The Woodstock age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1844-1845, 1845-04-24

in PlTISBURG-2O SQUARES Ot'
THE CITY IN RUINS-FROM
1000 TO 1900 HOU SEES d E.
STROYED-LOSs ESTIMATED
AT $lo,0O0,Oo0!
1t is our painful duty to record one OF
the most terrible fires that ever devasta-
led any city on this continent, A great
portion.of our busy and pupulous town
is in ruins! More houses have been des-
troyed by this single and horrible conha-
grafton, than have been consumed by all
the fires that have ever occurred in the
city before.
Those acquainted with the plan Of Pitts
burg will realize the extent ofthe terri
bic calamity We have suffered, when we
state that nearly all that portion of the
city extending from Ferry street up to
the Mon. river to the city line, and thence
to the head Of the entire suburb called
"Pipe,own," (Kensington) has been des-
troyed. The fire reached up Market
street as far as the south side of Sd street
and up Wood street as far as the south
side of Dimond alley. The boundaries
ofthe burnt district may be thus describ-
ed:-From Water street up Ferry to
Third street, the old Presbyterian church
was saved, up Third to Wood;u Wood
to Diamond ally, both sides; up Diamond
alley to Smithfeld street, and thence
down Smithfeld to Fourth street, both
sides; up Fourth street to Ross street,
and thence to the head Of Pipetown; in
Guiding, as we have estimated above, a
bout twenty squares, and comprising from
ten to twelve hundred houses; many Of
the warehouses contained goods Of i'm
mense value-they were grocery, dry
goods and commission houses. and their
spring stocks had just been laid in
The fire originated in a frame building
over an ice house belonging to VIM
Dehl near the corner of Second and Fer
ny streets. The wind was blowing stiflly
from the northwest, though it frequently
veered to other points, and owing to its
variations the fire extended up Wood
street farther than it otherwise could have
done. 1t was discovered about 10 O..
clock, and was not materially checked
till five in the afternoon. Even while we
write, al 9 o'clock, P. NJ, the engines
are playing vigorously in Wood street.
We can give no adequate idea of the
distress which prevades our stricken COM
munity. The progress of the flames was
so feartulIy rapid, that many persons had
not time to remove their goods-others,
again, had got their property into the
street, when the flames seized it there, be-
fore it could be removed to place OF
safety. Others still, would not believe
the deyouring elements could reach their
dwellings,, and did not think of removing
until it was too late to save their turni
turc. And we SAW many persons who es'
capped with nothing but the apparel they
had upon their persons. At dark you
might see, in every direction, families sit
ting without shelter, guarding such por-
tons of their household furniture as they
were able to save from the flames, and
not knowing where they would lay their
heads, or procure morsel of food. OF
course the kindness of their more iortu-
nate fellow citizens did much to alleviate
their sufierings, and we believe all were
provided for as well as the melancholy
nature Of affairs would allow.
The council met in the afternoon, and
attempted to devise some means to stay
the confagration twas proposed to blow
up houses that seemed in the way Of the
flames. The deliberations, however, were
Intellectual results, and we believe but
one or two buildings were blown up. 1t
seems TO us, indeed, that there scarcely
could have been time to accomplish any
thing in the way of destroying houses, so
terribly rapid was the progress of the
fire.
There is abundant reason for thankful
ness that so lew lives were lost. There
are many rumors of men being killed and
burnt and wounded-but they are not au-
thentica,ed. One woman is certainly
burned, and we saw poor old man tot
iering along with the help of two friends,
his face badly burned, The loss oflile,
however, cannot be learned in the awful
confusion which prevails.
We know not how to express our sense
flhe lively gratitude to which the fire
man are entitled from our afflicted and
ruined citizens, as well as those they
saved; nothing in the shape of reward
can compensate them for the incessant
toll they had to underground for the I'M
yielding, heroic frmness, which they
manifested under the appalling terrors
which surrounded them on every side. II
they had had suffciency of water dur
ing the whole time, they could have saved
much more property-as it was they pre-
vented the destruction of an incalculable
amount.
The following are the principal public
buildings, manufactures, and Offices des-
troyed:-
Globe Cotton Factory, corner Of Sec
ond and Ferry.
Fire Navigation Insurance Office, Mar
ket between Cd and Sd.
Fireman's Insurance office, corner Of
Market and Sd.
Bank of Plttsburg, 9TH between Market
and Wood.