The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-04-18
From the Pittsburgh Gazette, April II.
AWFUL CONFLAGRATIONl
Pittsburgh in Rains !

I
At 6 o'clock, p. NJ, Thursday, we Fl,
down to our desk with sad heart, to re-
cord the most awful calamity which ever
belel any city the size of Pittsburgh.
/ While we now write. an awful fire is rag
ing, consuming the fares, portion of our
city. and no human being can tell where
It will stay lis ravages. 1t has now been
burning for six hours, and confusion reigns
extreme, and ii cannot be expected we
shall give anything like particular state
ment OF calamity so extensive and in
voIVlng such fearful ruins.
The fire broke out about IL o'clock,
NJ, to-day, in an old frame shed on the
east side OF Forty street, used, we believe,
for smoke house, Immediately surroun-
ded on two sides with old frame buildings.
The weather was extremely dry, and
wind high almost a gale blowing from the
west.
The houses adjoining en- Second stree,
caught fire neutrality-suspicious. over
Second st. to the Globe Cotton Factory,
which together with dwelling was con-
sumed. The Sd Presbyterian church
was saved. Six or eight houses were de-
s'royed on Ferry St,-lrom Ferry towards
Market, sweeping every house on both
sides Second, and the whole square boun-
ded by Market, Ferry, Second and Front,
leaving only one building-the square
bounded by Market, Ferry, Second and
Third, was also nearly entirely destroy
ed. The fire crossed Market at Front,
and ragged with awful fury-the fire abso.
lule'y appeared to dance from roof to
roof and in an incredible short space of
time, three immense squares, composed
mostly of warehouses, where a sea of
flames. The fire then crossed Wood st.
and Third. Wood ST, was a sea of fire
from the river TO Diamond alley
Goods removed to streets for safety
were all seized upon and destroyed. The
Monongahela House was destroyed, and
also the Gass Works, and was only stop
ped in that direction, ABOUT one mile from
where it commenced. from want of food
to feed its voracious nav. The Monon-
gahela Bridge is entirely destroyed.
In the very heart Of the city, including
most of the warehouses Of our manufactu-
rers, and our principal wholesale grocers
and commission merchants, there is not
one house standing that we know of.
TWENTY SQUARES are entirely destroy
ed, and several parts of squares, besides
all of Pipetown, and all the buildings
around Bakewell's Glass Works, which
were also consumed.
The loss of property mus, be immense.
We shall not attempt TO compute it. The
fire spread so rapidly it was impossible
10 save property.-The Front Stree, Mer-
chants, whose immense Warehouses were
full of Goods, Groceries. and Pt,sburg
manufactures, removed their goods to the
wharf, which they covered over its whole
extent, down TO the waters edge, but
there they caught fire, and the most Of
them were consumed.
Among the public buildings destroyed,
are the Pittsburgh Bank, the Mononga.
hela House, the Merchants Hotel, the
Mayors Office, known as Philo Hall, and
all our Pittsburgh Insurance Offices.
The Chronicle and Age Offices were
removed. The Chronicle lost its press
es. The Presbyterian Advocate and
Protestant Unionist Offices are both DIES.
troyed.
But it is impossible for us to attempt
to give the particulars of this dreadful ca
lamitv. Pittsburgh has received dread
(ul blow, but we trust she will again rise
from her ashes.
At this time, seven o'clock, the fire is
not extending, but is yet raging with aw-
full sublimiiy in the burnt district. Hun
dreds and hundreds of families are house
less and homeless, and their goods fill
The streets. TO add to the distress, the
Gas Works were destroyed, and our city
will be involved in darkness as soon as
the lurid flames die away.
Millions Of dollars will not repair the
loss experienced. For extent of loss and
widespread desoa,ion, no fire in this
country ever equalled it. Tomorrow we
shall be able to give more particulars.
a A II