Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1853-07-15
The Late Fire at Oswcgo. Our own Con-
ditiOn.

We gave last week bricfaccount, furnished
us 10y telegraph whiln the fire was in lro-
grcss, of the disastrous fire at Oswcgo, y. Y.
Fuller accounts have reached the public eye
in various ways since the occurrence. Still
for the sake of our readers who may not have
ready access to those Statements we give
them in a condensed form, from the accounts
of the Oswcgo papers and other sources.
The fire broke out in the forenoon of the
9Th inst, and soon swept with uncomfortable
force over the chief business portion of the
placc-burning all the mill, and elevators ou
the east side. and destroying larsr amounts OF
grain, mcrchandizc and -four with chem.
Over an extent Of about forty acres, mills.
mechanic sa"Is. groceries, dryt"odS stores.
drug shops Offices. factories and dwellings.
Unfortunately fell before the dcyouring
element. To great extent. the contained
goods and household stuns were consumed
also. Two thousand or more persons were at
once made huus less The loss was very great
OF cour>h. considerable diversity exists in the
estimates of the amount Of property Destroy
ed. The loss was at first put up a. high rs Il
million and half of dollars an We have
seen it placed 1T as low mark rs half Il mil
lion. Probably eight hundred thousand
would be nearer the truth than either of the
other sums named. We believe no 50 great
fire has occurred in the State Of New York
since that in Troy in 1870, and the great
fire in the city of New York in 1880.
From all accounts there was a largramount
Of insurance ON the business property; that
also, proyidrntially, was very widely distri-
butcd. Many insurance Offices in the State
and i'll other States, will feel their losses very
scnsihly but we have not heard any one
spoken of rs likely to be Frustrated by its
losses.
The fire seems to have broken out in very
exposed position whore several lofty ant
cUmbustible buildings We're very quckl
seized 10y it, and being aided with Il prctt,
active wind, the heat became soon 50 great II
to battle all efforts to check it, till it ha'
burnt it's way through to Il region where more
open ground and lower buildings afforded tn
lircmcn and others some vantage ground t.
resist its farther speed,
We understand the rebuilding of the plac
= is to be entered ON at once with yigor.
We know full well that when dcstructio
j by fire or flood by pestlcncc, or any othc
i means within the providence of God, is az
T. pointed unto the works of man, the wa
o seems to have been prepared, and the effort
= of man are made of n avail. Yet all tina
! does not teach us to neglect amy of the mci
> skill and prudence to prevent the occurren'
of such disasters. Experience and the toacl
+ ings of Holy writ both teach US To do OF
y duty to prevent calamities to ourselves al
e others, as far as We can /. and that when "
i do that, wc may look for the Divine assistant
ne and protection. When we neglect to
or 50, we must look for evil as II Proper rcsul
10 and must expect to be left, when it has con
SIS upon MS, with abundant occasion 10 rcproa
u ourselves for our own selfish and mbccilc i
al activity or reckless want of care
T. And now we ask our fellow citizens of I'll
er place, without distinction of sect, party, !
- sition, or business-all who owe duty
oil themselves and to their fellow-mcn, Ia
ne none of us can escape that responsibility W
70 have arrived ut a responsible age in societ
OF albeit when we consider thc differences amo
ret Ms in wealth, intelligence and influence,
W must admit that IA hundroI fold more