Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-04-26
AWFUL CONFEDERATION !
Pittsburgh i'm Ruins!


A fire broke out abou. IL o'clock NJ on the
llih, in Pittsburgh, which nearly laid the whole
city in ruins. The particulars are given some
what at length in the Piusburgh Gazette. but
for want of room. we can only give synopsis
of The most important particulars Of this dread
fnl calamity. The fire was first discovered 10
an old frame shed on the cas-, side Of Ferry ST.,
with old frame buildings on both sides. The
weather was very dry, and the wind blowed
almost gale from the west.
The houses adjoining on Second st. caught
! FIRE, and for want Of water the engines were
rendered almost valuless. The fire crossed
Second st. to the Globe cotton Factory, which
with dwelling adjoining was consumed
The FIRE crossed the ives, side Of Ferry st
where il consumed or 10 dwellings,, but The
wind being favorable was soon stopped.
! BIZ, il was cas-, of Ferry street where the
I FIRE ragged with mos, fury. II Immediately ex.
tended towards Market street. sweeping every
honse on both sides of Second street and The
whole square bounded by Market. Ferry, Sec
ond and Front streets. except one building. the
warehouse of The Cotton Factory. In the
square bounded by Market, Ferry, Second
and Third streets. every building was destroy
ed except the Sd Church, and Johnson &
Stockion's printing Office, and the American
office.
| The square bounded by Market, Ferry Front
and Water streets, was saved with but little
injury.
( The fire crossed Market al Front street, and
then began 10 rage with awful fury. This
] u ~ ID a. id bod
increased TO perfect gale. The fire absolute
~ appeared 10 dance from roof to roof. and IN
an incredible Short space Of time. the three
immense squares, composed mosilyof ware.
houses, bounded by Market and Wood, and
extending from THIRD TO The river, were sea
OF flame.
The heat by this time was tremendous, and
the wind blowing gale. Wood street form
cd no barrier at all The flames were kissing
across as if eager for their prey. They also
crossed Third street below The new Post Off
&C. and were rushing up Wood stree, across
Fourth. and Wood street was sea Of fire
from the river to Diamond alley!
| Bot this was not all; the fire had become
ungovernable. The arm Of man was impo,ent.
Even the goods removed TO streets for safety,
were seized upon and destroyed. On march
ed the raging element. A sea of flame rolls
on from Wood street to Smllhheld. The Mo
nongahela House, that noblest Of modern no
tells. is surrounded with names-it takes fire.
still the ruin rolls on-crossing Smithheld
street and Grant street, sweeping Scotch Hill,
entirely. Even the Canal does not stop the
Gass works take fire, and directly all Kens-
! ington is in flames, and the fire rolls on, and
is only stopped in that direction. about ono
mile from where II commenced, from the want
Of food 10 feed its voracious nav.
/ In the meantime, the Monongahela Bridge
has taken FIRE, and is entirely consumed. The
Pittsburgh Bank. supposed TO be fro proof
extending from Sd to 1h streets, is 10 flames
The Mayors office is also on IKE. and the new
Posiofl CO is in great danger. Let any one
who is acquainted with Pittsburgh, survey
this scene. and look over the exte0t of ground
covered by this vast conhagra,ion.
So rapid did it progress that at one time
between 4 and o'clock 10 The afternoon the
ERE was raging with undminished fury, over
space extending. begioing at Market street
corner Of Third. down Market street to the
river. up the river 10 the upper end of kens
ing,on or Pipeiown, opposite to birmingham
down from kensing,on to Fourth ST., down
Fourth street TO Smilhfeld TO Diamond Alley
from Diamond Alley TO the large brick Ware
house on Wood, across Wood extending IN
diagonal direction towards the Bank,up Fourth
stree, TO the Mayors Office. and across Il
Third street, the place of beginning.
In all this vast space. the very heart OF thu
city, including most of the warehouses Of on
manufacturers, aud our principal wholesal,
Grocers and Commission merchants, there /:
no, one house standing that we know OF.
Itceniy Squares are entirely destroyed. and
several parts of squares. besides all Of Pipe
town and and oil tho buildings around Bake
wells Glass Works, which were nlso con-
eumed.
The loss Of property must be immense
We shall not attempt 10 compute il. The fire
spread so rapidly il was impossible TO save
property.
At this iime.7 o'clock. the FIRE is not extend
ing. but is yet raging with awful subimily ia
the burnt district Hundreds and hundreds Of
families are houseless and homeless, and their
goods fill The streets TIC add 10 the distress
the Gas Works were destroyed, and our city
/ will be involved in darkness ss soon as the
lurid flames die away.
/ The same paper Of the l2ih, the day after
the fire. throws together, under different heads,
the principle incidents. with list of the chiei
sufferers. Of which we make the following ex.
tracts
TBs EFFECT or rHx DISASTER ON The BusI.
NESS AND PROSPERITY OF PIrTsBuReH.-We
have carefully inquired of many of our eleares,
headed business men. those most thoroughly
ccnversanI with the resources Of the city, as 10
the probable effect Of this disaster upon its
prosperity. aud coupled with our own kuowl-
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