The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1849-05-26

And now. while we are writing, at one
O'Clock lhis morning, the entire DOCK eonh-
ded by Locust, Main, Olive ana Levee SITS.
is i'm flames; also houses in squares fronting
Levee between Pine and Olive SIS. and va
rous houses on The west side OF Man, from
Garter s. Smonds, at corner of Locust and
i Main to Olive; Mr. John Mader's large
cooper shop, southwest corner OF Levee
and Elm streets, also, large two.story
brick house on west side of Main street be-
low Elm. The flames are rapidly spread.
ing. and where they may be stayed, man
cannot tell. This is by far the most awful
catastrophe that has fallen to the lot ct any
city west of the Allegheny mountains. o..
In addition TO the property enurneraisd,
there was vast amount of grain IN sacks,
hemp, bacon, &c., which caught from heat
sent off by boats and was destroyed, and
unfortunately one pile of hemp which was
covered by tarpauiin, it is said fourp
sons were sleeping and all were destroyed.
We saw the bones of one OF them; boy,
which were carried to the Police Office
There were number of kegs Of powder on
board the boats, and as the fire reached them
they exploded with a terrific crash, scatter
ing burning fragments in wild confusion in
TO the air. BY one of these explosions, one
man standing on the ievee was kliedeby be-
ing struck with a fragment blown from the
burning wreck of the Martha. Another
was shockingly larcerated IN different parts
of his body. But how wany poor wretrhes
have fallen victims to these devouring flames
no man can tell One of the widest and
most heart-rendIng spectacles ever. witness
ed in our city, was exhibited last mig hit from
Duncan's Island, extending perhaps half or
three-lourths of mile in continuous line
up the river. The wreck Of boat met boat
aud rolled their lurid flames in wild confu-
sion into upper air.
On the other hand, the long and lofty
range Of stores fronting the river, sent up a
cloud of sparks and sheets of dazzling
flames, which threw red and dazzling light
far away into the darkness of night. Here
and there were seen half frantic men, run
Saing in bewih!erment from point to point,
scarcely knowing here, or staggering from,
their burning houses under load Of their
most precious property, followedhy weep
Ing. Nile and her tender babe.
Since writing the above we have taken
another walk through the burning district,
which now at quarter before two, already
extends from Levee almost to Second street
and Locust south of Elm streets. This en-
| tire space is not burned, bur much of it is,
and much more will be, before The flames
are extinguished. We cannot pretend TO
! pan ticu'arize the buildings burned, but will!
mention the Telegraph office, United States
Hotel, ReyeiIle office, Republican office,
Organ Office, and the New Era Office.
. These compromise all the English daily
papers in the city, except one. We have
fortunately escaped. We can form no es-
innate of the loss by this fire. 1t may he
put down at FIVE MILLIONS OF DOL
! LARS!
At this time, halfpast four, the flames are
nearly extingushed, and though our gallant
firemen are almost exhausted, we hope bur
little more damage will be .ione.-.St. Louis
Union.
Further Particulars ofthe St.Louis Fire.
The point at which the fire first started on
shore was at the corner of Locust street aud
Leyee. rHse
The corner house and three buildings
above it, fronting Levee, were destroy ed -
The flames then crossed Locust street, and
swept every house, with one exception, OH
the blocks fronting the Leyee and Main St..
and extending from Locust ST. southwark to
Chestnut, Il distance of three squares At
Chestnut it crossed over TO the next block
south, ar the junction of Commercial Alley
with this street, and from the Alley to Main
down to Market street, burning all except
two buildings ut the corner Of Market street
and Commercial Alley. At the junction of
Market and 4,laln, the flames crossed dag
onal!y 10 Market Street House and followed
both sides of Market up so Second.
Then crossing Main street, the flames
Swep; every building from Locus, to Market
street, except the row of four-story fire.
proof buildings just below Locust: passing
up Pine, Chestnut and Market streets. the
devourtng element consuming every build
ing in The two blocks intervening between
the streets mentioned and Main and Second,
aud those on nearly half of the block north
of Olive. Here its ravages were stayed in
this part of the city.
Before the progress Of the flames could
he arrested, it was found necessary 10 blow
up one or two houses near the corner of
Market and Second, and in doing so, at least
three persons were killed. The fragments
oil one of their bodies were found in the OPP
poste side of the street, one near Walnut
on Second, and the thigh bone ard foot
belonging 10 another near the foot of Wal
nut, some two or three squares from where
the houses were blown up. These, with
the boy burnt on the Levee, make four that
are now at the Police Office.
! At the foot of Elm, the fire made another
Judgement, and spreading diagonaly through
this block, swept up to Main, and down
Spruce, q distance north and south of Two
squares, and crossing Main, carried nearly
every thing before 1t up nearly to Third
Three squares west CT its starting point at
Main, flames crossed Elm, and consumed
one-fourth of the block north and. west. ot'
Main From the foot of Elm, ar, its south
ern side to Second, a distance oftwo squares.
not house is standing. South Market and
Town Hall were OH fire, but by great exer-
tons were saved. The Police arrested and
confined in The Calahanse nearly fif.,. -. I