Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-07-25
Great COnfagration inNew
York!
200 or 800 BUILDINGS BURNT!
Loss over Five Millions of Dollars


Broad ST. and Broadway. Ii then communica-
ted TO the adjoining house, occupied as car
penler's shop; and from thence il extended To
the rear part ol the store No SO Broad street,
occupied by Crocker & Warren. At this point,
the fremen say, they thought TO stop the pro-
gress of the flames, when suddenly all expIo-
sion took place in this store so tremendous,
that il carried down three or four stores on Ell
Their side of il, and several stores on the oppo-
site side of Broad ST., and at the same time
vast sheet Of blue fame burst forth from the
store Of Croker s. Warren, extending the fire
on every side. The confusion that prevailed at
this moment beggars description. 1t was tho't
that several fremen had been buried in the ru-
ms; and although exerlion was made to ascer-
tain whether such was the case or not, yet it
was impossible TO tell. Engine No. 81 was
buried in the ruins, and completely destroyed
Several men are missing, but whether they
have been killed or not, il is impossible to tell
Several men were carried away much injured.
From The NJ Y. Express.
At about four O'Clock, Crocker & Warren's
store in New street, in which was stored very
large quantity OF saltpetre blew up with one Of
the most tremendous explosions ever heard or
felt in the city. That building itself was of
course scattered in fragments in an Instant and
those near it were little better off, The explo-
sion created one of the most lrightful specta-
Giles il was ever our misfortune TO witness, and
the noise and uproar could only be equaed by
the explosion OF magazine.
The first explosion, which was comparative
y moderate, filed the room of the writer of
this paragraph, with light more intense than
at noon day, and, upon looking out upon
Broadway, scene met his gaze that can new
er be forgotten. Hardly had he reached the
window when the second and grand explosion
took place. The buildings, as far as the eye
could reach, appeared one mass of flames,
while the buildings on the west side OF Broad
way, from the Mansion House to the Astor,
were so brilliant that the eye could scarce rest
upon them. The spire of Trinity Church
looked like pillar of fire, and the moon, which
a moment before we saw Just above the roof,
paed under this vivid light, and was invisible.
The sky, over the region OF the lire, and along
the range of Nassau street. was filled with a
mass of fame from the burning gas, alcohol
and camphine, let loose at the explosion. High
in the air as the eye could range appeared an
immense quantity of fire. that had the appear
ance of serpents darling spirally upwards, like
J the small rockets of fire work. These tongues
OF flame, too, shot out in all directions from the
centre, making together the whole look like
mountain of fire, which created in The air
E noise like that caused by fash Of electricity in
a thunder storm. The panic caused by such
an explosion, who can describei The street,
from the Waverly House to our Office, on
running flor their lives, shrieking as though
: they were in the agonies of death. Those who
could keep their ieet were fortunate, indeed,
!, for the masses behind, in their terror, over-ran
many who fell, regardless OF any thing but
their own safety.
: Through the other streets like scene was
exhibited, but the Others were narrow the
! confusion was greater. The fremen and spec
taiors left those parts only TO receive in anolh
er place the shower OF bricks and other missiles
forced off by the explosion. So awful was the
shock that the thick plate glass in nearly all
the buildings in wall street, was broken in
2 fragments and strewed over the pavement, in
Z many instances the substantial window sashes
/. themselves being broken III. The cries of
frightened people, the fall of missiles on the
roofs of buildings, the crash Of 81 lass upon the
), pavemens, added TO the tumbling Of buildings
from the force of the explosion, and the vivid
e glare of the flames, assailed the numerous null
!. tiludes now out to see the fire, and gave the
impression that great convulsion of nature
had taken place. The windows Of the City
: Hotel and buildings near US, were in moment
filled with the tenantry of the houses, who,
until the great explosion, had remained quiet
:, in bed thinking the fire an ordinary matter, but
y, not until now thoroughly reused by this awful
u shock.
The conclusion in the Courier Office was so
e severe that the substantial stone walls of the
people there thought for one moment that they
10 were tumbling 10 their base. The workmen in
> the composing room in the fifth story found the
stone on which the form was making up, rise
g several inches from its resting place the gas
:. all went out instantly, and during the darkness
that followed, the scene was, TO say the least OF
J. it, an exciting one. The workmen employed
. in the Press and Engine rooms in the basement
II story, fully believing that the entire building
K was about to fall upon them in mass, flew with
e. rapid steps into the street.
The same occurrences took place with The
. workmen in our Office. In n moment they
- were in darkness, and astounded by the shock
~ they flew as if an earthquake were tumbng
as the walls upon their heads. All soon recover.
j, ed, however, and went TO work 10 give oul
le readers, in a second edition, the details Of the
" progress of the fire.
y At seven O'Clock the Tribune describes thu
ID scene as lolows:-
Is We have this moment returned from thu
n scene of the conhagration, with eye, heart an!
lie brain oppressed with the sublime and appalling
e. spectacle. The whole area between Broad ST.
re- Exchange Place, Beaver street and Broadway
p and up Broadway to the Waverly House, i
4. one vast amphilheatre of bood-red flame
- sweeping like hurricane on fire, falling walls
er smoke and cinders, flying like gigantic meteor
ne all ways at once. The flames have approached
"a. within two doors of the public Store, No. Il
d. Broad ST., containing an immense amount o
lv valuable goods OF all sorts, and il will hardly b.
-. saved.
- On Broadway The roof and walls of the Wa
!. au verify House have Just fallen in, and the cage
III flames are licking about the doors and window
lie of the adjoining BUILDINGS and darling their ii