Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1844-05-30
From the Neo Orleans Picayune, May 10.
DISASTROUS CONFEDERATION! TERRI
DRnpERINl

BILE LOSS OF PROPERTY!
We are called upon to record the par
ticuars of one of the most extensive and
disastrous fires which has ever occurred in
our city. Between II and ! O'Clock,
yesterday afternoon, the flames burst forth
in the carpenters shop Of Mr.. Colt, near
the north western corner of Franklin and
Jackson streets, which, before they could
be got under, spread TO the adjoining ten
ements with frightlul Iapidity. Every
building was of wood, and as dry us tin.
der itself from the long drought, SO that
nothing could check the onward progress
of the devouring element. The fremen
assembled Immediately but as no water
could be obtained other than from the gut
tiers, their attempts at first were rendered
utterly unavaillng. The wind fortunate
ly blew in the direction towards the
swamp; had it been Otherwise, the flames
would have swept towards the river, in
which case there would have been no
bounds to the destruction. AS it was,
they were carried with lightning rapidity
down Jackson street, communicating to
the houses on either side, and soon pre-.
senting a broad sheet OF fire some hundred
wards in width. To attempt 10 arrest
them was soon found entirely out of the
power Of man; no water could be pro-
cured, and the engines were thus render
ed useless.
In this way the fire ragged for three
hours, during which time 1t kept down
Jackson street, burning out to Canal on
the right and Common on the left, and
crossing IRENE, Marais Where and Rob.
er.son, to Claiborne streets, in all ten
squares. OfaIl the buildings which occu-
pied this space yesterday morning none
are now standing save the MaiSon dc
Sdnte, or DR.. Stones Hospital, and few
houses along Common ST, The Mason
de Sante was saved, but not until its IN
inmates had been removed. At this point,
which is near the corner of Canal and
Claiborne streets, the fremen directed
their strongest energies and fortunately
were successful. The only water they
could obtain from the first was drawn from
the cutters, the plugs at the different hyd'
rants being permitted TO run from the
breaking out ofthe fire.
At little past o'clock the fire had
subsidized spent itself for want of farther
food TO consume. To attempt to give
list Of the sufferers, or the amount of prop
erty destroyed, would be impossible
Hundreds Of citizens have been left with
out shelter, and the loss has unfortunate.
ly fallen mostly upon poor but industrious
families, many OF whom owned the small
but comfortable dwellings in which they
resided.
Along Canal street, between IRENE and
Robertson streets, stood number OF large,
elegant, and costly brick residences, all
of which are destroyed. Their blackened
walls are some of them still standing; but
as on the other parts of the burnt district
the houses were mostly of wood, nothing
now greets the eye OF the beholder save
an immense forest of chimnles-all else
: being burnt smooth with the ground. We
can iken the appearance of this unfortu-
: nate section OF our city to nothing save a
, new field, Just brought into cultivation, and
on which the heavy trees have been dead
, ened and shorn Of their branches and tops,
d but still left standDg-sad mementoes oil
what they were in their freshness and
. pride.
f P. S. Since writing the above, we have
heard it stated that the number of houses
t destroyed will not fall short of ti0o hun-
: dred and eigbty, and many think that three
hundred will not cover the entire number.
Hundreds Of families are thus left home
less and shelterless.
The New Orleans Bee Of tho Goth in.
/ slant states the number Of houses destroy
. ed a, 275, and the supposed loss of prop.
erty at $3.50, 900.