
them, except in few instances, where each took
up her bed and slid. The fashionable young men OF
color, who paid for the board, lodging and washing
Of these amable but errng young yellow ladies' eok-
ed calmly on, whilst their inamora;as ran of like
rats from a doomed dwelling. The porter house
keepers were in a dreadful quandary; il they let
their liquor remain it would burn up; il they re-
moved their bottles, their contents would be drunk
up They looked first at the fire and then at their
bottles, and then at the mob and then ut their bot
ties and they then took drink and looked into the
glass. The loafers outside, all this time,
ceedngly generous, and offered to help carry OF the
contents Of the porter houses, free, gratis, for
thing. Generous fellows little dreaming that had
they undertaken the job, il would have proved so
weghty that some one would have had to carry them
off
At the corner Of Church and Leonard streets, the
view was Of the most imposing description. All
along Church street, each way, as far ~ the eye
could reach there was one dense mass OF human be-
ings; from the aged Of eighty winters, down to
the boy vi four years sld women in countless
bers, some most elegantly dressed, and some with
scarcely rag on them; no distinction 81 persons;
the respectable lady in juxtaposion with the aban-
doned kept mistress, probably Of her own husband;
the banker and merchant jostled against the girl Of
III fame, whom he had seduced ten years before All
up Leonard street to Broadway the sight was aston
isbing. II was light day long after the blood
ped sun went down. Men were moving their furni-
Nre from all the houses IN the adjoining blocks, and
running to and fro in the widest confusion, whilst
women were carrying up buckets Of water TO the
roofs and spreading wet blankets and rugs the
window frames All down Leonard street from the
theatre 10 West Broadway, the residents we're run
ming in every direction. The numerous houses Of
i'll fame all round there poured out at least 200 Of the
most lovely looking unfortunates In the city. Some
OF them were lying down, some were in bed, sone
we're situated thus, and some thus, when the
fire broke out, and all rushed into the street,
appalled, and appareled, or not and so, the
case might be. There were men gallant
enough escort them to place Of safety, and see
that harm DONE and improper liberties taken
with them. The house next the theatre, kept by
Miss Ellen Sewell, early ON fire; the furniture
exceedingly costly and sumptuous, at all these
places IL usually Is. This, with rich dresses, pre-
sented by foolish dry good clerks, who had robbed
their employers baskets Of wiae presested by sew
eral married but amorous wine merchants; costly
books scnt by sentimental book sellers prints and
paintings, presented by senseless but love sick spe
clators in pictures novels from the of the
Messrs. Harpers and the circulating libraries;
pianos and guitars from God knows where; mirrors,
music, and moreen curtains, chairs and costly
grapes and gros de Naples, pillows, pelisses, pill
boxes and pelerines fine chemises and cream cheese
eambric handkerchief and cusiards, carpets and
champagne, sofas. silks, satins and song books,
:" Fanny Hill and the First Fruits Of Early pety,"
all bundled ont into the gutter together; Miss
Ellen Sewell bringing up the rear with Bible and
bound file Of the Herald followed by her servant
carrying black baby.
This is literally true description al Of these
unlicensed but msgisterally allowed and sanctioned
houses Of an unmentionablc name, and uncnviablc
fame, and will serve for description of all On the
opposite side Of the way, however there simi-
lar houses inhabited by negroes, and here the
still extraordinary, ludicrous and lament
abe for the fire drove out several white gentlemen
who taking sicsta Ia lake and Yarico, when
IL first broke out. Othello Travestie was fool TO
the scenes that followed. The negro church on fire Il
struck terror into the hearts Of the sable souls that
worshipped there, aud some Of them almost tsrrcd
pale with fright On the front of the church was
placed this singuary appropriate inscription, on a
board which escaped the fames:-
oo . . > - 80
o The people tina, waketh in darkness. have sses
o a great light They that dwell IN the land OF
o the shadow of death them hath the light
o .hinsd--Tsa,sh Och chop I'd verse.
q = q q q q . . = q q = =