Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-09-02
Further Particulars of the Great Fire at
Albany.

From the Albany Argus, of Friday Aug Is.
Our CITY is literally desolate. A fire broke
ont at about noon yesterday, in stable III
the rear of the Albany hotel corner of Broad
,av and Herkimer sts., between Broadway
and the river. The wind was a gale from
the south, the heat of the weather and the
fire intense, and every thing dry and conn
bustbe. In an uncomfortable short time,
the fire spread over wide surface, pros
trating everything before it. The efforts of
the firemen, aided by the Troy, West Troy,
Greenbush, Arsenal and Schenectady com
NAMES. were directed as well as they could
he under such circumstances, but they were
nowerless against such an amazing force of
flame. of raging wind, and the fierce heat of
the wide spreading and all consuming ele~
ment.
The fire was not arrested until after 5 in
the afternoon; and only then by a proyIden
tial change of wind which threw the current
of flame back upon its vast track of deyas-
taton, followed by heavy and drenchlng
rain. This alone preserved TO the city all
the business and commercial portion of 1t
that has escaped.
Full four hundred buildings are consum-
ed, and property not less than two or three
millions, although no estimate of value Is
vet attainabe We hear of two forwarding
lines tIdL bSliIiIdit thNh
charge to the amount of 100000, all con-
sumed Another line suffers TO an amount
from 100000 to $4,000. The loss of flour
aioat and in store, is not less than 10000
barrels.
The area of the burnt district embraces
fifty or sixty acres. 1t includes nearly TWEEN
ty SQUARES.
Broadway, from the intersection of Her
kiiner to the south corner of Hudson street,
on the west side, and TO Van Sharks Vari-
ETY. Store on the east side, nearly half
mile, is, with its structures and stores includ-
ING the Eagle Tavern, the Townsend House,
and the United States Hotel, level with the
earth.
From Broadway to the river including
the ranges of lofty stores on Quay street,
throughout nearly the eutre space above
mentioned, all is heap of ruins.
All the cross streets entering Broadway,
Herkimer, Blocker, Lydins, Hamilton. Di-
vision and Hudson, west as far as Union
and Dallus streets, are swept away. A
mazing efforts preserved Goods great car
riage establishment: everything on the sur
rounding streets being demolished.
But the scene of the most striking and
absolute desolatioh is the pier. Scarcely a
yestage of it remains. Throughout its en-
tire length, from Hamilton street to the cut
opposite the Boston depot, it is utterly con-
notwithstanding the wharveS, warehouses,
nearly all the shipping i'll the basin and out
side the per- few boats, barges, canal boats,
huge floating warehouse arks, with all their
valuable and vast contents of goods and
products, the three bridges at Columbia,
State and Hamilton streets, lumber yards,
in short everything that was of value IN that
great mart.
The scene in State streets beggars all de-
scription. Thousands flying from the con-
fagration, pressed every conceivable vehicle
into their service, deposlting goods, iufhi-
ture, families, children; every thing AMI
mate and inanimate. Every point ~ Iiat
wide street-at the Exchange, at the CITY
Bank; at the corners of all the IGtersectihS
streets. in front of 81. Peters Church: al a.
long the Parks, and finally at the State han
and City Hall-were crowded with bales,
boxes, furniture. aad goods of every de-
scripton, &c. No point was deemed too re-
mote from the devourng element. The
stores every where were closed, or were
only opened TO the flying citizens and their
effects
Two buildings were blown up, in the
hope of arresting the progress Of the ire
One belonging to Mr.. j. /. Boyd IN Broad
way, and the other to MIR. John knower,
corner of Hudson and Liberty streets; but
Win iittle eject.
Ali the insurance companies suffer large
~, if not ruinously.
Among the shipping destroyed was the
schr. Cotuit, of Boston, arrived yesterday
morning, and the schr. Eliza Matilda, also
of Boston, seriously damaged. Some TWEEN
ty vessels, below the Basin, We're hastily
drawn out into the river and preserved
The Isaac Newton and Rip Van Wrinkle
steamers were also rescued, with much diff
fculty.
The conhagration of the pier, so utterly
sweeping, was as rapid as il was unexpect-
ed. II was supposed to be safe, owing TO
the intervening Basin. Its only danger was
from the flying cinders; and every store bad
its look out and its buckets. When all dan
ger was supposed TO have passed, spark
caught under a cisp-board ON the east or
river side of the Pier, and in a few moments
the flames were beyond all control, and
throughout the entire length of the Pier,
such Was the rush of the flames, that many
of the merchants. cut of from escape from
the Basin side, abandoning sll hope OF saw
ing property, hastily threw their books and
valuable papers into boats, and put out INTO
the river.
The roofs everywhere throughout the city
were througed with occupants, aHxiously
guarding their property from the falling GIN
ders 1t i TO lie feared that several lives
were lost-certainly several persons were