Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1839-09-05
From she NeD- Brwnsrsrk COsrier, Extra.
81 -. aa...l.,., AEn....s.... - a

81. ss0bhis M0nnay 44OF"tag, Aug. Is.
AwFuL CoNFLAeRATloN IN ST. JoHN.-
AkoG one kssldred buildings destroyed
have the melancholy task of announcing
another awful visitation TO st. John. IN rs
the destruction by fire of a large norton
of the city, including about fifty extensive
mercantile establishments. The FIRE was
discovereda few minutes before nine O'Clock
on Saturday night, bursting from a house in
Nelson-Street, occupied as q store and ware
house by Messrs. Hugh Irvine and brothers.
ship builders, &C., and the upper mart ms
dwellings,, which continued burning until
daylight yesterday morning before lis de-
youring progress was stayed. All the buiId-
ings on both sides Of Nelson.street. ana on
Lawton's, Waterbury's, Donaldson's. and
the North, Market Wharves, together with
those on both sides of Union. street, from the
new dwelling houses of Messrs. John and
lanes Lawt0n to the water, including all the
ereclions and lumber on Mr.. VIM. blacks.
and on Crookshank' s and Walkers wharves,
fronting Adams slip, and all the buildings
on the north side of the Market square, with
the house of Thomas Merritt, ESQ.,, occupied
by Messrs. A. B. Truro and VIM. Strick-
! land, fronting on Prince William.street, op-
posite the Commercial Bank, are entirely de-
otroyed, and great part Of their contents
either burned or destroyed.
| Here the further progress of the flames
was Fortunately arrested-the excrtions of
the people providentialIy being aided bv the
brick building of Mr.. James X. Mckee. uor-
n1crly owned by w. T. Peters, Esq which
joined the last building DESTROYED. The hon.
ses on the opposite side of the street, among
which were the Commercial Bank. Mr.. Bar.
lows large building, Mr.. Melicks watch
maker,) Messrs. Joseph Summers g. Co.'S.
&C., being covered with carpets and other
woolens and kept constantly wet, the fire
was prevented passing tho street at this point.
So intense was the heat that the buildings
on the South Market wharf were frequently
on fire, although separated from those on the
North by Slip Of ono hundred and tifty
feet, and road way OH each wharf of twen-
ty-five feet, making in all distance of t,co
hundred feet. The rigging of several small
vessels lying in the slip (it being low water
ut the time,) having ignited, it became ne
cessary to cut away their masts to save them
from entire destruction, and to prevent the
communication of the flames to the opposite
side Of the slip. The American schooner,
Compeer, lying in the South wharf, was
among the number.
the names Of all the sufferers; indeed, the
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the ground between Nelson and Dock and
Union streets, was thickly covered by nume-
rous small buildings, in some of which each
single room was occupied by n family. This
being the case, the number of persons rem
dcrcd holiseless is much greater than by the
memorable fire ofthe 18th of january, 1887,
when ll5buildings were destroyed. Thesea-
SON OF the year, however, is in favor OF those
who have been thus in moment drivenfrom
their homes, and in some cases almost ma
ked, hungry and pennyless.
We are glad to hear that, notwithstanding
the great confusion which prevailed, no hu-
man lives are known to have been lost; sew
eral persons however, received severe brui.
$685. a a W.,
1t may seem surprising that the FIRE, ORR
ginating inn building built or wharf, with
a supply of water close at hand, could not
have been subdued before making much pro-
gress; but when II is recollected that the tide
was out at the time--that every thing at all
combustble was in a ready state of ignition
from the late warm and dry weather that
Nelson and Dock streets are of the narrow
est description--that there is not an organi-
zed Axe or Hook and Ladder Company in
the city-that the Engines are not OF the first
order-that the streets and the squares and
WtWt yVC WCIO WtIh HuhICAOUo uPtNe
rently idle and careless spectators, without
sufficient control on the part OF the city au-
thorities to direct their energies aright-that
many of the Fire Wardens, although well
meaning. and ready TO urge what they con-
sidered for the best, are not practically ac-
quainted with the, nature of pulling down
houses, &c.-the extent of the present con-
fiagration will not be wondered Mt.
The fire is said to have had its origin in
thu. flame Of a candle coming in contact with
oakum lying upon the top Of acask of bran
dy, from which q lad was drawing some of
the liquor, in the premises occupied by the
Messrs. Irvine. But, il is now in manner
imnlaterial in what way the fire originated !;
it is sufficient to know that by it large part
of the business of the city was reduced IDS
few hours TO heaps of smonldering ashes, and
that several Of our enterprising citizens who
about the same hour and on the same day on
~ two years and seven months SINCE, had
the modification of seeing large portions OF
the produce of years Of oiland labor sudden
ly vanish, and from the effects OF which
they were steadily recovering, are now CAL
led upon to bewail the loss OF much valuable
properly and to seek other places OF BUSH
ness, in which 10 endeayor TO retrieve their
lost fortunes
The total amount Of property destroyed,
including buildings, merchandise, and house
hold effects, cannot fall short OF j2UOOOO-
bui ut present the SUM can only be conjec-
tured. large amounts are insured inthe Of
fees of the New Brunswick Fire Insurance
Company, the Central Fire Insurance Com
pany Of Fredericton. and Etna and Pru;sc-
ton Companies of Hartford, Conn, and 9TH
er Offices 10 the United States and in Brit
ain.
The burnt district of 1887. being situated
to the southwark of the: Market Slip, the fire
did not extend to that portion OF the city
nor were any buildings destroyed on the
northern side of Union street, Commonly
called York Point.) s. 5e6
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