Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-12-30
6eneral yntelligente.
The Fire at New York--Additional Par

ticulars.--We take from The New York papers
some additional details of the great fire in that city,
on Monday night. The Herald says:
Last night about twelve o'clock, the five story
building No. PHI Front street, occupied by Mr..
Treadwell as ship biscuit bakery, was discovered
10 be on fire by one ofthe insurance watch, named
John Wilsey. His attention was first attracted 10
the building by the bright light which issued from
the basement and which could be distinctly seen
through the windows. At first he thought that il
was caused by the lighting up of the fires under
the ovens, but on closer inspection he found that
the whole lower part Of the premises was on fire,
and that the hames were rapidly communicating
with the upper floors. He gave the alarm imme-
datey, and in the course of half an hour or less,
there were three or four fire companies on the
ground The flames, however, had gained so
much Roadway that their utmost exertions were
Intellectual in saving the building from destruction.
The high wind which prevailed AT the time gave
increased strength to the iames which extended
10 the -four stores Of Mr.. Mancodren and Messrs
Jones' Rowland u Co., both of which were COM
petely destroyed.
The sparks and burning fragments from the
ruins Were carried down TO the shipping by the
wind. setting fire TO the Great Republic, the Joseph
X. Walker and the White Squall, all of which are
completely destroyed or so badly dameged that
they cannot be repaired. The Great Republic,
whose ruined hull is lying in the dock at the foot
of Dover street, was the first that caught fire. A
spark waited from the burning buildings in Front
street, fell upon of the furled sails of the fore
mast, instantly setting fire 10 the rigging. Every
exerton was made TO save the noble vessel. The
Sailors apparently regardless of their lives, rushed
up the ladders, and did all that men could do, but
the infiammabe nature of the materials, rendered
all their efforts utterly useless. The foremost fell
with terrible crash, threatening the lives of some
firemen and others who were standing on the side
Of the vessel. The mainmast shortly afterwards
went by the board, and the miZenmast fell across
the pier into the dock, striking small boat which
it capszed, knocking the occupants, four men,
into the water All Of them escaped with bath
of cold water
The burning brands thrown from the Great Re-
public had then set fire TO the rigging of the mag
nificent San Francisco clipper White Squall, as
she lay moored at pier No. 27 East river, since her
return from California, upon the Goth inst. Owing
10 the high wind which blew at the time, the
flames spread over her tracery of masts spars, and
rigging, in an incredibly short space OF time and
all became convinced that the only hope of saving
her, or preventing her adding TO and extending the
fire by the like calamity which befel herself, was
to cut her adrift and let her go before the wind
This act was performed by her mate, Mr.. Poole,
who had previously arrived on board.
Once freed from her lashing, the White Squal
was taken out by stiff Northwestern. and went
clean into the East river, advising the astonished
people of Brooklyn that the calamity was about to
approach their city.
The White Squalf stood up the river, and was
soon such a mass of flame that any attempt TO
scuttle her was found to be impossible, the fall
ing, previously, of her rigging and mainmast had
set the entire hull on fire from aft TO her forward
parts, at least all the space above water.
Her course was anxiously watched by thousands
in Brooklyn, and every preparation was made by
them TO help her when she would touch land.
This did not occur until half past three O'Clock
in the morning, at which time she came with her
side TO the wooden wharf at the foot of the extern
sive yard in of the works belonging 10 the
Brooklyn Gas Company, which are situate be-
tween the foot of Hudson avenue and the Wala-
bout.
She was Immediately made fast to either end of
the pier, and hose pipe being laid from the en-
CINE house of the company, a tremendous volume
Of water thrown into and upon her, but still
with very little effect. The thick smoke which
issued from this ship was carried up the river
close to the shore, giving the appearance OF many
ships being on fire at different points.
As the White Squall was in ballast and without
cargo, she sent forth dense, thick, penetrating
smoke from her timbers but not very clear
flame until about half past five O'Clock, when the
sun was about to peep out. AT this hour all her
bulwarks were burned away from the aft part, up
to about six feet of the forward part of the hull,
which seemed as if Frustrated by the heavy gale
which was then blowing in the opposite direction.
Her jib-boon,, with the ropes attached to it, stood
perfectly whole and sound but her spanker boom,
masts, and everything else, had long before crum-
bled into the hold leaving nothing standing ex-
cepting the bare and naked stancheons ranging
on the either side aft.
A stream was still kept up from the hose of the
gas company, but by nine o'clock nothing re-
NAMED of the White Squat except her shaking
and creaking hull, which was being quickly level
ed to the waters edge. The heat was so intense.
that her coppers were crumbled up like brown
paper, and the water evaporating from her hold
made aspray which extended half way across the
river. and upon the reflection of the clear sun,
formed perfect rainbow, which presented q very
extraordinary sight.
The Journal Of Commerce says the three ships
were insured as follows
Great Republic. .$30O,O0O
White Squall. 100000
Joseph Walker. ........... 10000
Cargo OF ditto. 1890. 4o,oOO
The cargo Of the Great Republic was valued at
three hundred thousand dollars.
Add to this the cargo OF the Joseph w alkcr and
the stores burned, and the total loss must border
hard on one million fire hundred thousand dollars
The Courier gives the following description oil
the scene presented by the burning ships
The sails of the Great Republic were bent"
that is attached 10 the yards, and in these, some
of the burning cnders lodged, and the great height
of the masts rendered it impossible TO quench the
fire. which the action Of the wind soon famed into
blaze. Following the tarred cordage the fire
spread with almest inconceivable rapidry and
darling along shrouds and stays, and hallards,
fash he'd from top truck, until the spars, yards,
and rigging, stood out amid the surrounding dark
ness Ike lines Oh ilSnt AS inc BdShetts ny
which the furled sails are secured were burned,
the immense sheets of canvass spread themselves
as if by magic, and tapping heavily in the gale
scattered the burning canvass before the wind
And now the gallant fremen began the attack /;
engine and hose, and pipes were piled with stall
wart arms. The Great Republic, the pride OF the
country, must be saved, seemed 10 be the feeling
which animated every man. But in vain did the
fremen toll, in vain the Croton poured forth its
torrents The flames confined 10 assert their claim
TO the doomed vessel -
At four o'clock the scene was terrfcally grand
from our point of view. The Republic and Walker
belched vast volumes of fame which lighted up
the surface Of the water, the fierce wind driving
myriads of fire-aakes TO the eastward. Scores Of
small boats, which had been cast adrift, float
ing helplessly about. The STEAMBOATS, near Peck
slip had steam up, ready to make their escape,
should the danger seem more imminent. Three
or four ferry boats, appearing in the CHASTITY light
like floating castles, kept near the scene as
safety permitted, TO render what assistance they
could. From time TO time small bright blaze
could be seen at the head Of some schooner's
mast but this signal Of danger was quickly heed
ed and the cause extinguished.
Far mp the river still at her anchorage, lay the
White Squall, now mass of fire from deck TO
Al 4 al. n. - tl.