Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1844-05-16
Destructioa Of s.. .augustiae's Church.

} the Vicinity oil Tue Oat1oitC FOuuftu oil
Saint Augustine on Fourth street betaeen
Race and Vine street
Mayor Scott took early precautionary
measures. aud long before darn bad =
large posse .oE citizens draughled, With
! which be took position al the rear Of the
Church, Wills the City Watch, having
their badges on, formed hoe upon the
curbsione before the front On Fourth street.
Matters remsinedquiet until about BALI
past nine o'elock. every svenue ihsfea-
boots vas filed BY dense masses Of PEG
pie.
About that tIme.sa solitary brick was
! flung in the direction Of the City Wa,cs-
man. and stuck with loud ard disiiaci
noise (for al then was giei sgaiAst he
iron railing al their resfZ This was follow
ed BY loud cheer from the. crowd oppc-
SHE the Church in New streets aud in
an instant after, tremendous shower OF
bricks. stones add missiles. of every a.
| valuable description, was directed ageinst
| The Church, scattering the Watch and O.
Their bysisndets in every dirsciion.
i Abou, the same time. a similar attack
was made bpcu The rear. 0ae Of The
stones 10 the frat yoIley struck lahd stun
ned Mayer Scott. aud this spread con-
sternslion among those having the proiec-
iion Of The rear. Besides The missiles
appeared 10 be thrown not only ron eve
~ Conceivable but from inconceivs5ie
quarters. Though no persons Hwets TO
/ be seen Upo1 the adjacent roofs. the mis-
siles evidently descended upon The May
or's forces. E8
As soon as the watch in front bad been
driven of. the mob went TO work quite
coolly and systematically. Oas OF the
iron gates YVES FIRST broken down and thus
the platform about FIVE feet highl upop
/ which the building stands. having been
l reached. a SORT Of bstiering ram was pro.
cured. With which steady and detsrmn-
7eG blows were inflicted upor the north.
crnmost door, but i, resisted all efforts.
! (whichlit did until the last) with clubs
The ssssilanis begun 10 demolish the sash
esof The front windows which are low,
/ and 10 which by this time there was not
probably single unbroken pane Of glass.
1 While the mob were thus. engaged,
there was an alarm OF "the Tropp '-''lhe
! Troop" above all the 'clamor was
1 presently heard1he notes Of shrill tramp
Ell, sounding the charge. The First City
! Troop rode by almost at gallep, causing
crowds 10 Ay towards Race stieet, where
The company wheeled aEi returned al a
similar gait and several passages OF this
kind were made. but with no effect, for
the mob followed the horsemen, whither-
soever they went, uitering long aud loud
derisive cries 4 while the party inmedi-
aiely engaged in breaking; into the
i Church did not Tor moment desisi, but
seemed 10 redouble lhei! ef3tls In anti
cipaiion Of The arrival Of more Of tie mill,
tary.
| In an incredibly brief perind, the OBJ.
slruclion offered by the sash was removed
the light near by exiinguished--and
FIRE conveyed into the lower centre VIC
. dow. The fire vas undoubtedly kindIed
by lucifer matches. as we were close spec,
tators, and csrtainly no fire was carried
kopenly within.
r. As soon as The light was seen. numer-
Gus persons employed themselves in
!, bringing small pieces Of boards and other
! light stuff. which we're either thrown up
vt Inr nIu, Vi hsIidvJ 10 thusr itIsidp. THE
flames appeared 10 make slow progtess,
i for the light was not seen ia. the second
story at all uhis was owing. webelieye, ID
the windows having shutters inside) but
on a sudden they. burst forth from the
roof, and almost Immediately envelopsd
the base of the cppola. The sight was
hailed by loud cheer.
The beautiful cupola Of the Church did
not burn with The rapidly which might
have been Supposed. This wsslowing 10
the cornice Of the base projecting so far as
for time To- shield the columns which
supported the dome and cross.
i The flames probably reached the roof
as soon as they did BY means Of The organ.
which stood Immediately over the burn
! ing materials below.
The cppola burnt t5r long lime before
any portion, Of il fell Pillar after pillar,
Sanction after stanchion fell, and sill The
structure stood erect, one mass 81 fane.
AT length The cross fell into the. street
| This ELECTED another cheer. A few mo-
uents after, the falling in of the roof car
ried with it The burning bu, still erect re
mains of The cupola.
!, The heat vas intense. and the tools,
door and window frames, and other wood
work. Of every building near, was either
burning. blislering. or sendiogup wreath,
ofsteamy moisture, Many OF the ada.
cent houses were on FIRE; but by the
well-tlirected efforts OF the 6remen. who
were early On the ground. we are happy
in stating none has suffered materially
either from Ere or water.
! Not so, hoYever4 with the houses or
{ the east side orc rown street. north Of The
J Church. These were suffered ocatct
$ Ere from The Church, and none Of the en-.
! giues threw water upon them. because
they were The property Of the Church
: One was occupied by The Rev. DR.. Me
riarly the other was used as seminal,
and as the library Of the Church, IA
As Il the FIRE which bad devastated tlls
upper stories o. these houses did not De
scend FAST enough. 6res we're kindled i
| the lower stories BY mesnslof The books
fsome OF which weifc exceedingly yslpe
! bic, found in tie Library. d Ore wai
also bull, on the pavement 10 troEtD
which was likewise fed by numerous vol
umes 81 books. and by the furniture
which The house had contained.
\ Al one o'clock. the Ere was confined (
; The ruins of the Church properly, and al