Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1839-09-27


oeesoas eee sess os $3.50
Dutch Reformed c ar
Erect
Repair
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The on Fraakiin street, where the confus ron
| and alarm was very great; boys and girls
Ming and al the school to get their books, de
lighted too at the thought OF getting holiday ext
| day. Negroes were running out Of the Dutch
| Church with benches, and knocking down pas sers
by, without regard 10 age or sex Women were
tumbling their furniture, tables and mirrors Of
windows, to save them; the fragments were carried
of by the negroes, never to return to their owners
again. Two or three hu2gry and brainless poets
were endeavoring to cudgel the dull ass" for some
senseless lines the subject Mr.. Smith, the
treasurer, reached the eorner Of Church and Frank
lin streets. his open the theatre Just the
rosf FELL before ne knew II was on ire. JAMESON
quietly trrdsng along to the theatre with his bundle
OF clothes to play King Henry in and first the
theatre burning at the corner OF Broadway ana
Leonare street Auwiil was paying on the piano
to his an able wife and family, and astonished
to see a iake OF fire dash through his window and
set his music book on fire. The old lady next door
wringing her hands, whilst her maid was wring-
ing the mops and ing to spot the ''wetmess made
by the firemen the street all the time crowded with
loafers Of all sorts, shouting, some imploring
some cursng, and two couple fighting like bull dogs
although they could not see each others faces for
the smoke.
On Church street the scenes were equally udi.
the heat great at the side OF the French
one standing there; and yet there were many
rum shops there, and much good liquor in them,
that daring and se-denying spirits, dashed flu
riousy along Inc street and into the bar ROOM in
der to drink the spirits, and hereby prevent
posion should the fire reach them The houses
ct designation here turned out the frail lad,s of
Tor by dozens, their dresses and nents of the
toilet table, rouge hair powder, pomatum, curling
tongs, small tooth combs nail brushes pots, tooth
brushes, rsr,,inr, cologne, bergamot, and sweet
oil, were shrown out of the windows before they
waddled out of the doors; their beds came after
them, except in a few Instances, where each took
up her bed and slid. The fashionable young men Of
color, who paid for the board, lodging and washing
Of these amlabie but erring young yellow ladies eok
rats from doomed dwelling. The porter house
keepers were in dreadful quandary; If they let
their liquor remain it would burn up; if they
moved their bottles, their contents would be drunk
up They looked first at the fire and then at their
bottles, and then at the mob and then at their bot
ties. and they then took drink aad looked into the
glass The loafers outside. all this time, were ex-
ceedinsy generous and offered TO help off the
contents of the porter houses free gratis for no.
thing. Generous fellows little dreaming that mad
they undertaken the job, it would have proved so
weighfy that some one would have had to carry them
At the corner Of Church and Leonard streets, the
view was of the most imposing description. All
along Church street. each way, as far the eye
could reach, there was one dense Of human be-
ings; from the aged man of eighty winters, down to
the boy Of four years old; women in countless num-
bers, some most elegantly dressed, and some with
scarcely rag on them: no distinction of persons;
the respectable lady in uxta position with the aban
doned kept mistress, probably Of her own husband;
the banker and merchant jostled against the girl Of
i'll fame, whom he had seduced years before All
up Leonard street to Broadway the sight was aston
ishing. Ii was as light as day long after the blood
red sun went down. Men were moving their furni-
ure from all the houses in the adjoining blocks and
running 20 and fro in the widest confusion whilst
women were carrying up buckets Of water to the
roofs and spreading wet blankets and rugs over the
window frames. All down Leonard street from the
theatre to West Broadway. the residents run
i'll fame all round there poured out at least 200 Of the
most lovely looking unfortnnates in the city Some
Of them were lying down. some were in bed, some
were situated thus, and some thus, when the
fire broke out, and all rushed into. the street,
appalled, and appareied, not and so, as the
case might be- There were men gallant
enough to escort them place OF safety and to see
that harm done, and roper Liberties taken
with them. The house next the theatre, kept by
Miss ELLEN Seweli, was early on fire. the furniture
was exceedingly costly and 'u%Ptuous as at all these
senfed by foolish dry good clerks, who had robbed
their employers baskets Of wine presented BY sew
eral married but amorous wine merchants; costly
books sent by sentimental book sellers; prints and
paintings, presented by senseless but love sick spe
cuaors in pictures novels from the store of the
Messrs. Harpers and the circulating Libraries;
pianos and guitars from God knows where; mirrors,
music, and moreen curtains, chairs and costly
china BEDS blankets, and beef Just cooked for dinner
grapes and gros de Naples, pillows, pelisses, nil
boxes and peerines, fine chemises and cream cheese
cambria handkerchiefs and custards, carpets and
champagne, sofas. silks, satins and song books
Fanny Hill, and the First Fruits of Early pesy
all were bundled out into the gutter together; Miss
Ellen Sewsll bringing up the rear with Bible and
a bound file ofthe Herald, followed by her servant
carrying black baby.
This is a literally true description at one Of the Sc
unlicensed but magsterally allowed and sanctioned
houses ri an unmentionable name, and unenviable
fame, and will serve for description Of all On the
opposite side Of the way, however, there were SINH
lar houses inhabited by negroes and here the scene
still nore extraordinary, ludicrous and lament
able; for the fire drove out several white gentlemen
who taking q siesta a Ia lRkle and Yarico when
il first broke out. Othello Travestis was fool TO
the scenes that followed The negro church on FIRE
struck into the hearts az sahle souls that
worshipped there, and some Of them almost tsrned
pale with fright. On the front Of the church was
placed this singulariy appropriate inscription on
board " hich escaped the Aanes:-
% SO
o The pseple that waketh in darkness. have s,es /.
a great light They that dwell in the land Of o
o the shadow &C death them hath the lieht .
o shined.-Tssh, eth chop. Id verse.
oe . 5o1-o
The poor negroes looked on, and looked all WAYS
and all colsrs and made all sorts Of
motions with their mouths. Some laughed some
cried, some sung "Hallelujah. D be ioyful,'' some
shouted One fellow observed 10 his pious black
brudder, =" worship dere, Sam, caus de principil:
but neber like de harkitekshur Of dis here house o,
God no how. We oughter build black katred al cf