American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper., 1845-04-14
AW Full CALAMITY!
CITY OF pIT"rsBURGH IN RUINs..


The thriving and prosperous city of Pitts
burg-the pride and glory of the keystone
State, and the great thoroughlare for Western
trade and commerce-has been laid in ashes!
and thousands of her industrious and enterpriz-
ing citizens left without home, by one Of the
most disastrous conflagratons that ever befcl
any city in the Union. The fire broke out at
noon on Thursday last, during the prevalence
of high wind, and at once set at defiance all
human efforts to stay its devourng progress
building after building, street after street, and
square after square, were envcloped in flames,
until from 200 to 200 buildings, of all de-
scriptions, embracing in extent some 90 squares,
were reduced to ashes We copy the follow
ing particulars of this awful calamity from the
Pittsburg American of Friday morning.:
1t is our painful duty to record one of the
most terrible fires that devastated any city
on this continent-a great portion of our busy
and populous town is in ruins. More houses
have been destroyed by this single and horrible
conhlgraton, than have been consumed by a II
the fires that have ever occurred in the city
before.
Those acquainted with the plan of Pittsburgh
will realize the extent of the terrible calamity
we have suffered, when we state that nearly
all that part of the city extending from Ferry
street up the Mon. river to the city line, and
thence to the head of the entire suburb called
"Pipetown" (kensington) has been destroyed.
The fire reached up Market-st as far as the
south side of Third-st., and up Wood-st as far
as the south side of Diamond Alley. The
boundaries of the burnt district may be thus de-
s:ribed: From Water-st. up Ferry to Thrd-st
(the Sd Presbyterian Church was saved, } up
Third to Wood; up Wood to Diamond alley,
both sides; up Diamond alley to Smithfeld-st.,
and thence down Smithfeld to Fourth-st., both
sides, up Fourth-st to Ross-st., and thence to
the head of ipetown-incuding, as we have
estimated above, about 90 squares, and COM
prsing from 10 to 1900 houses-many of the
warehouses containing goods of immense value
they were grocery, dry goods, and commits
sion houses, and their spring stock had lust
been laid in.
| The fire originated in u frame building over
an ice house, belonging to VIM. Diehl, near the
corner of Second and Ferry sts. The wind was
| blowing stiffiy from the northwest, though it
| frequently veered to other parts, and owing to
its variations, the fire extended up Wood-st
! further than it otherwise could have done. 1t
was first discovered about II O'Clock and was
not materially checked till 5 in the afternoon
even while we write, Cat 8 o'clock p. n.y.
the engines are playing vigorously in Wood-st
We can give no adequate idea of the distress
which pervades our stricken community. The
progress of the flames was so fearfuly rapid
that many persons had not time to remove
their goods--others, again, had got their pro-
perty into the street, when the flames seized it
there, before it could be removed to place of
safety. Others, still, would not believe the de-
vourlng element could reach their dwellings,
and did not think of removing until it was too
| late to save their furniture. And we saw many
people who escaped with nothing but the ap-
parel they had upon their persons. At dark,
you might see, in every direction, families sit
ting without shelter, Guarding such portions of
their household furniture as they were able to
save from the flames and not knowing where
they would lay their heads, or procure a NOR
sci of food. OF course the kindness of their
more fortunate felow-citizens, did much to al
leviate their sufferings, and we believe all were
provided for as well as the melancholy nature
of affairs would allow.
The councils met in the afternoon, and at
tempted TO devise some means to stay the con-
fiagration. 1t was proposed to blow up houses
that seemed in the way of the flames; tie deli
beretons, however, were Intellectual in results,
and we believe but one or two buildings were
blown up. 1t seems to Us, indeed, that there
could scarcely 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 thanktulness
that SO few lives were lost. There are many
rumors of men being killed, and burnt and
; wounded-but they are not authenticated. One
woman is certainly burned, and we saw poor
old man, tottering along with the help of two
friends, his face badly burned. The loss life,
however, cannot be learned in the awful coafu-
sion which prevails.
We know not how to express our sense OF
, the lively gratitude to which the firemen are
! entitled from our afflicted and ruined citizens
n as well as those they have saved-nothing in
the shape of reward can compensate them for
= the incessant toll they had to undergo-and for
. the unyieldng, heroic firmness, which they
' manifested under the appalling terrors which
i surrounded them on every side. If they had
: had a sufficiency of water during the whole
i. time, they could have saved much more pro-
,, perty-as it was they prevented the destruction
- of an incaculable amount.
i The following are the principal public build
- ings, Manufactures and offices that were de
,s stroyed
% % Globe Cotton Factory, corner of I'd an,
Ferry.
Fire Navigation Insurance Office, Market be
:, tween Cd and Sd.
-, ~ F,remens' Insurance Office, corner of Marke
- and Sd.
Penn Insurance office, corner of Marke
and Sd.
II Bank of Pittsburgh, 4th between Market an
Wood.
a. Office of Daily Chronicle, do.
lie job Printing Office, of ]. B. Butler, Sd be
a tween Market and Wood.
a. Merchants Hotel, corner of Sd and Wood
: Bramer's Exchange Office, do.
II, Jones s. Sibbat's Exchange Office, corner
OF 4th and Wood
VIM. A. Hills Exchange Office, between At