Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1839-10-08
Steamboat Landing

day, than any Of the Philadelphia papers Of that
afl ern00n contained
It is not my intention for moment to think Of dis
paraging the Philadelphia fremen; for did men
work harder than they did at this fires but they GER
tainly deficient in judgment; there were num-
Der OF men running round, and looking on with the
word Controller" marked on their hat; but there
was controlling mird there; there was no Gulick
or Anderson the spot, or the fire would never
have consumed six houses. Ii close the river;
the fire broke out twenty-five feet from the river;
troyed. Had their engines been able take the sue.
ion from the river, like the New York engines they
would have stopped the fire before midnight. 1 saw
three machine companies filling their engines by means
Of buckets from the river One "contr0ler' told me
that plugs were in that part Of the city,
that II took in some instances thousand feet
OF hose to bring the water to the flames The alder
men there said there was too much hose. The fire.
men worked like gentlemen and not like the fire boys
that disgrace some of our engines. But the Phiad-
clPhia fremen work too much to windward of fire,
and not enough to leeward
"The New Workers will run to death for this, .
was the exclamation Of many frcmen. "Ths 10 big.
ger than the great New York fire." said others.
"These wharf fires are hell in Philadelphia said q
controller. Sand yet in New York the wharf.-the are
most easily got under"
The fire, it is thought, will cause some failures. The
insurance Offices are all good. The Washington ma
chine alone, saved store corner OF Front and Chest
nut, worth 100000. The fremen risked great
deal mere than was necessary; and the consequence
was, that three were killed. and five badly burnt and
bruised. The three i have already mentioned are
dead; two others are not expected to live. They
have been digging in the ruins all day for dead men
The crowds to see the burnt district today were i'm
mense; thousands were there; people from Harris
burg rode in TO see; beautiful and lovely girls
abounded; so did loafers. The water in the slips is
covered with oil; fried fish and cheese roasted by
the fire are lying in the street, by hundreds Of pounds
in lump.
The scene throughout was most amusing. BOYS
stealing cears; and running of loafers, licking the
moasses out Of the GU ter; others eating the toasted
cheese on a large scale; fremen knocking of the
necks Of champagne bottles, and drinking the con.
tents young girls in their night chemisess staring
cut OF the windows; mothers and daughters SILVER
ing ON the walk; hundreds taking up their bed and
walking. No watchmen the spot; people in their
anxiety TO save goods, knocking one another downs
and frenen fighting in two three Streets rushed
into the rail road depot. seized box Of books be-
longing 10 Appleton & Co." New York, was
carrying across the wharf, when l was Knocked
down by whcelbarrow, containing goods from the
same depot, and nearly killed. Ali was one scene
Of the widest confusion. The wind, the flames the
smoke, the ashes, the shouting, the stealing, the
drinking, and the rowdyism were fully equal to .
New York fre; though the blaze was hardly 90
brilliant Altogether, il was not equal in any way
to New York fire.
Business is tight, and money gerry scarce. Some
failures are expected tomorrow (Monday), and every
one Ia trying 10 put the best possible face upon CON-
mercal matters Don't go 20 hill till return and
then I'll no with you.