The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-08

00ItR0tTo-k<O08
nearly . MiIllsn OF Dollars.
Yesterday morning, shortly before for O'Clock, one
Of the largest fires that has occurred for length Of
time either In this in the sister city broke Qua in
the immense Elk story brick warehouse Of Mr. Thorn,
In Furman street. Brooklyn, which runs south from
Fulton Ferry, along he river 1t originated In ths
attic story in some hemp, ignted by accident design
or spontaneous combustion, and burned downwssds
with great rapidly aud fury. The hremen were
promptly in attendance ut the call Of danger, and
used their best endeavors to arrest the destructive
career Of the flames They would have probably sue
seeded at least they would have esnfnsd the eonha
grafton to the building In which 1t began bat for the
explosion Of large quantity of saltpetrs, which
ploded like guupowder, and scattered the burning
smbers upon the already heated frame structures Of
MI Tspscett used for the storage Of turpentins
phne and other STOCK the produce Of his disteriss
Before the explosion the gable.of Thornss warehouse
gave way the frame part Of the building having been
burned through. 1t fell upon sail loft Of Mr.
Thompsons upon which several men had been q few
minutes before, and report gained circulation
that they were covered up in the ruins, but
it turned out to be unfounded. There man
had his leg severely hurt Shortly after this loud
plosion took place, which heard felt all
Brooklyn. 1t awakened the sleepers in the remotsse
part Of the city OF them at three miles distance
and shook their houses just IL artillery being
fred at their doors. The bricks and timbers were
out to what the matter and the cause OF the
alarm discovered at the Fulton Ferry-S
volume Of dark smoke rising msjestiealy In eeess 70
the sky, and the flames raging at its base like the
angry surges 9th ocean Many Of the hremsn became
alarmed by the explosion that they imme datey pro-
ceeded to safe distance and three into the
Companies II and Is the dock side the fire,
and their retreat appeared to be cut of BY
Seventeens threw their engine into the water to
it, rope being attached which they fastened to
the pier, while they had to effect their essa Do
by swim ming The members of Is dashed through thU
flames. U bel but NAV
ing their engine.
Widespread destruction OF property now seemed
inevitable. The explosions followed each other in
rapid succession for two hours loud the cannons
roar, and sometimes lsuder still minute sometimes
sond. Bang, bang, went each barrel bag OF salt
petre as it caught the flames and the problem at
length settled which caused so much trouble to the
chemists at the time of the xplosion Of the great
in New York, in lS45 They decided that saltpetre
would not explode, and made many experiments to
prove it. Facts, however, are stubborn things, ana
the explosions Of yesterday show that the doctors
In the beginning Of the fire brig was lying along
side the dock, which caught tho flames, She at
adrift and moved down the river with the tide. She
soon taken charge of by some men who boarded
her in a email boat, and, having extnguished the
flames, moored her in the stream. Several other ships
were cut away, RON Tea. o. tns common enemy
camphine in barrels, had been saved from Tapssotts
concern and rolled out the dock. 1t afterwards
caught fire. and il ran into the river in such suant
ties that il burned the surface Of the water which
seemed to be sheet Of liquid nams. Meantime,
-
The coup d al at this the Heights
just it, mag pinoent-the last River literally
hre-the dark smoke from the burning oil, and re-
sin, and charcoal rolling up In against the
clear blue sky and minute oontrasted with jets
Of white smoke which issued from the explosions
red flames gorgeous as the appearance of the most
glorious sunset-ths lsboring hr, whose efforts
were Knocked by the destroyer--snd the explosions,
which added terror to the scsns-an presented
q picture which may be conceived by the absent e.
bered by those who were present. far bsttsC
than IL can be described
hon hefn n he nj mi
ter ceasing for considerable time) need again,
and continued for half hour, at Intervals Of from
second to tent between each. 1t resembled very
closely the reports OF q brisk oannonads the
battlefield, action between tive great hests-
There 1000 bags Of satpetrs, besides go puri
fed in casks From the Of the street the
intense heat Of the flames the judisous caution OF
the hr.mep and the diineul'y Of ,nsir ss",ns
the Heights the east, the fire, famed by ..
strong breeze from the water burned fom the
centre north and south and anally extended across
the street, attacking Tspscotts eamphns, tur
pentne, and alcohol dlstileriss. The river Offices
devoured by the Unsuitable flames, but
the wind shifting more Eorth, saved the prinepa
portion Of the concern namely the large chimney the
engine, and the csmphine and alcohol distnieriss,
with the necessary apparatus The grandeur Of tho
flames while the cam phine WAS blasting psrtook at
once Of the beautiful and sublims The bro quickly
extended to Bsch's rectfying dftiilsry which was
partially destroyed, aud to kesrnsys GROCERY, Mrs.
Dunn's boarding hosse. McDonalds eoopsrage, ana
James Doherty's shoe chop. all OF which totally
destroyed Farren's Pirst Ward Hotel next at.
tackled and damaged to the extent Of about $500
1t here that the efforts or the New ork nrsKsH
were moet valuable, for II the flames had net bssa
checked stthat point that eide Of the street. they
would have soon burned on to the corner Of fslto.
street, and there Is no knowing where they woaia
have stopped. But they worked nike good
and true, aud Mr. Lynch, very extensive copper
smith, whose establishment within door Of
Isrrer attributes the preservation OF his property
the Few York com panies.
The IRE thus subdued the eastern side Of the
street but IL continued rass on the western OK
tending the north to the sbsds of Trspall which
we're fall Of wool hair hid.s ON storage and nearly
he ~ adj oil nj ana main
Ing The stock being only saved by the brave
men Of Brooklynssnd New York, Who Aspt 10 cool sy
constantly pa ying on IL. IL very important to
prevent this building from cstshng the IA mes for
doubtless had 1t ignted the nre would have extended
to the ferry and the destruction would have besn very
great. On the south end Of tho sonaasp> the
strong brick warehouse OF Thompson. with Ia Are
fOn , esrrsr 70 u IN .Ass dres,
swept away, with the guano, log~oed sugar and mo.
las,es they contained. so that between phonp-ons
warehouse and Trspsl's, the b.som Of dsstrustiop,
had made a clean sweep.
The forms Of the piles OF bags Of susno vislSs
when they were touched. Hoops lay in Thousands,
which bad been on the consumed easks.
Bstseen and o'clock A. NJ most Of the arsme.
against danger and prevent the extension Of the ire
which continued TO burn itself out rcd Of
embers OF vast size, burned all the day and ut night
fall looted very magnificent Many thousand spssta-
tors visited the during the evening and cf-
feet Of the grouping Of the people the heights WIKI
the light flames below from the feryboat vas
very hne IL continued to burn throug the ng
cuhfuile ITSELF even this day.
the morning the nhahiiaut Of the splendid houss on
the Heights were much alarmed, but from their great
elevation above the FIRE, they perfectly safe The
fouo~ing u an account Of the damage az nearly a.
can be ascertained
ooods in Thorne's store. ................ 100000
The store itself. Observation-Disclosures. 10000
1apseott's teven sheds % goods. ......... OOOs
Goods In Thompsons sheds. ............. 90 OOe.
Goods In Trapau's she'd. ............... 10 600
bach n Go. ................ ~
kearrey's public house. ................ 100
Mrs. Dunn = boarding house. ........ 800
farren's public house. ................. SOC
James Dohefty's shoe shop. .......... 400
Coopsrage OF Aid. Mcdonald. ............ 500