New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-08-19
NENv-YORk TRIBUNE.
THE GREAT FIRE AT ALBANY.
ParticuIars-I 800 Families rendered Home
-. le.--Oue-Fourth Of the City In Ruins
Damnse nearly $4,000, o00-unparaileled
Destruction.
Correspondence CT The Tribune.
ALBANY. Thursday, Aug. l7-6 P.A

Correspondence CT Inc lIlOunf
ALBANY. Thursday, Aug. l7-6 Pm.
The Fre-sonle particulars OF which have already
reached you by Tecgraph-broke out at l2l O'Clock
in Johnson's stable between Blocker and Her
kimer SITS back of the Albion Hotel There was
a strong gale Of wind from the South, which drove
the fire up Broadway, extending both sides OF
that avenue, and crossing to Dallas-st. The en-
glnes were promptly on the spot, but to no effect
aad the flames continued 30 rage with undated
iarv. driving toward Safest. At y O'Clock, the
FIRE had already spread with such amazing rapid
NV that four steamers lying outside the piers-the
Hendrix Hudson, Isaac Newton. Rip Van Win
kle and Santa Caus-bsd barely time to fire mp
and escape from the danger The flames ragged uncon-
roed on the pier totally destroying the whole range
Of wooden warehouses. The Basin was filed with
canal boats in flames, with no possible chance Of es
eape-and the wind being rather the increase, five
or six bsrges loaded with merchandise were also fired
together with several schooners brgs and other light
craft The two floats destrOyed-iD fact all be
come one field of ire from the Basin to the Boston
Ferry
Men leaped into che water escape the raging flames
and many persisted thus. Among them are supposed
4 be a number of emigraDts.
At4 O'Clock assistance arrived from Troy, and the
Fire Department commenced blowing up buildings, but
with little effect and less judgment Had they destroy
ed I'VE six at once it would have been sufficient to
stay the progress oithe devourng element yet instead
Of ths they took time and of course the flames
Immediately leaped over the comparatively small open
me and were not stayed
Men women and children flying in all direc-
ions carrying with them what little effects they were
able to snatch they escaped. Some, however, had
only time TO get from their houses and two persons
Mr.. Johnson and his wife were burned to death and
several others missed and supposed TO have persisted
in the flames
The IRE still continued with undated fury, and the
engines had little effect; something like 200 houses be
ing already destroyed, merchants in States began
clearing their stores of goods.
Ats o'clock, the fire had extended to the head OF
Hudson stall below being in ashes. tempest had
been rapidly gathering, and rain commenced pouring
down in torrents but seemed only to increase the fury
Of the devouriDg element The wind just now began
changing and hopes entertained that Hudson'si
would stop the destruction This hope, however, was
doomed to be blasted The flames continued 70 advance
steadily and unbroken until at 81 o'clock Pm they were
within seven or eight doors of Safest The fire was
nnally got under by blowing up the houses
Within four hours 500 houses were laid in ashes,
including the 8DlOH Hotti Ihsic lawn io"hoc"u
House and the largest wholesale mercantile houses in
the city, together with nearly 100 Cansbosts loading
and unloading at the whsrves-seven eight bsrges
loading with merchandise from New York, and six "r
eight schooners and brigs Nearly oneiourth of the
city is destroyed.
The damage cannot tall much short OF FiUe Millions
Of Doiars
Some succor should be instantly sent from your City
~ those thus rendered homeless. number are en-
,rey ruined Our streets for ten twelve blocks, pa
rsTel with Broadway lined with some 500 families
andlarce numbers of women and children with nothing
left 10 shelter them from the driving storm Most OF
them including many Dutch and Irish emigrsnts, have
lost all they possessed in the world The emigrants
loss the more painfully felt from their utter inability
to re-supply what has been destroyed. There are
hundreds of instances of the most painful restitution
In hate YOURS. truly. w. Z. n.