The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-02-19
CORRESPONDENCE.
NEW YORK FIRES AND FIREMEN.

DEAR Sir New York may be appropriately term
ed, par excellence, the Getty of Fires !" No other
Metropolis exhibit SO imposing an array of con-
fagraionS-nor can any compete with it in the ra-
pidity with which they are extinguished. To one
unaccustomedto such displays, the speed with which
sea of fame is annhated is little less than miracu-
lous. You are horror-struck at viewing erections
of the most combustibe description exposed to The
combined action of vast sheets of fame, and raging
wind, and before You have time TO reflect on the
property likely to be destroyed, the exposure TO be
endured, and the lives placed in jeopardy-behold
the destructive element is conquered-its crimson
tongues which Kissed defiance are silenced, and the
langnid struggles Of the palsied flames but exhibit
tho impotence of the dying Gladiator. Although
have become far identified with the city by resi-
dence from childhood that its sights and sounds are
incorporated with my earliest recolectons; yet even
in me the occurrence of an imposing fire at night
creates no little excitement and interest First, the
slowmeasured chimes Of the Great Bell on the City
Hall come booming over the roofs of the houses in
sinuating themselves into your ear in the dead
watches of the night when your senses are locked IN
oblivion-and if you are heavy sleeper and the
mammoth sentinel fails TO arouse you, there are
brazen tongues Of lesser note which, one by one,
swell the nocturnal chorus until the most deeply
mag neized slumberer is startled by their rude sum-
mons But il fatigue and lassude cause you to turn
sluggshly on your side, and endeayor by burying
yourself under the coverlids to shut out the discor
dant notes lay not the hauerng JUNCTION to your soul
that success has crowned your exertions. Lo! from
beneath your easement he cry of Fire Fire
Fire is screamed with sufficient force and energy
10 frghten you from your propriely-and as if that
was not enough, the ponderous Engine rattes along
the pavement with such vehemence, that your very
bed trembles beneath you-the relentless chief
shouts through his trumpewith appalling vigor-the
Waterman strikes the sidewalk with his well sea
soned club, the echo from which reverberates with
fearful distnctness the ragged followers OF the camp
hammer a, YOUR street door until your are doubtful
whether your own house is not on fire; and at length,
what with alarm and vexation, you are fain to sub
nit to your fate by leaping on the floor DOMINIC
YOUR unmentionabes and raising the sash to take an
observation.
If the night is dark, that optical illusion which
has led many poor wight TO follow the light oil
CITY fire. until it seemed like the fountains OF L an
talus to recede from his approach causes you to
hastily array Yourself in suitable apparel TO encoun-
ter the night air; and moment finds you among the
moving mass-shouting FIRE! at the top OF your
voice. determined if compelled to the encounter TO
demean Yourself like a well bred citizen, BY ex-
tending to your neghbors the same interesting IN
formation, which the amiabe rabple lavished on
you And now the scene really becomes exciting
the rolling engines have impaired TO youa portion
of the ardor which animates their leather-capped
propeers; you forget hatstree after street has been
passed, since you emerged from your door; your
walk insensibly increases TO q trot, your trot to
gallop-unti in breahess exhaustion, you are con-
fronted by the curling flames
If you are deeply interested in the stock of Fire
Insurance Company your first reflection leads you
to ponder ON the risks taken in that locality-if in
the jobbing trade, your memory rever,s with sur
prising facility to the debtor side OF your ledger 10
ascertain whether the names OF the sufferers are
therein recoded-and if exempt from the calami
ties incident to either position you Look with that
placid composure, on the scene, which ancient and
modern philosophers have ever exhibited when
dwelling on the mishaps of their particular itiehoS
But so N the enthusiasm of the less sober portion OF
the crowd communicates itself to your inner man
you view, with thrilling interest," Tue movements Oh
| wonder fireman. who has assembled 10 the peak Oh
the roof of an elevated building, the interior oil winch
is in flames; you hold your breath as he quits the
falling rafters to perch, like an eagle, on the brick
! ., stone abutment which trembles beneath his
weight, and are dizzy with gazing on his form,
now backened with smoke, now crimson with
aame-until your alarm is converted into admira-
ton as you see him grasp the pipe and shout with
perfect sefpossesSion, play away, number eigh''
But soon the sounds rapidly increase in breadth anu
volume. Engine after engine rolls along '" -.
scores are stationed around the scene OF dc!'o" Wv