The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-30

by The great hre OF yesterday lie ~ Sns,'ee iso'e
the pride. the boast The ornament OF outeuys AS
model OF architectural beauty II was NOT Surpassed. ~
equaled by any edhce in the United States ihe grace
beauty and perfection OF It's pi1n The combination OF
sodity with elegance OF convenience with beauty, OF
grandeur with classic proportions, rendered the 81
Charles source OF nexhanstoie pleasure aud interest
to all heholders As hotel. Il was the largest and most
complete and underis present managers the best
ducied berhaps in the world. The day before il burnt
we dined al The hotel, and told by the proprIeoIs
that SIX hundred persons would dine there that day,
Everything essential 10 the comfort and of
guests embraced IN the building. There a splen.
did barroom spacious billiard elegant bath esiab
shments, aud the basemen several variety
Not less than eight hundred persons slept nightly
under lis root The building IN the finest Greclan
style, win the most splendid and classical porhco III lhe
United States, supported by Cornthan pillars OF geal
beauty and elegance The cupola which assembled from
the centre OF the building, was also very braalul ana
prominent feature the edhee, the most conspicuous
object observable at distance IN approaching our Guy
That capoa was dear object TO all OF our czens lhe
heart oil Orenlan chung 10 y as tue Deacon anu
{, landmark OF the Crescent Cay. -
The ST. Charles identified with our cay IN al
its aspects and associations thar we ega'd loss IN me
light of the deprivation OF limb OF our body. The
countenance OF every citizen yesterday clouded with
and gloom durng the progress of the destructive
element universal sadness prevailed when the
beautiful edhce bad sunk into mass OF smoking ruins
Alas !" exclaimed our Oldest citizens, . what loss !
How shall we rebuild III When Will we he able, in our
day, 10 look upon lis like in beauty and magnhcence
The 81, Charles built IN 1884 it the pioneer
of the old tsubourg 81, Mary, The second mum
cipality Around il clustered all those hne buildings
inequality IN It's wonderful progress ~ prosperity and
greatness. II was the which dtfused irucIifyng
rays far and around IT, The cost OF The building was
FIX hundred thousand dollars It's architect MT Galler
acquired by It's design reputation coeXensive win our
whole country. II built by the old Exchange Bank
corporation which became eSungul.hed, but whose
privileges far the OF the hotel WAS con
Cerned descended 10 the present company al the head oil
which is Mr. Jacob Barker who has had for years the
management OF the building!
Various accounts given OF the origin of the fire
Some represent that il caught from OF the
ous chmneys OF fues others state that some plumbers
engaged IN soldering the znc on the roof, and the
hire was communicated IRON lheir stoves Whatever
have been the pretty certain that the re
originated within the building somew where under the
the roof and had dlused itself pretty extensively before
the alarm gwen. Ii was long before any adequate
could be brought 10 arrest the flames The whole
roof was smoking sending iorih thick volume OF dun
vapor, and yei the fire could not be reached was
some time before the engines came 10 the spot. The
BELLS by most cupabe careessness, not rung
and those engines which arrived early were HOT fully
manned Them too how could they bring their machines
10 operate great heghts There scarcely an
engine in The city that could throw to the roof OF
the hotel. Wbin the building the most energetic steps
were taken To meet The danger. Inc propre,ors and
their employees formed themselves INTO efficient
fire company and BY The aid OF their forcing pipes and
engines kept constant current OF water on the flames
wherever they could be reached. bni The nsidous ele
men had evaded lis oe aud penetrated INTO every part OF
the roof where II could mud food.
The hose pipes IRON the engines were taen drawn by
ropes 10 the root and soon cons deraole body OF wafer
WAS brought 10 bear upon H. but, alas II was too late
voice cried out, " gone !" and though there
Ieaxahon OF effort. u soon became painfully manifest
that the building oil very combus0le character.
Presently the flames broke Tor roof anu, pass
ing with the apdity OF lightning around the cupoa, sud-
denly embraced that grace nj and tgan structure,
then lowered TO the heavens bright glowing ~ rand
OF lire. Al the ime he plaster began TALL from
he roof OF The poriico. anoAirbing inose below OF The
anger OF thai position, The only one IRON which Inc
mes coud operate with effect, Rapidly The Hames
olved the whole building, and nouf shed by bf-k eas
wind proceeded heir devastating course with
cevable velocity The splendid cornlce OF The porco
bright beet Of hIe-piesently II ieil win
great crah Crushing lis tue noble marble
of Washington which stood the entrance the
present OF respected fellow -ctzea, John Hagan esq
who had 1t executed by the best artist 10 Italy On
the flames in Their mad career while The willing winds
served their vassal and guide and tower and column
fell down, alter another l nothing but unsghtly
remained OIL what, IN TIE morning, lowered pail
ace-lke in It's " pride oil placer
After the ST Charles had been nearly consumed, the
hre was communicated by sparks to the Rev, Theodore
Clspps church. OF ST Charles and Graver Streets
which was soon destroyed. AT the time. the
Methodist Episcopal church, on Poydfas street,
flames, and IN twenty minutes nothing but mass OF
crumbliDg walls renamed. This church, we happy
TO learn. was insured for $4,000 Two adjoining build
Dgs, occupied boarding houses, Nos. 1877 and l3ehe
former owned by Mr.. Maunse White, and occupied by
Mrs Souer, and The latter occupied by Mrs. Purcell
were consumed Both mechanics boarding houses
and partially insured Two houses OF iame, near these
were also burned.
In the OF DR.. Clapp's church, The Pelican House.
stretching from Union 10 Gavier street. was entirely
81 Messrs Moore &. The Z" Pelican" was insured
The large commission house occupied BY Henderson,
Peale, and Others, fronting Common street. and adIon
ing the ST Charles Hoe, burned The buildings be.
tween that and Carondele street saved with difficulty
The dwelling house owned by Mr.. Lyal, and occupied
by Sir Mensng, dentist situated al No 1876 Carondele
street, was consumed, also paint shop adjoining
Among the buildings destroy Ell, have also 10 men
ton three houses Carondelet street. represented by
No1. III, l73, and It's, Owned by Ms. b. f. French
These houses were insured One of them
pied BY Dfury Phillips, painteTs the others by iam-
lies
The residence OF William Barry, who keeps the Cres-
cent ST. Charles street, adds another 10 the
list OF the destroyed buildings II situated al No
81 Hevia street No IS Hevia street also greatly
injured.
The splendid private residences OF Mr. Samuel
Peters and MIR Savillebouvre, on Caropdelet street,
caught sevefa times, aud were IN great dangerso also
was the-hne row known as the Cafondeet row but at
tins point IN The progress oil the conHag ration the force
OF the fire department had been udciou.y distributed so
very eAectuay 10 the extension OF the flames
in spite OF the high wind
Great numbers OF thieves busy at the fire. The
arrests oil them mbered blrysx at dark last evening
We noticed less than dozen in line OF march, on
their way 10 prison.
The lcss by this fire will amour, to than half
million, OF which about one.half was insured The in
the st CHARLES only sos, 000 OF which
$4,000 taken in the Srn Mutual Messrs. Nudge
Wilson had policy OF $40 ,00O wines and furni-
ure great deal OF both which has been saved their
sympathze with these enterpfisng gentlemen IN their
great Calamity, and will lend a willing hand 10 resusci
tate them
nm h, oA.,, IL th.top nd