Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1845-07-30
AWFUL CALAMITY
TERRIBLE CONFEDERATION.

New York which has laid a large and valuable
portion of the city in ruins. Tho number of
buildings destroyed is SAG and the estimated loss
is five millions Of dollars. The fire broke out
about half past three o'clock Saturday last and
ragged for ten hours before it was finally subdued.
We have not time room to give the full par
tculars of tho dreadful calamity, and can only
annex the following vivid description of part Of
the terrific scene
The greatest, the most terrible fire that has &C.
Cured in this city since the great conflagraton Of
December, 1885, is now spreading devastation
throughout the lower part Of the city. Over ono
hundred buildings, according to the best calcula
ton, arc on fire, havo been levelled with the
ground. Most Of them three, four and five story
houses and occupied, principally, by importing
and other merchants 1t is close estimate to
set the loss, thus far 10 million of dollars
This dreadful fire broke out at half past three
O'Clock this morning, in New street, about three
doors from the corner Of Exchange Place, in
Sperm Oil store. 1t then spread to chair fac
tory, the noxt door iowa rds Exchange Place. then
through to Broad street and to the corner Of Ex-
change Place, where it communicated to a build
ing occupied by sOme persons who either had
largo quantity Of saltpetre on storage, else
woro manufacturers of fire. works, for in fifteen
minutes after it caught fire the whole blew up
with tremendous explosion, carrying six or
city like earthquake. The conclusion was SO
great to smash than half million panes
of glass in the neghborhood. Immediately after
the ex posion fire was discovered at four different
points, showing the entire block in the rear was
ia a complete bazo.
From the Express.
At about four o'clock, Croker g. Warren's
store, in New street, in which was stored q worry
largo quantity Of satpetre, blew up with of
tbo ndr nj hon fa
in the city; that building itself was Of course
scattered in fragments in an instant, and those
near it were little bcttor off. The explosion crea
tod of the most frightful spectacle it ever
our misfortune to witness, aud the noiso and up
roar could only be oqualled by the explosion of a
magazine.
Tho first explosion was comparatively moder-
ate, but filled the Of the writer of this
pa ragrap h with light moro intensc than noon
day. and. upon looking out upon Broadway, a
met gaze that mover be forgotten.
Hardly had he reached the window when the Sc
cond explosion took place. The buildings, as far
as the eye could reach, appeared ono of
flames, while the buildings on the West side Of
broadway, from tho Mansion House to tho Astor
wero brilliant that tho eye could scarce rest
upon them. Tho spirc Of Trinity Church looked
like pillar of fire, and the moon. which moment
before saw Just above tho roof, paled under
this vivid light, and was invisible. The sky, over
the region of fro, and the range of Ma ssau street,
was filled with a mass of flame. from tho burning
gas camphino and alcohol lot loose at the explo-
sion.
High in tho air as the eye could range. appear
ed an immense quantity Of fire, that had tho np-
pearancc Of scrpcnts, darling spiralIy upwards,
like the small rockets of tho fire works. These
tongues Of flame, too, shot out in all directions
from tho contre, making together tho whole look
like mountain of fire, which created in tho air
a noise caused by flash of electricity in thunder
storm. The panic caused by such explosion,
who can dcscribo! Tho street from the Waverly
House to our office; on Broadway, presented q
thick multitude Of men, running if for their
lives, shreking rs though they wero in the agonies
Of death. Those who could koep their feet were
fortunate, indeed for the masses behind in their
terror. overrun many who fell, regardless Of any
thing but their own safety.
Through the other streets like scene was OK.
hibitcd, but as tho others narrow tho confu-
sion greater. The fireman and spectators
left these parts only to recoivo in another
place tho shower Of bricks and other missiles for
ced off by the explosion. So awful was the shock
that the thick plato glass in rIy all the build
ings in Wall street, was broken in fragments and
strewed over tho pavement. In many instances
the substantial window sashes themselves being
broken in.
The cries Of frightened people, the fall of mis-
siles on the roofs Of buildings from the force Of
the explosion, and the vivid glare Of the flames,
assaulted the numerous multtudes now out to
the fire and gave tho impression tina: great
vulsion Of nature had taken place. The windows
of the city Hotel and buildings near US, were in
a moment filled with tho tenantry Of the houses, |
who until the great explosion. had remained quiet
in bed; thinking the fire ordinary matter, but
not until now thoroughly reused by this awful
shock.
The conclusion in the Courier office was so
that the substantial walls of the build
ing shook to their foundations, and the people
there thought for moment that they were
tumbliEg to their base The workmen in the
composing room in the fifth story found tho stone
on which the form was making up, rise several
inches from its resting place; the gas oil went out
instantly, and during the darkness that followed,