The native American. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1840, 1839-10-12
TIE GREAT FIRE IN NEW YORK.
New YORK. Der. 7

! NEW YORK. OcT. 7.
DESTRUCTIVE CoNFLAGRATIoN.-About half
past one o'clock Sunday morning, fire broke
out in the fur store Of Stephen A. Halsey No.
Is9, Water street, nearly opposite the United
States HOTEL Qate Holt's.) The store was pretty
Thoroughly on fire within before the alarm
given and there being fresh wind, the fremen
were batfled in their efforts to subdue the flames
until property had been destroyed to the amount
of near million dollars. 1t is much the great
est fire that has occurred here since the memora-
bio conlagration of December, 1885. The entire
square bounded by Water, Fulton, and Burling
streets, is heap Of ruins, except five six stores
on Fulton street, (only one on that street being
wholly deslroyed,) and one on Front street, next
Eto the corner Of Fulton. Some Of these remain
ing buildings are badly dam aged. The entire
square was devoted to commercial business.
Many of the stores were burnt without being
opened while from others portion of the goods
was saved
The direction of the wind being from due east,
the flames were driven dagonaly across Water
street, and it was with the utmost difficulty that
the buildings on the opposite side, including the
United States HOTEL could be saved from dstruc-
ton The preservation Of the Hotel IAN i'm
mense building six stories high above the base
ment) is attributed chiefly TO The use, on the roof,
ment, and the covering Of the windows externally
with blankets. Some of the adjacent buildings
on the same side of the stree took fire, but, by
dint Of hard struggle on the part Of the fremen,
the flames were extingushed.
There was now fair prospect that the raging
element would be confined with the square above
mentioned, till suddenly it was discovered that
la distinct fire had broken ont in the square next
below Ton the same side of the street as the U. S.
Elo,el,} and that1t had made alarming progress.
Its earlier discovery was prevented by the clouds
Of smoke and cinders which had poured upon
and over the roofs of the buildings now ignited.
The chief efforts Of the ffremen were now direct
ed to this point, but did not avail to prevent the
destruction Of several stores, including most of
the granite post block owned by J. NJ. Bruce.
The danger Of vast connagration like that Of
1895 was more imminent than ever. The
rear Of the Water street stores approached so near
TO the rear Of the stores on the southeasterly side
Of Pear! street, that, with the wind driving upon
the latter, (the stores on both streets being five
stories hgh) it seemed impossible to save them.
Providcnally, atthis critical moment, the wind
hauled about t,Oo paints to the yaorthmurd,
which turned the fire and chders of the burning
buildings in direction nearly parallel to the drec-
ton Of Pearl and Water streets, and saved the
city from we know not how great an increase Of
the calamity which we have to record. Without
this sudden change Of wind we do not believe it
would have been possible for the fireman to arrest
the progress of the flames where they did.
The change of wind, however, increased the
exposure Of the buildings, and soon it was found
that temporary building on the opposite South
easery) side Of Water street, occupied as pack
ngbox shop, was on fire. This was soon de.
stroycd, and the flames communicated in the rear
of said packing-box factory to two or three build
incs on Fletcher street, which were also burnt
| hey were of little value.
! Here the flames were arrested, although some
of the buildings on the opposite southwest side
Of Fletcher street were more than once on hre
The writer Of this has personally visited some
hundreds of fires within the last ten years, and
declares that at no one of them, except the great
fire Of 1895, has the danger of what was then
realized seemed to him SO imminent. Several
buildings caught fire at distance from the scene
OF the conlagration including one on w all street,
which, however, were cx,inguished either by the
inmates or by The Grcmcn.
The amount of property destroyed is estimated
varlously, from one TO one and half millions,
one million Of which is probably insured in the
| Wall street offices. We understand the loss is
pretty equally divided among the several compa-
/ MICS.
! The light was seen at the distance OF one hun
dred miles by passengers i'll the steamboat.
Cindels were picked up upon the battery, and
several times ignitcd roofs, which were eHtn-
! guised by The activity Of the tenants of the
buildings and their friends. The roof Of the
'lon!lno Dudns", on the corner Of Wall and