The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-04-19
From tha Pius5u1a Post, April sth.


1Ss--.FaoM 1000 TO 1900 Houses
DEsrRoYEp-LoIs zsrIMATED AT
TEN MILLIONS.
. Il is our painful duty 10 record ono o.
the mos, terrible ires that ever devasl
aled any city on this continent A
grea, portion OF our busy and populou
town is in ruins More houses have beer
destroyed by this single and hortib'
cooh'gra,ion, Than have ever occureo
in this city before.
Those acqu1inied with Ihe plan OF
Pitsburg will realize The extent OF the
terrible calamity we have suffered wher
we state that nearly all that part Of thu,
city extending from Ferry stree, up IN,
Monongaheia river 10 the city line, and
thence To lhe head OF he entire suburb
called 'pipelown' Kensngton1 has
been destroyed.
The FIRE reached up Market street
as far as he south side of Third street,
and up Wood street as far as the south
side of Diamond alley. The boundarie.
of the burnt district may be thus describ-
ed; From Water street up Ferry to
Third street, (the third Presbyterian
Church was saved, up Third to Wood,
up Wood 10 Diamond aitey bUth sides
I'D Diamond alley 10 Sml,hfieId street,
and thence down smitkfeld 10 Fourth
street., both sides; up Fourth street tt
Ross ST., and thence 10 the head oi
Pipe,ow6, including, az we have est-
mated above about go squares, and com
prising from 10 TO 1900 houses, many
oi the warehouses containing goods OF
immense value-they were grocer
dry goods and commission houses,
sud their spring stocks had been jus
laid in.
The FIRE originated 10 frame build
ing over an ice house belonging 10 VIM
DiehI, near the corner Of Second ant
Ferry streets The wind was blowing
uiHy from The Northwest, though it IRE
suuenlly veered 10 other points, and ow
ing 10 us vsrla,ons, The fire extended
up Wool street further than ilolhefwIs,
could have done.
1t was first discovered sbout IL O.
clock, and was not materially checked
tlll S in ,he afternoon. Even while ",
write, let 9o'clock, P. Nj. y The Ell
.sines ale playing vigorously in Wooe
street.
We can give no adequate idea Of Ih'
distress which peivades our stricken
community. The progress OF the flames
was so fearfu'ly rapid thai many person,
had not time TO remove their goods
Others, again. had got their property
into the sreei, when the flames seized
i, there, before it could be removed lC
splsce Of ssfvty.
Others still would not believe The de
vouring element could reach the
dwellings ard did not think Of remov
ing until was TOO late to save lhei
furniture. And we saw many peopl
who escaped with nothing bulthe sppar
.el hey had upon their persons.
Al dark, you might see, al every d.
srec,ion, ism!lies sitting without shelte
guarding such portions of their house
hold furniture as they were able to tav
fiom lhs Asmesy aud uotknowing wher
they.wopld lay their heads, or proeur
morsel Of food. Of course The kind
ness Of their more fortunate fellow CHI
zns did much 10 alleviate their sufIeI
.ings, and we believe all were provide
for as we'll as The melancholy nature c
sHairs would allow.
The Councils met in the afternoon
and attempted TO devise some means
stay the coIRlgrslion. Il was propose
10 blow up houses that seemed in It
way Of The flames, the dehberslion
however were Intellectual in results, az
we believe tut one or two buldinl
were blown up. Ii seems to US, indie,
that there could not have been time
accomplish any thing 10 the way OF d
slroying houses, so terribly rapid "
The progress oil lheh
There Is abundant reason for than
-AlnCss that so few lives were lo
There sfe many rumors Of men bel
BILLED, sad burnt and wounded--t
They are mol authenticated, One "
man is certainly burned, and we saw
poor old man, tollering along with I
help Of Two friends, his face badly bur
ed. The loss Of life, however, cant
be learned IN the awful confusion whi
prevails.
We know not how 10 express {
sense of The lively gratitude TO VIII