Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-04-17
Awful COnfiagration.
PITTSBURGH IN RUINS y

At o'clock, P. NJ, Thursday evening, we sit down
to our desk with sad heart, to record the most fear
full calamity which ever befel any city the size Of
Pittsburgh. While we now WRITE an awful FIRE Is
raging, consuming the farest portion of city, and
no human being can tell where it will stay Its
ages. Ii has now been burning for six hours and
confusion reigns extreme and it cannot be expected
shall give any thing like particular statement of
calamity so extensive and involving such fearful
ruins. What general particulars we give we lay
before our readers.
The fire broke out about twelve O'clock III. to-day,
in old frame shed the side of Ferry street.
used, believe for a smoke house, Immediately
rounded on two sides with old frame buildings. The
weather extremely dry, and wind high, almost
gale, blowing from the west.
The houses adjoining, Second street, caught fire
Immediately Tie engines at this time began 10 play.
and had there been sufhcency of water, would have
subdued the fire. But from want of water and high
wind, the fire extended Second street to the
Globe Cotton Factory, which, together with DWELL
ing adjoining, consumed. The Sd Presbyterian
church was on fire, but was saved with great exer-
ton.
The fire, also, about the same time extended across
Ferry street, TO the west side, where il consumed
some six eight dwellings, when it was stopped in
that direction, the wind being favorable.
But it east of Ferry street where the fire RACED
with most fury. 1t Immediately extended towards
Market street, sweeping every house both sides of
Second street, and the whole square bounded by Mar
ket Ferry Second and Front Streets except one build
ing, the warehouse Of the Cotton Factory. In the
square bounded by Market, Ferry, Second and Third
streets, every building destroyed except the Cd
Churchs and Johnson & Stockton'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 at Front street, and then
began to rage with awful fury. This was about two
O'Clock, P. NJ and the wind had increased to perfect
gale. The fire absolutely appeared to dance from
roof to roof and In an incredibly short space of tme
the three immense squares, composed mostly of
houses bounded by Market and Wood, and extending
from Third to the River, were sea of fame.
The heat by this time tremendous, and the
wind blowing gale Wood street formed no barrier
at all. The flames went kissing across rs if eager
for their prey They also crossed Third street below
the new Post Office, and went rushing up Wood
across Fourth-apd Wood street was a sea Of fire
from the river to Diamond alley
But this Was not all the fire had become ungovern-
able: The arm of man was impotent. Even the goods
removed to streets for safety. were seized upon and
destroyed On, on, marched the raging element. A
sea of fame rolls on from Wood street to Smithfeld
The Monongahea House, that noblest of modern no.
tels is surrounded with flames, it takes fire Still
the ruin rolls on-crossng Smithfeld street, and
Grant street; sweeping Scotch Hill entirely Even
the Canal does not stop 1t, the Gas Works take fire.
and directly all Kensingon Is In flames, and the fire
rolls on and is only stopped In that direction about
food to feed its voracious nav.
In the meantime, the Monongahela Bridge has
taken fire, and Is entirely consumed. The Pittsburgh
Bank supposed to be fire proof extending from Third
10 Fourth streets, Is flames The Mayors Office is
also fire, and the Post Office is in great dan
ger.
Let any who is acquainted with Pittsburgh sur
vey this scene, and look the extent Of ground
covered by this vast confagraton. So rapid did this
fire progress, that at time, between four and five
O'Clock, in the afternoon, the fire raging with un-
diminished fury, over space extending, beginning
at Market street, corner of Third, down Market St,
to the river, up the river to the upper end of Ken
sington, or Pipetown, opposite to Birmingham, down
from Kensington to Fourth street. down Fourth ST to
Smth6eld, up Smithfed to Diamond Alley, down Dia-
mond Alley to the large brick Warehouse on Wood.
across Wood extending in a diagonal direction to-
wards the Bank UP Fourth street the Mayors Of
fee, and to Third street, the place of begin
ming
Ia all this vast space the very heart of the city, in
GLIDING most Of the warehouses of our manufacture
ers, and our principal wholesale Grocers and Com
mission merchants, there is not one house standing
that we know of.
Tirenty squares are entirely DESTROYED and several
parts of squares, besides all of Pipeown and all the
buildings around Bakewells Glass works. which were
also consumed.
The loss of property must be immense. We shall
not attempt to compute It. The fire spread so rapidly
I
Merchants, whose immense Warehouses were full of
Goods, Groceries, and Pittsburgh manufactures re-
moved their goods TO the Wharf, which they covered
over Its whole extent, down to the waters edge but
there they caught fire, and the most of them were
consumed.
Among the public buildings destroyed arc the Pitts
burgh Bank, the Monongahea House, the Merchants
Hotel, the Mayors office, known as the Philo Hall,
and all our Pittsburgh insurance Offices.
The Chronicle and Age Offices were removed.
The Chronicle lost its presses. The Presbyterian
Advocate and Protestant Unonis offices are both de-
stroyed.
But it is impossible for to attempt to give the
particulars of this dreadful calamity. Pittsburgh has
received dreadful blow but we trust she will again
rise from her ashes.
At this time seven o'clock, the fire is not extend
ing, but is yet raging with awful subimity in the
burnt district. Hundreds and hundreds of families
are houseless and homeless, and their goods fill the
streets. To add to the Distress the Gas Works were
destroyed, and city will be involved in darkness
as soon as the lurid flames die away.
Millions of dollars will not repair the loss expert
enced. For extent of loss and widespread desola-
ton, no fire in this country ever equaledit. Tomor
row we shall be able to give more particulars.
0EFThe following appears, as selected paragraph,
in a Providence, r. l., paper
'SUICIDE.-A female named Ephemia Stokes, COM
mtted suicide on Tuesday night by swallowing laud-
anum. 1t appears that she had been seduced by a
German named Myers, and discovering subsequently,
that he was married man, she determined to sacri-
fee herself rather than cause trouble In the family
of her sedueer."
Think Of it Sacrificed herself rather than cause
trouble in the family of her seducer! The " Mys-.
teres of Paris develop nothing half so thrilling