Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1845-04-17
AWFUL CONFEDERATION
1weire Hundred Houses Burnt Ten 10
I~e'ce Millions Of Property DESTROYED!
From the Pittsburg Gazette Of Friday
PITTSBURG IN RUINS.

/ From the Pittsburg Gazette Of Friday.
| -PITTSBURG IN RUINS.
We sit down to our desk with sad hear, q, -.
cord the most fearful calamity which ever hsf.,,
any city Of the size Of Piusburg. While we nov.
write an awful fire is raging, consuming the fair.
est portion Of our city, and no human being can
tell where it will stay its Iavages. II has now
been burning for six hours, and, amidst the CON.
'9sioh which reigns, it cannot be expected We
shai, give any thing Ikea particular statement of
Sa'anity so extensive and involving such fear.
Iui rum. What general particulars We can give
we lay before our readers.
The fire broke out about twelve O'Clock ~,
Thursday, IN an old frame shed on the cas-, side
OF Ferry street, used as a smoke bouse. imme.
diately surrounded on two sides with old frame
buildings. The weather was extremely dry. the
WIND blowing almost gale from the west.
hre Immediately. The engines at this time he
gan 10 play, and. had there been sufIiciency Of
water, would have subdued the fire. But from
want OF water, and high wind, the fire extended
across Second street to the Globe Cotton Factory.
which, together with dwelling adjoining. wss
consumed. The Third Presbyterian Church was
on lire, but was saved with great exer,ion. The
nre' also, about the same time, extended across
ferry street, 10 the west side, where il consumed
some SIX or eight dwelling, when it was stopped
IN That direction, the wind being favorable.
But 1t was east Of Ferry street where the fire.
towards Market street, sweeping every house ON
both sides of Second street, and the whole SQUARE
bounded by Market, Ferry, Second, and Front
Streets except one building. the warehouse of the
Cotton Factory. In the square bounded by Mar
ket. Ferry, Second, and Third streets. every
building was destroyed except the Third Church.
ana Johnston IL Stockton's printing Office, and
the American office. The square bounded bv
Market. Ferry, Front and Wafer streets was saw
ed, with but little injury.
:, Inc hre crossed Market at Front street, and
'nen began to rage with awful fury. This was
about two O'Clock p. NJ, and the wind had in.
creased 10 perfect gale. The fire absolutely
appeared 10 dance from roof to roof, and in an in
credlbly short space Of time the three immense
squares, composed mostly Of warehouses hound
=" oy market and Wood, and extending from
l nlId 10 the river, were sea of fame
The heat by this time was tremendous. Wool
street formed no barrier at all. The flames went
h,ssihg across as IT eager for their prev Thev
also crossed Third street, below the new Pos.
E E, and went rushing up Wood street across
Iou'th, and w God street was sea of fire from
The river to Diamond alley!
out ms was not all. The fire had become un-
Governabie. The arm of man was impotent.
Even the goods removed to the streets for safety
were selzed upon and destroyed. On, on, march,
ca me raging element. sea of flame rolls ON
from Wood street to Smithield. The Monopoa-
hela House. that noblest of modern hotels. is sur.
rounded with iames-i, takes fire! Still the ru-
IN rolls on-crossing Smithfeld street and Grant
street. and sweeping Scotch Hill entirely. Even
me canal does not stop it. The Gas Works
.ake nre, and directly all kensngton is in flames.
ana a, the hre rolls on and is only stopped in that
dlrection about one mile from where il commen-
ced, from the want of food to feed its yoracions
nav.
In the mean time the Monongahela BRIDGE has
taken hire and is entirely consumed. The Pitts
onrg Bank, supposed to be ire-proof. EXTENDING
is IN p,o
mayors Office is also on fire, and the new Poe,
oilce is In great danger.
Lei any one who is acquainted with Pittsbure survey
inns scene and look the extent of ground cover
py inns vast confagraon. So rapid did the flames nro
SeSs mat, at one time, between four five o'clock in
fury space extending from Market strnna
corner OF Third, down Market street to the riy
.ne river to the upper end of Kcnsngtcn or pine,o
opposite TO Birmingham, down from Kensinpton 10 Ei
-, p Gown Fourth street TO Smiihfcd IN Smitbfed
to Diamond alley, down Diamond alley to the lnrao
brick warehouse Wood street across WOOD
ing IN diagonal direction towards the Bank IN Fonr
th No. 'ne nc mayors Office and Third street
heart OF The city, including most of the warhms
aud and our principal wholesale grocers
ing that we know of. - ~ o"'o s'ahd-
81 WE SQUARES are entirely destroyed and sever
az parts oil squares besides all of Pipctown and ali ~,
also consumed. WHICH were
not attempt to compute it, The fire spread so ran;dt
.n . II was impossible to property The Front
'i0nai's' whose immense warehouses were full
SoooS groceries, and Pittsburg manufacturers remove
their goods to the wharf, which the covered ovcr ~ -,
whoc extent, down to the waters edee lint th,ro 81
caught IRE, and the most of them were Consumed ~
among the public buildings destroyed axe the p;tt.
pars BANK the Monongahela House, the NNercbants,
f0tei the Mayors office, known as the Phiio Nall ad
an our PIttSburg insurance Offices The Chronicle and
age ohices were removed. The Chronicle lost ;,s
presses The Presbyterian Advocate and Presbvt.r;a
On,onist offices are both destroyed
'ut impossible for attempt to give the parti
cuars OF this dreadful calamity Pittsburg has received
we trust he
her ashes. No ~ ''oh'
AT this time (seven o'clock Thursday evennq) the
not extending, but is yet raging with awful sub
UNITY IN the burnt district. Hundreds and hundreds Of
hes are houseess and homeless, their goods fill
the streets To add TO the distress the Gas Works are
destroyed and city will be involved i'm darkness as
soon as the lurld flames die away.
illions OF dollars will repair the loss experience
Gu or extent OF loss and wide spread dcsoation no.
hre IN this country cqual!ed ii. Tomorrow we
snail De able to give moro particulars.
LATER.-The Pittsburg Chronicle of Saturday morn
ing states the number of houses consumed at 900 of
which about 700 were dwellings, depriving at least A.
ooo persons OF house and home The burnt district is
mile IN length, with average breadth of 100 Yards
making an area of about 60 acres Only one life is
known to have been ost-a Mrs Brooks who was burnt
in her house Third street The vaults of the Rank
oil Pitsburg and the iron safes of Mr. Kramer and Sb
Dct Jones, Brokers, have been opened and their con-
tents found almost entirely uninuTed
In several elections for town officers that have
taken place in New York lately, the Wings and
Natives have been defeated, and Democrats e.
lecied their Dlacpc This &c he,