Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1852-04-08
AWFUL CONFLAGRATIONl
The Business Portion Of Chnnsslhe In
RmIns.

from Chillicoihe, we take the follow
ing from the Portsmouth Tribune
and Clipper, as copied from the Chill
Iicothe Metropolis Of the lst inst;
This has been the saddest day in the
history ofour cit!. The business por-
ton Of Chilli-othe is in ruins, and many
families are rendered houseless. The
fire broke out about noon in Watts
Carpenter shop on Walnut street be-
tween Second and Water. 1t soon
communicated to the stables and out
houses of tine Clinton House, the wind
blowing fiercely from the west. Ad-
am's Block, including the Clinton
House, and the extensive warehouses
adjacent we're soon burned to the ground.
The canal being empty, water could not
be obtained, and our. .firemen and citi
zens could only assist in removing the
contents Of the houses, letting the de-
vouring element take its own course.
The tempest carried the flames east
with fearful rapidity, and in four hours
time that whole portion of our city which
lies east of High street, and north of
Second, was a mass ofsmouldering ru-
ins-including Ross's Block, the whole
row of extensive stores between that and
the canal, the MADEIRA House and the
business houses north from that corner.
Also the wholesale establishments on
water street cas-, Of Walnut. Every
house to Mulberry st, is burned to the
ground, and a number are destroyed as
Tar as east Bridge street.
Wadd e's Block and Woodbridge's
large building, on the corner of Cd and
Paint we're saved with great difficulty,
by which means the fire was prevented
from crossing in a southern direction.
We have not time in giving this hur-
ried statement to particulariZe. Our
merchants had Just received their Spring
goods, and their loss must be enormous,
although great quantities were removed
in wagons.
The Post Office and the Advertiser
printing Office were destroyed. We
are informed that letters and books Of
the former were saved, and also por-
ton of the type ofthe latter.
We cannot detain the press any lon
ger. 4 more particular statement will
be given in our ext,
4 dispatch to B. F. Conway from S.
w. Ely, Esq, says: "sSOO.OOO worth
Of properly consumed. se5O,OOO in
sured.
The Scio,o Gazette brings fuller
accounts Of the terrible fire. We
have not space for full particulars.
This disaster must temporarily check
the various plans Of improvement in
progress and in contemplation by the
citizens of this enterprising city
We make some extracts from the
Gazette:
All is confusion this morning
people, removing, running to and fro,
and none conceiying the full extent
OF the calamity. Our former beauii-
iul town, the abode OF prosperity.
hospitality, happiness and hope, pre-
sents an extended scene OF desola-
ton, as terrible as the widest dream
lunacy.
Al little past noon yesterday, a
stove in the cabinet shop Of Mr.. J.
Watts, in the vicinity OF the Clinton
House stables. bursted, by having
been filled with shavens. In an in
slant the shop, full Of infamable ma
terial, was in flames. The wind
was blowing hurricane E n e, to-
wards the stables and rear of the
Clinton House, so that within fifteen
minutes after the first alarm, the
roof of that large edifice, four stories
high, was ali on fire. Thence the
cinders and spires Of fame were
blown across Walnut street, commu-
nicating at various points, among
the warehouses, stores and other
buildings along the line Of the Ohio
canal, in that quarter where the lat
ter extends East and West. With.
in the next hour every building
north Of the alley between and par
allel with the canal and Second
streets, to Paint street was on fire.
Early in the fire. by the sudden
bursting of Adams Warehouse, the
Reliance was abandoned and burn
ed as she stood. Another Of the
engines was obliged 10 be suddenly
backed into the Scioto to save it.
The situation OF our city appeals
to the leniency Of creditors, and the
simpathies of the humane, not only
among those that have been left un-
hurt partially scratched, in this as
well as in other and more prosper
Gus communities. Relatively speak
ing, the conhagrations at Fayette-
vile, San Francisco and Pittsburgh
were not more calamitous.
1t is a grateful reflection, howev-
er, that not single life was lost,
nor bad accident to body or limb,
so far as we have been informed
Many of course, were singed and
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