The Columbian fountain., 1846-08-29
N E WS TIE MS.
What is it but Map Of busy life,
Its fluctuations, and its vast concerns p CoppeY
From the Toronto Colonist.
DREADFUL OCCURRENCE.


EVIL EFFECTS OF DRUNKENNESS. A de-
structive hre and the loss of life occurred at
Markham, the End concession, on the 9th inst
The dwelling house Of Mr.. D. Leake. high
ly respectable farmer, burst into flames about
2 O'Clock that mornng.-Tw young men hir-
ed by Mr.. Leake, and sleeping up stairs, Will
liam Atkinson and Thomas Buxton, were a.
reused and perceived great light, without
knowing whence il proceeded. Without wait
ing TO clothe themselves they ran down stairs,
and there found John Miller, son of Mrs
Leake by former husband lying in drunk
en- slumher, across the threshold which divd-
ed the kitchen from the pantry. A candle
was still burning between two of the pantry
shelves, and had fired the upper one, whence
the flames had caught the shingles of the roof
above.
The young men dragged him into the open
air, and their next care was to save the lives
of their old master and mistress, and Of fe-
male servant, which from the rapid pro-
gress OF the FIRE they had some difficulty in
doing Atkinson appeared then to be bent on
saving some Of his own properly, as he ran
back to to their bedroom; Buxton followed,
with view OF assisting. He saw Atkinson
enter the room, and the door close after him,
he opened the door, to facilitate his return,
and was much burnt by the flames which rush
ed out. Perceiving the stairs on fire below
him, and fancying he had heard Atkinson run
10 the window, he then attended to his on safe
ty by descending, and went around 10 the wi
dow, in hopes Of finding that Atkinson had es-
capped by that way: there was, however, no
appearance of him, and the fury of the con-
fagration rendered all thought of assisting him
vain.Q
The dwelling house, framed, large driving
house, and Is cords Of wood piled close by,
were consumed in an incredibly short space OF
time Mr.. Leake's loss estimated $4,000. 1t
was not until O'Clock in the morning that the
neighbors, by throwing water on the ashes
where they expected 10 find something of poor
Atkinson, could allay the heat sufficiently to
search for him. Nothing remained OF him but
backened portion of the upper part OF his
body; the rest, with the head and limbs, had
left no vistage save few small fragments of
calciAed bones which were afterwards diseov-
cred. Miller, during the early part Of the con
fagration, crept back on his hands and knees
into the cellar, unable TO walk, whence he
was dragged, with some additional burns a.
bottle of grog sticking from his pocket was in
dignantly plucked out and thrown away by
one Of the neighbors, amid Miller's curses and
imprecations.
He is about fifty years old. and though pos
sessed Of considerable land, is without any fix
ed home, beinga notorious haunter of taverns
IL taPpears that his stepfather had forbidden
his longer resort to his house but Mrs. Leake,
with natural indulgence, had been accustomed
TO leave candle for him on the kitchen table,
with some provisions, which he, returning
when the family had retired to rest, partook Of
and stole up 10 the bed prepared for him. this
plan had been followed formon,hs proceeding.
Ii seems that on this unfortunate occasion, The
victuals not having been set out, he went into
the pantry for the purposes Of helping himself.
and the demon Of drunkardness employed his
hand to immolate valued and useful life. and
the property Of his own best and dearest
friends. ~ b