Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1845-07-26
LATE FIRE AT NEW york.


The New York papers are almost exclusively
occupied with matters relating to the late fire. II
Is now generally conceded that about three hundred
stores We're burnt besides two large hotels and some
beautiful private dwellings, including large amount
oil goods. The entire loss is variously estimated
at from SIX TO ten millions, and the amount of nsur-
ance at between four and five millions OF dollars
All tne insurance Offices expected to be able TO
pay their losses.
II Is not yet known how many lives were lost,
and 1t is hoped that the number will prove 10 be
small, compared with the magnitude of the reports
that were at first put into circulation Up to Sun
day evening no deaths were known to have occur
red except the following:
Augustus l.. Cowdrey, who was overwhelmed In The
ruins Of house in New at the the explosion Of
the salpee. He and young named Van Wrinkle had
proceeded TO the third story with the hose When the expo
sion place Mr. Van Wrinkle about to return to the
street. and had got the second story opposite front
windows, from whence he blown through the window
into the street, having experienced but little injury
Peter A. Johnson, porter, who has left wife and three
children. He found, together with coored man,
(name unknown under the ruins Of AZ Broad street.
married lady, who sister Of the wife Of Officer
Martin, was buried in the ruins Of 81 Broad street.
Adolph Won Grooming OF the firm Of Pavenstedt s. Won
Grooming, "a Pearl street, blown up in the AZ
Broad
-Four men, heads of families whose respective surnames
are Jones' Johnson, May and Barker said to be missing
sent to the hospital from the burnt district none of whom
were dangerously hurt. The injured by being
blown across the at the time Of the explosion and her
and face seriously wounded OF the men, one had his
broken, and another saor had his thigh dslocated
by the pressure of the crowd efforts to escape from the
scene OF danger at the time Of the explosion.
That portion of the city destroyed was a most
valuable and important part being composed Of large
and costly buildings, filed with expensive merchan-
disc. The French and German merchants congre-
gated chiefly in the district which has been burnt
Broadway, on Sunday, from the City Hall down
towards Bowling Green, was filled with dense and
continued throng of people, presenting one of the
most heterogeneous scenes that can well be ina
agned, interspersed with groups and squads Of fire.
men and military. Thousands Of strangers visited
the city, anxious to get sight of the scene Of de-
vastation, but all the avenues leading to it were SO
strictly guarded by the military and police that very
few went away gratifed. Every where the air
pervaded with dead smoke, sickening to inhae, and
many of the firemen were busy all day in throwing
water on the smouldering ruins.
1t is generally admitted that, but for the unfortu
nate explosion in New street, the fire, with the great
facilities furnished by the Croon water, might have
been subdued. But that explosion spread the
fire in every direction at once, kindled so many
buildings simultaneously, and created such great
whirlwind, TO render the fire perfectly uncontrOl-
liable. There is suspicion that large quantity OF
practical chemist has certified that saltpetre will
produce combustion. One paper remarks that
thousands of persons would never have heard OF
the fire (as was the case in 1880 until after it
quite over, except for the explosion. It broke the
panes of glass in every direction in cases the
sashes and ALL and in one instance, near the
of the explosion, forced in sheet iron window shut
tiers. 1t started every sleeper from his bed in the
lower part of the city. There was much less
stances and the favorable state Of the weather. The
Bay House, Clifton Hotel, and all the houses on
Staten Island distance, some of them, of eleven
miles, were made TO tremble by the explosion.
The report was so loud that it thought to be
| earthquake"
We extract the following from the many incl
dents connected with the FIRE which are related in
the New York papers =:
very large quantity Of whale and other oils carried
through the down Broad street. and through the
into the basn covering the water to the depth of half
inch Men in number Of small boats busy with tin
pans and wooden balers skmng the oil from the salt water
and those who had casks poured their boats One
or two boats half filled. The greatest number Of bar
rels filed by twenty and the smallest
Ter three barrels the total Of barrels about fifty,
worth about ten dollars each Thus these poor made
gain from the greater losses Both the aimos-
phere and wafer Of Whitehall favored with brandy and
other liquors
The habo for ten miles below the city, was covered with
oatng fragments several pieces OF burnt goods pick
ed up Staten Island.
melancholy and truly distressing took place al No
10 Greenwich street NJ HksRr, Of Jous CAarr died
IF consumption while the fire raging, and while the
flames spreading such that supposed
that the house in which he might be consumed Death
however, came, and his body, wrapped in his bed Clothes
Immediately removed to place Of safety.
Mr.. Moore, Of the Croton HOTEL hearing that there
poor families made houseess by the fire, loaded
with provisions and the grateful and timely relief hun
dreds who, exhausted and fasting, would but for this have
suffered from hunger
There many poor scattered the Battery
Sunday (most Of them slept there and learn that they
relieved by " miniserng angel" Miss Livingston
who distributed money among them with unstntng hand
The Broad hotel of Pearl street, fire
and the top damaged The less Of the building would
I've deeply regretted is building memorable in olden
time 1t here that Gen. Washington took his of the
army which ouchingy described by Marshall when he
called his comrades in him, and after filling glass
Of wine with babe them farewell and after embracing
each left the city in boat then waiting at Whitehall for
Mount Vernon
Commodore Jones' Captain Cooper, and Lieut.. Gordon
were on board the North Carolina. Lieut.. Rowan
ashore with the eamen, and detachment Of marines
likewise sent on All did hard duty the breaks The
musicians and OF the sick put duty board
apprehcnsons entertained for the magazine from
the flying cnders the wind blowing toward the ship
The sails all bent ready to weigh anchor and escape
from the of danger.
tNo as Beaver street (where the fire sayed) the
efficacy Of iron roofs and reproof shutters goousy
tested Nowhere in its did the coniagraton rage
urousy than here and this the crisis the turning
point Of the day. The block Of
built by Mr. Titus nobly wstood the encroachmenis Of
and baed furious assaults As the flames
had burnt fairly up these buildings they made
attack fell off the wind uIled and