Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-04-19
PITTSBURG IN RUINS.
(From the Pittsburg Advocate and Gaz., Apr. Ill
MOST DREADFUL CALAMITY.
AWFIII, CONFEDERATION
AWFUL CONFEDERATION.


At 6 o'clock, p. NJ, Thursday evening, we
cit down to our desk with sad heart, to record
the most fearful calamity which ever betc any
ty the size of Pittsburg. While we now write,
al awful fire is raging, consuming the farest
portion of our city, and no human being can tell
where il will stay its ravages 1t has now been
burning for six hours, and confusion rcgns s,I-
prcme, and it cannot be expected we shall give
anything like particular statement ofa calam-
,ty so extensive and involving such fearful ru-
ins. What general particulars we can give we
lay before our readers.
The fre broke out about l2 o'clock, NJ, to.
dav, n an old frame shed on the east side of
Ferry street, used as we believe, for smoke.
house, Immediately surrounded on two sides
with old frame buildings. The weather was
extremely dry, and wind high, almost gale
blowing from the west.
The houses adjoining, OF Second street, caught
fire Immediately. The engines at this time
began 10 play, and had there been sufIiciency
OF water, would have subdued the fire. But
from want nf water, and high wind, the fire ex.
iended across Second street 60 the Globe Cotton
Factory, which together with dwelling adj
Joining, was consumed The Third Presby,e-
rian Church was on fire, but was saved with
great exertion.
The fire, ALSO about the same time, extended
ecross Ferry street, 10 the west side, where it
consumed some six or eight dwellings, when it
was stopped in that direction, the wind being
favorable.
But it was east of Ferry street where the fire
ragged with mos. fury. 1t immediately extend
ed towards Market street, sweeping every house
on both sides Of Second street, and the whole
fquare bounded by Market, Ferry, Second end
Front streets, except one building, the ware.
house Of the Cotton Factory. In the square
bounded by Market, Ferry, Second and Third
streets, every building was destroyed except
the Third Church, and Johnston e. Stockton's
Printing Office, and the American office.
The square bounded by Market, Ferry, From,
and Water streets, was saved, with but little
injury
The fire crossed Market at Front street, and
then began to rage with awful fury. This was
about two o'clock p. NJ, and the wind had in.
creased to perfect gale. The fire absolutely
appeared to dance from room to roor, and in ar
incredible short space OF time, the three i'm
mense squares, composed mostly of warehouses
bounded by Market and Wood, and extending
from Third to the river, were sea Of flames.
The heat by this time was tremendous, and
the wind blowing gale. Wood street formed
no barrier at all. The flames went kissing a
cross as if eager for their prey. They also
crossed Third street, below the new rost-ofiice
and went rushing up Wood street across Fourth
and Wood street was sea of fire from the
river to Diamond alley.
But this was not all the fire had become un
governabe. The arm of man was impotent
Even the goods removed to the streets for safe
~ were seized upon and destroyed. On, on
marched the raging element. A sea of flame
rolls on from Wood street to Smi.hfeld. Tht
Blononeahela House, that noblest of modern no
tels is surrounded with flames it takes fire
Still the ruin rolls on-crossing Springfield,
and GRAFT streets, sweeping Scotch Hill entire
". Even the canal does not stop it, the Ga
Works take fire, and directly all Kensington i
in flames and the fire rolls on, and is only stop
ped in that direction, about one mile from wher
ii commenced, from the want OF food to feed it
voracious nav.
In the rnean time, the Monongahela Bridg
has taken fire, and is entirely consumed. Tn
PIttsburg Bank, supposed 10 be fire-proof, exten
ding from Third To Fourt streets, is in fame:
The Mayors Office is also on fire, and the lie,
post office is in gres. danger.
Let any one who is acquainted with Pitts
burg survey the scene, and look over the exten
W ground covered by this vast confagration. S
rapid did the fire progress, that at one time, be
tween four and five O'clock in the afternoon, tn
fire was raging with undiminished fury, over
space extending, beginning at Market stree
corner of Third, down Market street to the T
yer, up the river to the upper end of kenslnG
ton or Pipetown, opposite to Birmingham
down from Kensington TO Fourth street |
Snirhfeld, up Smithield to Diamond ale.
drwn Diamond alley to large brick %arehous
on Wood, across Wood, extending in a DANCE
Gus direction towards the Bank, up Fourt
street TO the Mayors Office, and across to Thir
street, the place of beginning.
In all this vast space, the very heart Of Ii
city, including most Of the warehouses of OF
manufactures, and our principal wholesa lie gr