The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-21
From the New York Journal Of Commerce, Saturday Ju
TO- three O'Clock pm.
THE Awful CONFEDERATION

THE AWFUL CONFEDERATION.
The extent Of this calamity has exceeded even the
excited apprehenslons of those who Witnessed its
whole progress from the commencement. Happily,
its progress is now stayed, that we enabled TO
define the limits OF its ravnges On the side Of
Broadway, every building from Exchange Place,
commencing with the Waverley House, TO Market
field street, is utterly consumed; Also three four
dwellings, below Marketheld. The house OH the
corner of Stone and Whitehall streets, aud two or
three dwellings, north Of Stone street. remain COM
paratively unnured. Thence to Broad street,
Stone street is the boundary. Through Broad
street, from Stone 10 the public Stores within two
three doors of Wall street, the buildings both
sides are all destroyed. A line drawn from the pub.
lie stores to the Waverey House, is the limit on the
northwest. In Beaver street all the buildings on
both sides are consumed, from the Bowling Green
to within five or six doors Of William street. On
the west side Of Broadway the buildings all de-
stroyed, from Morris street TO number -, occupied
by Mrs. Barker as a boarding-house-th last IN
cluded
The buildings on Broadway, north of Morris
street, were saved by incredible exertons, in which
the inmates rendered themselves especially conspicu-
GUS. They were covered with carpets and blankets,
constantly wetted with water, carried up by hand to
the roofs.
The explosion which set this most disastrous con
fagraton in notion we have no doubt, from the
reservoir gasometer Of the Manhattan Company,
situated in New street. caused by the heat of the
neighboring fire. There was nothing else which
could have made it; and that could. In corrobora-
ton Of this the gas-ights in Office went out in
santly upon the explosion.
There was quantity Of saltpetre in the store OF
Croker 81 Warren; but store full of it burned
ten years ago, and there was no explosion. Gun
powder is spoken of but without evidence that any
was present.
The explosion was tremendous and produced the
utmost CONSERVATION throughout the lower part of
fnAc hA nft
pling 10 its base. The printers sticks thrown
from their hands; and the gas-ghts suddenly extin-
guished in part Of the building added to the terror
and confusion of the scene. We experienced no
damage, however, except in the breaking of window
glass. Nearly every building on Wall street, and
in fact in all the streets contiguous to the burnt dis
trict, had its windows more or less injured, and in
some instances whole sashes were dashed in and
the large massive doors of the stores either swung
open, or detached wholly from hinge and bolt,
and thrown into the centre Of the buildings. Such
was the effect of the explosion on the Merchants
Exchange, as to burst in the windows, breaking
large quantities of the thickest plate glass. Even the
interior doors were burst open.
The explosion occurred in successive shocks; pre-
vious to which, the atmosphere rradiaed with
brilliant flashes Of light tinged with every variety of
color. The air was Immediately after filed with
balls of fire and burning beams, some of which of
huge size were thrown to an incredible height and
distance. A heavy burning rafter struck on the
roof Of Bunker's Mansion House.
The explosion was heard on board the steamboat
Champion while seven miles from the city, and
startled the passengers from their berths. 1t was
also heard at Hampstead and at Newark. Captain
York, of the brig Milton, as well as the captain and
passengers Of the brig Savannah, off the Highlands
heard the report and felt conclusion.
Among the goods destroyed by the fire are 1890
bales cotton, 10000 chests tea, 3,000a4 900 hhds.
and 500 boxes brown sugar, 6000a9, 900 bags cof
fee, 600 pieces carpeting, 1900 bbls. and 5O0a600
hhds. moasses, 100000 lbs. fleece and pulled wool,
300 bales Smyrna WOOL
Thedry-goods jobbers escaped almost entirely, but
the domestic goods factors suffered severely, and
several large stocks of foreign manufactures were
destroyed. The whole loss of dry goods per-
haps two millions and half Of dollars, The fol-
lowing is rough statement, in round numbers, of