The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-04-19
From the Pit,sburg Post, April 9Th.
Tremendous C0nfiagratiOn.

lSs-'fROM iOUU TO tzUU HOUSES
DrsrncrEp-Loss ESTIMATED Al
TEN MILLIONS.
II is our painful duty TO record one o
tho most terrible 6res that ever devss,
aled sny city on this continent A
great portion OF our busy and popuou
town is in ruins. More houses have beer
destroyed by this single and horrible
conhagralion, lhsa have ever occuret
in this city before.
Those scquain,ed with the plan ol
Pttsburg will realize the extent Of the
terrible calamity we have suffered whe'
we state lhs, nearly all that part Of tn,
city extending from Ferry street up lh'
Monongahela river 10 the city line, and
thence 10 The head OF Ire entire suburb
called 'Pipeiown' Kensington1 has
been destroyed.
The FIRE reached up Market street
as far as The 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 t.
Third street, (the third Presbyterian
Church was saved up Third 10 Wood,
up Wood to Diamond alley both side,
up Diamond alley to Smlrhfield street,
and thence down smilkfeld TO Fourth
street., both sides; up Fourth street tt
Ross ST., and thence 10 the head Vi
Ppe,own, including, az we have est.
mated above sbou, 20 squares, and com
prising from 10 10 1900 houses, many
oi the warehouses containing goods Of
immense vsiue--,hey were grocery
dry goods aud commission houses,
and their spring stocks had been jus
laid 10.
The FIRE originated 10 frame build
ing over an ice house belonging 10 Wm.
Diehl, near the corner Of Second ano
Ferry streets. The wind was blowing
sliHy from The Northwest, though it fre
quen,ly veered 10 other points, and ow
ing 10 its vsrla'ions, The fire extended
up Wood street further than il otherwise
could have done.
1t was first discovered about 70 O..
I'LL ) in the af,eInooRi. Even wine Wine vi
write, o'clock, p. M. y The en-
snes are play Ing vigorously in Wood
street.
We can give no adequate idea Of h'
distress which pervades our stricken
community. TheprogIess of The flames
was so fearfu'ly rapid that many persons
had not time 10 remove their goods
others, again. had got their property
into The street, when the flames seized
i, there, before it could be removed to
q place OF safety.
Others still would not believe the de-
vcuring elemsnl could reach lheiI
dwellings, and did no, think Of remov-
ing until il wss too lals 10 save lheiI
furniture. And we saw many peoplt
who escaped with nothing but,he sppar-
el they had upon their persons.
AT dark, you might see, al every d.
recton, families sitting without shelter
guarding such portions Of their house
hold furniture as they were able TO fave
hom the flames, and not knowing where
they would lay their heads, or procure
q morsel Of food. OF course The kind.
ness of their more fortunate fellow cili-
z"ns did much 10 alleviate their suffer-
ings, and we believe all were provided
for as weti Is the melancho oly nature oi
affairs would allow.
The Councils met in the afternoon,
and attempted TO devise some means to
stay the cohAsgration. 1t was proposed
10 blow up houses that seemed in the
way of The flames, the deliberations,
however were Intellectual in results, and
We believe but one or two buldings
were blown up. II seems 10 US, indeed
,ha, there colld not have been time 10
accomplish any thing in the way OF de.
Sroying houses, so terribly rapid was
the progress oi the FIRE.
There is abundant reason for thank.
illness that 30 few lives were lost.
There are many rumors Of men being
killed, and burnt and wounded--bu'
they are 10, authenticated. One wo'
man is certainly burned, aud we saw >
poor old man, to,,ering along with th'
help Of Two friends, bic face badly burn
ed, The loss Of life, however, cannot
be learned in The awful confusion whlcl
prevails.
We know not how 10 express ou'
sense Of the lively gratitude to which
the firemen ere entitled from our affiic,'
ed and ruined citizens, % well as those
they have "ved-nothing in The shape
of reward can compensate them for the