Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1846-07-16
OFFICE OF THE WARDER,) !
NANTUCKET, July Ia, 4 to \, Nm.
AWFUL CALAMITY

IL becomes our melancholy duty to record
one of the most calamitous fires that ever hap
pened in this place. We have had an awful
night. The fire is still raging and God knows
when it will end. At II o'clock last evening
our inhabitants were aroused with the appall-
ing cry of FIRE, and it was soon discovered
that the store occupied by T.. G.. Kelley was
IN fiames. The flames spread with such rapid
'ty as To battle every exertlon to suppress them
the cxpcdient of blowing up houses was re-
sorted to az the only means to arrest the con-
flagration-but it would seem with little sue
cess More than TWENTY buildings were
thus destroyed, and indeed many more would
have been demolished but that all the powder
IN the place was consumed. The town pre-
scnts scene of devastation that language can
not describe. The whole square of buildings
bounded by Main, Centre, Broad and Federal
streets is in ruins, and nearly all the buildings
opposite those which formed the square. Trini-
ty church is now in flames. All the buildings
on North Water street far Aaron Mitch
ellis Cnclusivc,) all the buildings on Main street
from q. IL. Riddclrs TO straight wharf On
Union street as far as the building occupied by
the Town Officers (nclusivc.) DR.. Ruggles
house, on Orange st. was blown up, and
rested the flames at that point.
The aggregate less is at present incaculable
Many rumors are afloat of injury received by
divers individuals but they are so vague, and
the whole town is in such confusion that it is
utterly impossible to urrvc at the truth. We
are this moment told that no one has been Sc
riously hurt. The Inquirer and Mirror print
ing Offices are both DESTROYED. We can give
but a hasty account of this dreadful calamity
Among the sufferers are +. & J. Kelley, w
II. Geary, CIV. Macy, Il. w Calder. J. b.
SWAIN Agency Insurance Office, G.. r. Pierce
IL Go, Citizens Bank, Exchange Reading
II.
Mitchell Il Whitney, $. a. i. Colburn, Cor
ham Macy, ID. G. Swain, A. w. Stebbins, ID.
Wood, G. Macy, j. Brook, 5. Swain, Harvey
Crockcr, Com. Ins Office, Ray IL Barrct,
Gardnci 81 Macy, G. u Swo;- I C. Swain.
J. Cook Jr. * Go, J. Easton I'd, w. G. Swain,
NJ. g. NJ Bank, Worth 4. Crockcr, +. w
Gardner, A. Nj. Nahar, +. w. Cobb, j. Morris
scy, Washington Hall, Wing Reading Room,
f. w. Aliens, J. c. Congdon, w. Harris, Post
Cobb, A. NJ. Macy. G. II. Riddcl, Nickerson
n Wall.-Orangc 81, DR.. Ruggles and p. H.
Folger's badly injured. Centre So, DIR. Fear
ing, Richard Mitchell, Thaddeus Coffin, Z. p.
Ever.
| In short we cannot begin to count the names
we have not mentioned half
IL was hoped when the Telegraph left Nan.
tuckct that the fury of the conflagration had
been spent and its further progress arrested.
We understand that immediate supplies of
provisions, nc. are much needed BY the suffer
crs at Nantucket, and we hope that efficient
measures will be promptly adopted by our cit
lzcns and others for their relief.
The amount of property destroyed insured
at the Office of the Bristol Mutual Insurance
Company in this town, we understand as csi-
mated by the Directors, will probably require
an assessment upon its members of about Ten
per cent.