The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-11

The ire originated ABOUT quarter past four
O'clock Tuesday afternoon, II the upper part of
The large double sior house the south side of
Water -trc.I, below Vine, Owned Wy John Brock,
grocer and commission n,cg, hant.
The hire ragged with great iury, and the ren,en,
who promptly on the spu' Notwithstanding
the narrowness Of Water street which rendered il
difficult to reacl, the mniediate scene of the cona
grafton, would have succeeded III mastering il but
Tor IA terrible explosion which occurred about half
an hour after the fire h,gan To give an ide, Of
the that followed this calamity is Impossible
As soon the flames had reached the satpetrc in
the storeroom Of Mr. Brock, several successive
ports were heard, and finally Il tremendous expIo
sion took place, spreading terror and destruction
around. The force OF the explosion was lateral
shatterng the walls of the building, but spent it.
sell principally III upward direction, carrying
with il into the air, 10 the height Of three hundred
feet, large burning masses of combustibles. with
brick, joist, etc.
a heavy girder was thrown sheer up about one
hundred feet and fell upon Of the opposite
houses in Front street breaking through the rnoi
and burying and injuring Of the inmates,
who engaged In hastily removing their eff
feels. At this moment there about three
thousand people OH the ground; and the spectacle
Of fright and confusion, and the wailing and
screaming OF women and children made up IA scene
of horror beyond description
In Water street, where the iiremen were chiefly
collected the houses ilmmed lately adjoining Brock 3
building completely demolished by the explo-
sion, while thusc situated the west side Of Water
street and east side Of Front street inslanta-
ncousy set fire by the flakes and cindcrs which
were flying in all directions. Many of the fire
men were thrown, with their pipes in their hands,
from the roofs of the surrounding houses, aud
others knocked down from the engines and some
of them burned or lacerated in dreadful
ner.
The force of the explosion, and the intense heat
and fury Of the fire, as it burst all sides,
were attended with Iamentable loss of life. Several
men, women, and children were Instantly killed,
numbers frghtfully scorched and dreadfuly burned
5:nd ms 0led while oth,rs hurled mi
the docks some of whom drowned. On Del
aware there a very large crowd of spec
tators, and when the panic seized this portion of The
multitude, n great number OF them sprung into
the river, utterly unconscious Of what they were
doing.
Pen fails to depict the scene that succeeded The
dead and dying were borne TO the nearest drug
stores and police stations, to the hos ital The
wind being fresh from the southeast. the 1apcs
spread in a northwestern direction, aud before the
6romen had recovered irum the bewlderment
occasioned by the explosion, they obtained fearful
Roadway. The buildings nearly all old and
combustbc, with shingcd roofs The fire, in spite
of almost superhuman excrtions the part of the
hremen, continued To make the mos. alarming
progress and for six hourNit bailcd all attempts 81
check Il,
Al ten O'Clock the hour at which commenced
penning this report, nearly the whole of the prop
critics embraced within the boundaries of the Della
ware river, cast. the cart side Of Second street
west, the north side Of Callowhi street. north, and
the south side OF New street south, including Della
ware avenue, Water, Front, Vine, and New Mar
ket streets with the intermediate small streets and
alleys, are involved in destruction.
The area contains about four squares, and some
twelve blocks, in which there perhaps three
hundred buildings. The locality was one of the
most dcnsely populated in the city, and a large
number of the residents being poor people, the
amount of suffering Is immense. The houses,
generally, were among the Oldest IN Philgdelphia;
yet there were many valuable business stands, and
some OF the finest OF our anuquated Quaker man
sions.
Judging from the entcpt Of ground covered "
the conha grafton, and the Of the property
consumed. we venture TO compute the damage done
at million of dollars. Al all events, II is the
most extensive and destructive ilre that ever nc
CURED in our city,
No praise can do justice TO the conduct of the fire
men. Some OF them perled their lives almost 10
rashncss, and their ieais Of daring and galantry
elected frequent outbsrsts of applause. Some OF
the companies had their apparatus much damaged.
The fire extended north on Water street aud the
wharf TO about half square beyond Callowhil
street, including in that block the lumber yard Of
Wayne and Simmons.
AZ o'clock Wednesday morning, when We left
the scene of the calamity, the fire had been got
plctely under control by the 6remen, and there APP
pearcd danger of the flames making further
havoc.-Phd. North american.