The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1850-02-26
nESTRUCTIyE FTREt
stores Burnt--PicayIIne
office DeStrOyed!--I1aIf "a Million OS
Consumed

OFFICE acknowledging a Million O& /
Property Consumed!
An awfully destructive fire broke out in
Camp street, this morning, at half-past l o.
lock. by which some of the most valuable |
buildings in the city, together with an i'm
mense amount of property. were destroyed.
The fire is not entirely extinguished, whilst |
we write; and so much confusion prevails, |
that we find it difficult to ascertain the par
ticulars. We must therefore, contine our |
selves only to the leading facts connected with
this disastrous confagration. The fire broke |
out in the grocery store of G. G. Brakley, No. |
So Camp street, the centre Of the business
portion of the municipality, where the first
large buildings were erected. Mr.. Barkley
store and stock of groceries were soon destroy
ed, and the fire extended to the store above,
occupied by Corson & Armstrong. as sta
TONERS, destroying all the stock of these gen
of Payne & Harrison, where large stock
of rope and bag ging was entirely destroyed
and their books barely saved
The fire was then stopped in that direction
lat the house of. p. Whitney e. Co. But on
the other side of Barkley's store, the flames
rushed down the street, and seemed to involve
some four or five stores in their destructive
folds at one bound. The stores of BrandG,
Williams g. Co. containing large amount
of tobacco; that ofBridges &, McMurdo, depot
for Virginia manufactured tobacco, were all
destroyed, with their valuable stocks. The
streets were Tugs Of tobacco, and an immense
quantity of it was taken away by the crowds
of petty thieves who infested the scene. Next
came the building occupied, on the lower floor,
by Down & Cuddy, and several other firms,
which was totally destroyed. Messrs. d. &
Co., saved their books. So did Gribble g.
Montgomery, and Fosdck & Brother. Next,
the large book store Of J. H. Bechtel g. Co.
was totally destroyed, with all their stock
The building occupied by the Pelican, Etna
and Lexington Insurance Companies, was al
so destroyed, not however, before their books
were saved.
Six stores were thus totally destroyed in
a short time. There were other persons iiv-
ing in these stores whose names we could not
ascertain The loss of goods was not SO very
great, as many oil them were mere commits
sion and agencies. We think, however, that
in buildings and property it would not be low
estimate to put the loss on this side of the
street. including the buildings, at $250,000,
which must fall very heavy on the Insurance
Offices ofour city. Thes buildings have been
known as the Richardson's buildings, and
were built in n very unsubstantial style,
their walls being mere shells. The great
volume of fire which swept through Camp
E street soon communicated TO the opposite
buildings, where the fire ragged with equal
violence. First, the large brick store occu-
Ipied by Nelson Bradley & Co., large cotton
dealers, was entirely consumed. The large
Banking house of Robb & Co., caught fire,
but the fire was arrested beloreit had extend
ed TO the main building, in which the large
deposits of that house are kept. The build
) ing however, occupied as couniing-rOom
was destroyed. The corner Of Camp and
Gravier, occupied by DR.. Massey us al
IApothecary. was saved by the great exertions
lof the fircnen. The Doctor, however, sus-
tanned a heavy loss in the removal of his
goods. From Nelson Bradley & Co: 81
Camp, the fire proceeded up street, taking a
contrary direction from that which it had re-
ceived on the opposite side of the street, and
in like manner involved several stores al
the same time in the blaze The notaral Of
: fee of Lucien Herman and Of Gordon Plu-
mer was totally destroyed, not, however, be
fore the valuable records of that Office we {
saved. II. Frellsen e. Co., in the same bull
ding, cotton dealers, were able to save then
books. The Insurance Agency of n. c.
Snethen was next destroyed His books
: too were saved. Adjoining to this was the
/ store of J. Dunlop-whose large stock ofcrocl-
n cry was consumed-all covered by insurance
MIR. Dunlop's books were in his iron-chest
land after the fre, were found IN q sale state
A. Parsons Piano store was also destroyed
: MI. Parsons had in this store ten very fine
: pianos. of which he saved one. He lost, alsC
; all his valuable music. His loss amounted
10 eight or ten thousand dollars. The fire
: then communicated to A. Hills house furnish
t ing establishment, whose large and valuable
stock was totally destroyed. Ferdinand
Kennel & Co.. Commission merchants, anC
S Olney, Cottrell & Co., were also burnt out
N. G.. Hall and Mr.. White, in the upper sto
res of the same building, barely saved thei
e books and papers CampbelI's large house fur
e nishing store was also destroyed. The book
e store of Weld & Co., and Swasey's book
bindery establishment were also destroyed
!. with a large quantity Of valuable books, sta
/ tionary, etc. Sheldon s. Potter, and Bronse
: mas book and paper establishment were no
+ burned, but sustained severe losses in the in
} Jury to their property. All these buildings
It were three-stories high, and contained many
! offices and apartments. the names Of whose
owners we cannot at this time ascertain.
After destroying all the stores on CamI
street the fire swept into Bank Place anC
burnt number of stores fronting that street
but connected with those on Camp street.
Z We cannot, at this time, gather all the name;
of the propretors Them. They were most
o " counting rooms which contained little more
= than their books and papers. John Toole,
commission merchant saved his books the
counting rooms of Jersey & Co.; Robbins
(, Arlington & Co B. G. Adams; A. c.. vii
bur & Co.; Henry Holland f. Rodewald
/ Bidault & MLean; n. G. Hawthorn; and