Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-04-22
From the Pittsburgh Daily Gazette, April IL.
AWFUL CONFEDERATION
Pittsburgh i'm Ruips.

city, ard no human being can tell where il
will stay It's ravages. II has now been
burning for about six hours, and confusion
reigns extreme, and il caCnot be expected
we shall give any thing like particular
statement Of calamity so extensive ard
involving such fearful ruins. What gene
raj particulars we can give we lay before
cur readers.
The fire broke out about II O'Clock NJ,
to-day, in the old frame shed on The east
side Of Ferry street. used, we believe, for
n smoke house, Immediately irrounded on
two sides with old frame buildings. The
weather was extremely dry, AID the wind
high, almost gale, blowing from the west,
The houses adjoining, on Second street,
caught fire Immediately. The engines al
this time began 10 play, and had there been
a sufiiciency Of water, would have subdued
the fire. But from want Of water, and the
high wind, the fire extended from Second
street across TO the Globe Cotton Factory,
which, together with dwelling adjoining,
was consumed. The Sd Presbyterian
church was on fire, bu, was saved with
great exertlon.
The FIRE, also, about the same time, ex-
tended across Ferry ST., to the west side,
where il consumed some or dwellings,
when it was stopped in that direction, tn e
wind beiag favorable.
But ii was east Of Ferry street where
the fire ragged with most fury. Ii mmed-
ately extended TO Market street, sweeping
every house on both sides of Second street,
and the whole square bounded by Market,
Forty, Second and Front streets, except
one building. the warehouse Of the Cotton
Factory, In the square bounded by Mar
ket, Ferry, Second and Third s,s., every
building was destroyed except the Sd
Church, Johnson g. Stockton's printing
Office, and the Anne ricnn office.
The sluaro bounded by Market, Ferry,
Front and Water sts., was saved with but
little injury.
The fire crossed Market at Front street,
and thon began to rage with awful fury
This was abou, o'clock p. NJ, and the
wind had increased 70 perfect gale. The
fire absolutely appeared To dance from roof
10 roof, and in all incredible shor! space Of
time, the three immense squares, composed
mostly Of warehouses, bounded by Market
and Wood, and extending from Third to
the river, were sea Of fame.
The heat by this time was tremendous,
and the wind blowing gale. Wood ST.
formed no barrier at all. The flames went
Kissing across as if engcr for their prey
They also crossed Third ST. below the new
Post Office, and went rushing up Wood ST.
across Fourth-and Wood street was a sea
Of fire from The river to Diamond alley
But this was not all; the fire had become
ungovernable. The arm Of man was i'm
potent Even the goods removed to the
streets for safety, were seized upon and
destroyed.
On, on, marched the raging element
A sea ST fame rolls on from Wood street to
Smiihfeld. The Monongahela House, tina,
nobIest of modern hotels, is surrounded
with flames, il takes fire
Still the ruin rolls on-crossing Smith
field ST., and Grant ST., sweeping Scotch
Hill entirely Even the Canal does not
stop ii, the Gas Works take fire, and d.
roctly all Kcnsington is in flames. and the
FIRE rolls on, and is only stopped in that
direction, about one mile from where it
commenced, from the want of food TO feed
lis vOracIous nav.
In the meantime, the Monongahela
Bridge has taken fire, and is entirely con-
sumed. The Pittsburgh Bank. supposed
10 be FIRE proof, extending from 3D. TO 4th
streets, is ia flames. The Mayors office
Is all on fire, aud the new Post Office is in
great dargcr.
Let any one who ~ acquainted with
pittsburgh survey this scene, and look over
Tho extent of ground covered by this vast
conaHgra,ron. 81 rapid did this fire pro-
gross that al one time, b tween and .
O'Clock 10 tho afternoon, the fire was IA.
g'og with undjminiShed fury over space
extending from Market street, corner OF
laird, down Market street 10 the river,
up The river TO the uppar end of kcnsng
ION or PlPo Town, opposite to Birmingham,
down from kensiugton 10 Fourth street.
down Fourth street to Smilhfeld, up Smith
field to p almond A ley, down Diamond Al
lay TO the large brick Warehouse on " ooc
street. across Wood street, extending in Il
dNgNna' direction towards the Bank, u,
Fourth street To the Mayors office, anl
across to Third street, the place OF begin
njng.
In all this vast space, the very heart Of
tie city, including most OF the warehouse,
Of our mlnutac .urers, and our principal
wholesale Grocers and Commission Mer
chants, there $ not one house Standing tina
VIC know Of
Twenty Squares are entrely destroyed
and several parts OF squares, besides al
Pipetown, and all tho buildings arount
Bakswell's Glass works, which were also
consumed.
The loss of property must be immense
We shall NO, attempt to compute II. This
fro spread 50 rapidly it was impossible t,
save property. The Frort st. Merchants
whose immense Warehouses were full O
Goods, Groceries. and Piasburg manurac
lures, removed their goods TO the Wharf
which they covered over lis whole extent
down 10 tho waters edge, but there the,
caught fire, and the most of them were
consumed.
Among the public buildings, are tn,
Pittsburgh Bank, the Monongahela House
tie Merchants Hotel. the MAYORS Office,
known as Philo Hall, and all our Pittsburgh
Insurance offices.