The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-07-23
EDITORS CORRESPONDENTS.
NEW YonK. July 20. lsa

main particulars you will have seen this reaches
YOU suice 1t to say, il ragged with the most terrific
anu appalling violence from three o'clock on Satur-
Jay morning, until past one o'clock in the afternoon,
moving down whole blocks of heavy granite or
orek buildings like so much chaff and in space Of
time almost Incredible. You would hear that it had
seized new or fresh block, and before you could
reacn the spot to battle with its fury, the entire
block would be swept away, and nothing left but a
vast heap Of smoking, Kissing ruins Between
three and four hundred Of the largest and finest
stores and houses IN the city have thus in the short
space OF ten hours, been leveled with the DUST some
six or eight millions of property destroyed several
valuable lives lost, many persons injured, and hun
dreds of poor families flung houseless and homeless
upon cold and heartless world. II was, indeed, a
pitIful and hear-rendng sight to enter the beautiful
grounds of the Battery, and witness the distress and
misery, where usually there is SO much happiness
and gayety. Every foot Of ground was occupied
by some poor family, suddenly driven from home,
and weeping over the few articles they had saved
from the fury of the elements. Children, frghten-
ed ut the scene of horror, would hide themselves
under some piece of furniture, or rush to their
mother for protection She, frantic with grief for
the absence, perhaps, Of husband or a son, could
give her frightened offspring no consolation, for
they could well that her terror was greater even
than their own. Another group would present a
mother bowed down with sorrow, but forgetful, APP
pareny, of all things sicky infant, over the
cradle of which she is bending with more than her
usual dll StOfc OF neCeSSdTcS
gone, and little, indeed, has she TO live for but
her child, now Graded in the open fields. But not
withstandiDg these heart-rending scenes and the
crowds that necessarily fill these grounds the most
complete order regns. And such is the through
out the city. Our worthy mayor has proved him
self man for emergency. He has won golden
opinions from all, whether friend or foe. Our whole
city was converted into camp and the eye of our
police was upon every stranger or suspicious per-
son, before even our citizens knew that anything
unusual had happened, or that more than ordina-
ry hire was in progress. Such vigor, such spirit
and promptness, have seldom been witnessed here;
and he deserves the gratitude of ALL Before one
half of our citizens were out of bed, his proclana-
ton had been issued to the troops, who obeyed with
the greatest alacrity, and were already stationed at
every necessary point. The services Of the United
States marines, from the North Carolina, were ten
necessary duty. Colonel Bankhead offered a
company of United States soldiers from Gov
ernor's island. In ten minutes every man had
mounted guard on some exposed property,
at some point to keep back the populace from
all interference with the iremen Nothing seemed
to escape his vigilant eye. lie was urged by many
of our citizens to resort to blowing up houses, to
check the progress of the flames. He doubted the
expedency Of the measure; for instead of checking,
it might cause the flames to spread still more. He
found the gallant fremen had recovered from the
panic caused by the terrible explosion, and although
fatigued were active and vigorous; and he said
"No; we shall conquer soon let the gallant fellows
but exert themselves for yet little while, and al
this point we shall be victorious" And so il was.
AS the point designated was reached, the noble-
hearted fremen exclaimed, "the day ours; ours is
the victory, and to the reward of thankful, CRATE
full hearts" This immense destruction of property
is occasioned by the terrific explosion which took
place just as the fremen getting the fire under,
and when not more than three or four buildings had
or would have been burnt. The store in which it
..tu, q
and the report is that it was caused by large guam
y Of saltpetre; but, this article icH not explode
there must have been some other combustble there
most likely powder. The explosion was truly
awful. 1t demolished instantly three four build
ings, and seemed to set u dozen or twenty more on
fire at once. Men buried in the ruins, or
hurled high into the heavens, and driven in every
direction Engines were demolished, and the whole
earth seemed to rock and reel as from earthquake.
Glass was broken in houses more than two miles
from the scene iron doors and shutters were wrench
ed half of from their fastenings, attached to stores
more than quarter of mile distant; and the sound
was distinctly heard on Staten Island, which is nine
miles down the bay. Our fremen stand almost
anything; but this was too much, for they know not
how soon, or in what quarter, another explosion
might take place. Their duty as fremen is entirely
voluntary, and they justly indignant that any
person. for the sake of little sordid gain, should
expose to destruction so many lives. II this ex-
ploolon was caused by powder, the State prison is
too good for the wretches who received it in store
Our new police had fair trial this occasion, and
it has worked to charm. 1t is singular fact that
Mayor Havemeyer has unprecedented that attempts
would be made to fire the city, and, within day or
two, has issued order against wasteful use OF
the Croton, which at present crosses the Harlem
river in single pipe, and might soon be exhausted
1t has not been proved that this fire originated
through design, but the precautionary measure
shows the active mind and orethought of the mayor
How superior he stands to of the small lights
of his own party, who saw fit to speak harshly of
him account Of some of his appointments. In
this respect, he has been situated not unlike our
President. His whole official acts have been APP
proved but, forsooth, because he is determined to
have good men appointed to offce--and drawn, too,
from different interests of the partya few set up
their small piping voices against him; but public
opinion has overwhelmed them, it will those self
ish individuals who crying out against the Pres
ident.
The egotistn of such men is apt to lead them into
the belief that they constitute the parfyhat they are
the spokesman, the regularly authorized and consttu-
ted organs ofthe democracya do not discover their
foolish error until they find themselves without the
pale of the party, limpng along with other discard
ed members thereof or seeking their fortunes in the
enemy's camp. Would-be leaders and self-con-
stituted oracles should, above all things, study well
and kno,o their own position. So with those who
expected to have seen the Secretary the Treasury
killed off by the little senatorial hare-up in Missis-
Slppl. Souu tuey oHIy nave bau tho l'opehSc W
wait for the proper and authorized expana-
ton, they would have saved themselves much un-
necessary trouble, and many crocodile tears. That
vindication is triumphant, that no one noic ever
thought of doubling the proprety of the Secretarys
act Oh! no. certainly not. Your little fault-fnding
politician is the most innocent being on EARTH the mo-
ment he discovers he is likely to make nothing by his
complaints and many who were rolling up the whites
of their eyes the Secretary, and whispering sus-
picions to their near of KIM are now, were we to
Judge Of them by their acts, the most happy and
delighted beings imaginable. Oh, honesty
LEDYARD.
July 81
S-Being little too late yesterday for the
mail, can give you the arrival Of the steamer
at Boston, with fifteen days later news. The
English papers are entirely mum in reference
to Texas or Oregon no alluson being made to min
lister Elliott or OF further dispatches being forward
ed to him. The sales ofcotton had been very large,
with a slight advance
For the five days previous to the Sd of july the
sales amounted to no less than 10000 bales. The
market for American provision was less active. The