American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1846-07-02

The FIRE AT ST. JoHN's.-.M the Chi-
eheS and PubHo Buildings in .4shes-Sir Thou-
sand Peop!s Howeless! The St. Johns, NJ F.
News furnishes the following particulars of the
terrible conAagration which occurred there on
the eth ut:
The fire commenced at halfpast eight o.
clock on Tuesday morning, the l2th inst, in
George street, off Queen street, in the room
occupied as a dwelling, above the cabinet ma
ker's shop of Mr.. HamIin, and ragged until
seven O'Clock in the evening, by which time
the destruction was complete. 1t extended
rapidly into Queen street and Water street,
consuming every thing in its progress, all tho
intermediate buildings, oil watts, wharves, Sc,
as far as Messrs Newman's. Here its ravages
to the westward were stopped. From War
sens premises it took all the buildings to the
eastward, making clear sweep of wharves,
watts, &c. The house of E. s N. Stabb was
blown up in an attempt to stop the fire, in do
ing which one artilleryman was killed, and
another severely wounded. Queen street and
Dockworth street are destroyed.
| In the yats off. & N. Kent, was the fat of
$4,000 seals. The Catholic Church, and Epis-
copal residence in the rear of Duckworth st.,
were saved. st. Johns Church, the Cathedral
Church of England, burnt to the ground. The
Court House, Jail, and all the buildings by
which they were surrounded, are consumed
also the Commercial rooms, Marine Insurance
Office, Agricultural Society's Museum, Bank
of British North America. The Congrega-
tonal Chapel saved-Ordnance store burnt,
but the rest of the building saved.
The Nunnery School house and Nunnery
burnt. Every printing office burnt, but part Of
the materials saved. Five or six thousand per-
sons had to pass the night of that dreadful day
IN the open air, in front of the Government
House. meeting Of the citizens had been
called, and measures taken to afford as much
relief to the dependant population as the Gala
NIFTY had lett in their power. Provisions were
scarce.
The Churches and public buildings which the
fire had spared were being hastily fitted up to
shelter those who had been rendered houseess.
! The only mercantile establishment in st. Johns
now Standing lis that of Messrs. Newman s. Co.
All the rest are destroyed. The Legislature
is to be Immediately assembled.
The papers mention the loss of life of three
persons, two Of them artillerymen, occasioned
by the blowing up of the house above stated
the Other an old man, who had saved his bed
and other articles from the flames, but who
sunk under the weight as he was carrying them
to place of safety, and Immediately expired.
At the least calculation two-thirds of St,
Johns has been consumed, and the loss of pro-
Perty by this visitation is estimated at a million
sterling. Two streets, each mile long, and a
number of detached buildings, have been total
ly detroyed, and twelve thousand persons have
been rendered houseess.
This dire calamity calls for the active sympa-
thy of all classes throughout the Province; and
we understand publicReetng will be immedi-
ately called at Halifax 10 devise some means of
partially relieving portion the distress which
must unavoidably exist.