Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1848-08-25
twill ConGagration In Albany.

in that city on the 18th inst.
We scarcely know how 10 describe the fearful
calamity that has befallen eur doomed city. IL
is beyond adequate description-beyond, ut the
time we write, Ineligible detail. Soon after a
fire was checked that broke out in Quackenbush
street, lust before noon, the alarm was again
sounded, and fire broke out in q small stable adj
joining the Albion House, between Broadway
and the Pier, on llcrkimer street, and occupied
by John G. White. OF its origin VIC know moth
ing; but it burst forth ut a most unlucky mo-
ment. Every thing conspired against us and
the destroying element Immediately getting the
upper hand, ragged awfully and unchecked for
hours, sweeping away full six hundred buildings,
many of them new, and of great value, destroy
ing about two millions Of dollars worth Of prop
eriy, and rendering hundreds of families house.
less and homeless
Truly, this calamity is an awful one-but God
be praised that it is no worse AT one time Il
seemed as il the destruction of our fair city WAS
inevitable. The wind blew ferccly, the flames
spread on all sides, the devouring element adj
,anced from block to block and from street to
street, buildings were taking fire in several parts
OF the city-all was terror, confusion and dis
may, and the efforts of man seemed utterly pow
erless. AT this fearful moment the wind lulled,
heavy clouds rose in the northwest, and q del
~ W hNNhtlf OA-rln
poured from the surcharged clouds, and checked
the progress Of the co~nfagration.
Amid the roar, darkness, lightning and thun-
der of the storm, glared the red flames and roll.
ed the vast columns Of smoke while occasional
" the shock Of a building blown up with gun
powder, added 10 the terror and sublimity OF the
indescribable scene. The fury and spread of
the flames exceeded anything ever seen. The
fire ran, leaped, flew, from building to building,
with the speed of the hurricane that bore it on
in its course Of destruction. And as it adyanc.
cd, and grew more and more threatening, the
bells re-sounded the alaam, and the people look
cd on with terror and almost with despair
There were many narrow escapes from death,
and some serious personal injuries sustained
among the latter, VIM. johnson, his wife and
daughter, were badly burnt while escaping from
their dwelling, SO Liberty street.
Albany has never before, in her 200 years
history, suffered so dreadful a local calamity as
this.
The first block burnt was bounded by Herki-
mcr st., Broadway, Blocker ST., and the dock.
The fire then went up the Dock and the enst
side of Broadway nearly to Hudson ST., and up
the west side Of Broadway quite to Hudson st.
1t passed up Hudson st. TO the Park, burnt both
sides OF Liberty and Church SITS. down to Lydius
St, went up Lydius to Union st., and up the cas-.
nut VI llou Ddth ~ lluticuU 81 4 ara ONtTI
this large district every Building is consumed,
except Hagaman & Cowells four story brick,
corner Of Broadway and the new steamboat
Bortle's new three story brick grocery
store, west side Of Broadway, and adjoining the
district, burnt in June j. n. Wings four story
brick store, corner Of Dock and new steamboat
landing; Cagger's new three story brick build
ings, running from the Dock to Broadway, and
occupied in part by Tweddle & Darlington. All
the rest are down, including the Fort Orange
Hotel, CowelPs eating house, Quinn's tavern and
boarding house, the United States House, the
Eagle tavern, a German boarding house, the
Townsend House, the Odeon, many small board
ing houses, &C., and an immense number of
stores. The fire crossed and burnt the Hamil-
ton street bridge, and set on fire BOWS West
crn Hotel-the first building on the Pier
From this point, every building on the Pier, up
to and across State ST., and thence to the cut at
the foot Of Maiden lane, was destroyed, includ-
ing emigrant hotels, forwarding houses, groce-
ries, steamboat, canal boat, and freighting line
Offices, and all the floating craft in the Basin,
including so to so canal and lake boats, Is TO
20 large tow boats, some sail vessels, and the
steamboat William Seymour.
Burning vessels foated against the Columbia
street bridge and set it on fire. Thence the fire
was communicated to the Columbia street Mar
NIT Nuifh hha bEthAANA W "a ihAaRh
of dwellings in the vicinity. The exact bounds
of the district burnt in this quarter we have not
been able TO obtain.
Vessels Of all kinds on the outside Of the pier
hoated out Of harms way.
The loss of household goods Of all kinds is i'm
mense. Great quantities that were strewed in
the streets were ruined by the rain.
Carts, wagons, drays-evcrything on wheels,
were in constant requisition, but could not ac-
complish n tenth part of the work required
Five, ten and twenty dollars were offered for
carrying a single load.
There was nothing like organization of effort.
The authorities, the fire department, and the
citizens were scattered, isolated, and acted too
much without concert. Still, much was done.
Almost superhuman personal efforts were put
forth. and thousands Of citizens worked with all
their might.
Our fremcn, under the circumstances, did all
they could. We received timely and invaluable
aid from East and West Troy, Greenbush, and
Schenectady. Numbers of persons were rem
dered powerless by heat, fatigue, and cold wa
ter. Buildings, sheds, Sc, took FIRE repeatedly
as far north as Wilson aud Lumber streets
The whole city was in danger.
The argus says:-No estimate Of the value
of properly is yet attainable. We hear of two
forwarding lines that estimate property under
luclT CnIIRC W tut diilOullt VI SVOtVOO1 MI "
sumed. Another line suffers to an amount Of
from $4,000 to $4,000. The loss Of -four afloai
and in store, is not less than 10000 barrels.
The scene in State street beggars all descrip.
ton. Thousands, flying from the con1agration,
pressed every conceivable vehicle into their ser
vice, depositing goods, furniture, families, chill
dren, every thing animate and inanimate. Ev'
cry point in that wide street-at the Exchange
at the City Bank, at the corners Of all the in
tersecting streets, in front Of st. Peters Church
all along the parks, and finally at the State Hal
and City Hall-were crowded with bales, boxes
furniture, goods of every description, &c. NJ
point was deemed too remote from the devour
ing element. The stores everywhere were clos
ed, or were only opened to the flying citizen
and their effects.
Among the shipping destroyed, was the sehr
Cotaii, of Boston, arrived yesterday morning
and the schr. Eliza Matilda, also Of Boston, seri
ously damaged. Some twenty vessels, beloV
the Basin, were hastily drawn out in the rive
and preserved. The Isaac Newton and Ri
Van Wrinkle steamers were also rescued, witt
much difficulty.
The confagration of the Pier, so utterly sweep
ing, was as rapid as il was unexpected. 1t wa
supposed to be safe, owing to the intervening
Basin. Its only danger was from the flying cin
dcrs; and every store had its lookout and II
buckets. When all danger was supposed I
have passed, a spark caught under a elapboar
on the east or river sids Of the Pier, and in
few moments the flames were beyond all control
and throughout the entire length Of the Pie