Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1848-09-13
From the Albany Evening Journal.
The Great Conflagration in Albany.
Five Hundred Buildings Burned,
and Three Millions OF Property
Lost!

Most Of the commercial portion of the
city, with fifteen or twenty densely pop
ulated squares, is black and shoulder
| ing ruin. From Herkimer street, where
the fire broke out, to Columbia street,
where it was arrested, in distance, is NOR
THAN HALF MILE! All that work of
destruction was accomplished in FIVE
HOURS. There could, therefore, have
been but little time to snatch property from
the rapaciols flames.
Amid all this suffering, there is much
cause for gratitude. When the conHa-
grafton was at its height, when more than
half the city was threatened, and when no
human arm could save it, kind Provi-
dence interposed! The wind suddenly
! changed from South to N. West, and this
change brought with it abundant and con-
tinued rain. Fires that had extended to
several buildings in the vicinity. of the
burnt district, were providentially extin-
guished by the rain.
ms great loss, superadded to the large
sums swallowed up during the winter and
spring, by kindred calamities has impair
ed the fortunes of wealthy people, impoy-
crushed hundreds of the middling class,
and utterly ruined hundreds of poor hard
working families.
Eleven Tow-Boats, between forty and
sixty canal boats, one small steamboat,
one schooner and two flats, were destroy
ed.
This disastrous fire originated in the
stable of Mr.. Callaghan, which adioins
that of Mr.. Johnson. 1t is not known
how it originated.
The ruins cover an area of 200 acres
every foot of which was densely covered
with buildings. There were more build
lnss upon it than any other equal space in
the city. Four-fiiths of the buildings
burned were brick--most of them large
and substantial; and many of them three
or four stories in height.
Until 8 o'clock, it was feared that the
flames could not be checked south of State
street; but about this hour the wind
changed to the North, and gave new hope
to those ready to despsir.
But while this change of wind was of
great service in the heart of the town, it
proved expensive to the property on the
south CT Lydius street, between Dallius
and Broadway and Lydius and Herkimer.
All the property within these boundaries
was destroyed after the wind changed. No
fears Of its destruction were entertained
previously.
There have been several lives lost
Mr.. Johnson, wife, daughter, and grand
child, who lived next to the Columbian,
were horribly burned. The child and Mr..
j. are dead; others are not expected to
recover. We have rumors Of other deaths.
but cannot trace them.
At o'clock, A. NJ, the wooden build
ings on fire in Union street, looked threat
ening and the alarm was sounded. At
this moment, the Cohoes Engine Co. came
into the city, having left their village at 8 |
O'Clock, dragging their engine all the way
by hand. They at once proceeded to the |
place of alarm, and by their timely aid,
the fire was checked.
No more than four or five buildings are |
left standing between the Herkimer and |
Hamilton and Union streets and the river.
The desolation is complete. Mr.. Aiken's
buildings, south of Herkimer street, and |
near Dallius street, are badly scorched ; |
but nothing was burnt south of the line.