The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-10-09
EXTENSIVE FIRE AND LOSS OF LIFE,

vered in the basement story of w. j. Siroup's Pro
vision Store, No IA, South Wharves, between Chest
nut and Market Streets facing the Delaware river
Three Custom house watchmen, William Abel
| Person Horn, and James Lenten, broke open the
door, and state that few buckets Of water would
have exnguished the fire, but The drafl created by
opening the door instantly increased IT, ana extended
TO various combustible merchandise. In a few mi
nutes the flames burst out and reached the adjoining
provision store OF d. w. Prescott. This house was
built back to Water street, facing No. 10 on that
street. In the same range the store Of George Mer
| rill took fire Immediately afterwards.
| Although the Fire Companies were promptly on
the ground, the progress Of the flames so rapid
that the prospect Of arresting them at that
early hour very doubtful. The grocery store Of c.
Cheeseborough and of George A. Wood, south
wharyes, the oil store Of Newlin and Allibone and
the commission store of ]. Emen, the iron ware
| house of Andrew M. Jones and Brothers, the office
Of the Merchants Transportation Line, and the ge-
neral commission warehouse of c. King & Co. were
successfully developed in the flames
The tavern kept by George Neals was next at
lacked and thence the fire communicated to the
| large oil warehouses of Shober Bunting e. Co. ex-
tending through TO Water street. At this point the
| conhagraon became terrific. The ship chandlery
| of A. III. Hinkle, south wharves, and the commits
sion warehouses of Newbold & Haverstick, and Of
Smith & johnson, were in succession consumed.
Here the fire reached the corner of Chestnut street.
Returning 10 Water street. adjacent to Mr.. Pres
colts store, the fire i, traced to John Hardin rs ex-
tensive wholesale grocery establishment thence 10
very large wholesale grocery Of White, Stevens &
| Co. and the storehouse Of the same firm thence to
| Il. Sloan's general commission warehouse and
thence 10 the large re-proof storehouse occupied by
w. r. Thompson g. Co. Next to this building stood
the Fulton House, kept by J. Meyers, the corner
of Water and Chestnut streets, which, with all the
1 hove rnen wer nit r1u oyaJ
The buildings on the opposite or west side of the
street then took fire. In this range were William
r. Thompson g. Co.'S storehouse Ca second building
| occupied by that firm the Hbsrnian Tavern, kept
BY J. Fitzpatrick and between the latter and Chest
nut street three houses occupied averns and cloth
ing stores, the names of the owners of which We
could not learn. At the northwest corner of Water
and Chestnut streets the clothing store of Gaskill &
Barnes was next consumed.
From the rear of the latter row of buildings the
fire communicated with those facing the east side
Of Front street. There, William Steels starch fac
tory was partially njured Davs's suspender manu-
| factory and s. & E. Davisons sacking bottom facto-
ry also injured; James L. Mifiin's and George
Hills commission houses totally burnt Francis g.
Smiths commission store for the sale of Dupont's
gunpowder, John Nee, spice factors store, William
R. Thompson's large warehouse and counting house.
Patrick Donnely's tavern, Dennis Lahey's tavern
John Lloyd's tobacconist store, and John Tough.
| heads coopef-shop, were entirely destroyed
The house at the northeast corner OF Front and
| Chestnut streets, occupied by Thomas Diehl, s. C.
Bunting, Thomas NJ CLARK, and Paynter and Slack
| commission merchants, was much damaged. The
intense heal OF the flying cinders set Gre to the roofs
of the stores OF George w. Richards & Co. and of
Richards Bsphan, on the west side Of Front street
The upper stories of the former were burnt the lat
ter partially injured Here the fire was checked in
this direction beyond the expectations Of the speca-
| tors. Meanwhile the flames had extended 10 the
| Steamboat Hotel, the south side of Chestnut
street, al the corner Of Water Next door coopcrs
shop was destroyed and the Office and baggage depot
lnff har Han Ayrxt, p
| jured. At the southwest corner Of Water and Chest
nut streets, the fire reached the clothing store Of
Enoch Allen; next the barber shop of William Cor
gas; next, to Martins tavern, No 81 Front street,
and 10 the German commission house Of Meiskies &
| Unkart. These houses we're wholly consumed
The other stores in the same range were slightly in
jured.
The sparks set several buildings on fire in Tay-
lor's alley. J. Rowland's liquor store was seriously
damaged, large four-story building also injured.
In Chestnut street, above Front, the store Of Dur
don b. Carter was considerably burnt and the store
OF Henry Rsbrough partially
| We have not yet been able to ast erain the names
of the owners of the buildings which were injured or
destroyed by this calamitous fire. All which were
within the circle Of the flames were burnt literally
to the ground. Not particle of woodwork IS left
10 them, and The walls OF many have fallen entirely
| There prevailed during the whole night strong
northeast wind, which rapidly extended The conia-
grafton and greatly increased the difficulties of ope-
rating against II efficiently.
In several OF the stores the OIL liquors, and other
combustibeS, blaZed for hours with intense violence.
Explosions were frequent, and several are said TO
have been kegs OF gunpowder. AT six o'clock this
| morning, the interchangeable and daring exertions Of
the firemen had reduced the flames and further de-
struction Of properly ceased to be apprehended It
| Is impossible TO commend in terms too ardent or
grateful the labors ofthe fremen on this OCCASION
When they had no opportunity Of working at the
engines, or performing other duties they got drays
and carts in the neighborhood, loaded them with
goods and furniture, and dragged them with infinite
toll TO places of secure depose. The Mayor and
the whole body of watchmen was on the ground,
protecting the property scattered about the streets,
and preserving order among the thousands OF spec
tators who thronged to the disastrous scene.
| The amount OF property OF various kinds thus de-
siroyed, 1t Is impossible to estimate with precision
but 1t may be reasonably stated al about $500 000.-
! This loss is most untimely. Never, we learn, have
the merchants OF this city stood in need of re-
gular and prosperous trade.
i The extensive warehouse Of David s. Brown
commission merchant, we omitted to mention above
among the buildings slightly injured. Although
greatly exposed il was saved by the use of wet ban-
kels on the roof and in the windows
The most painful portion of this recital yet re-
mains. Several, zoe knop not AoD many, hare been
killed or severely iconnded AT o'clock this morn
ing the walls OF Enoch Aliens house fell with tre-
mendous crash, and buried in the ruins, as learn
positively, a fireman named W. Moreand, a men,
| Der of the Good Will Engine. He was instantly
/ killed. Others, it is feared, also MORALLY
hurt. Two fthe wounded were carried TO the hos
| pital.
VIM Field, firemen, was severely injured.
James Smiley, a member Of the Diigent Hose
Company, fell into burning cellar, and had his
head much cut and his hands burned.
| James Barber and John Douglas, members OF the
Good Will Engine Company and member OF the
Hope Hose Company whose name we did not learn
are missing, and the worst is feared concerning
them.
Bernard Timmins, also of the latter company, is
severely burnt.
Jacob Kugler, fireman, badly burnt
We have just learned that Thomas not James Bar
Der was an Engineer at the Mint and not fireman
IIa tak, m he al a ;aJ 49,