The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-08-13

D..irective Fire at New Oaleans-Loss
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rFrom the New Orleans Poa, uue, August Q.
Our cry was visited Jesterday by one vi the most
destru tive fires thai has ever occurred here. II
broke out about IL 0cIogk, In the house No. 81
Tchoupitoulss street. the lower stories Of which
wsre occupied by W. s. Wright 4 Co., ami the two
upper stories by T. j. Hart & Co., who also &C u
pied tire adjoining building 1t was In the upper
part OF this house toat the fire originated the par.
ticuar manner at hieh WE ave- not learned. Il Ia
saie that some OF E. J. HIT Co.'s men were seal
ing bottles, and tut rbs fire In some way communi
Gated TO the liquor they were bOt ing. At any
rate the tint intDstiot Wrigbt d Co. had OF the
fire WIS the famrs pou ing down the hatch.
way. They balel' managed to save their books
ard Iale,s when the whole building was In
blaze. By this time several fire ompauies
had arrived, but they were uosbe 60 got wa
ter, the fire plugs being perfectly exhausted.
Word was immed ately seu' to the Water Works. but
from some cause "'her nea'iy IN hour elapsed
before the water came. THIS delay caused much
com uf NJ and the Water W, rk. Company CEN
su ed very freely. W. learn rom the superiaten-
dent that the plugs 10 The back part Of the city
we e all running when the fire occurred. and not
withstsD ling there IL an ordinance requiring all
the plugs To be closed on such oc casinns. except
those in the mne late Deghbo hood of tho fre, yet
these plugs remained opened until the com )sny
sent a. Oupd men and hsd them closed. After MS
was doLe there Was no lack Of water ut the fire.
But IN the interim the fire had soread with fearful
rap ity, and had crossed Tcpoupitoulas street. and
extended back to Fourher street. The heat was
Uost lutenee. lne DAY ltset one OF the hottest
OF the sea.oD, and tois united to the fire. almost
drove tie hr men from their gires. The cutters
were filled wi'h OIL and other inf ,mm able material,
and many Of the eDgioes ha: tn ir suction pipes In
them, II creas NJ rather { on subouing the flames
TIE heat was, for a couple Of nrs iatense
That 1t VAS difcplE Tor the -meD t. remain at the
brakes more th n few moments at time, and
several persons were sunst n *. The crowd WAS
immense, and usual gr' ats obstructed the efforts
OF the hremen and of toe many persons who were
buai'y engaged N removing property by hand or on
drays. Mayor Lewis Wa on the ground, and exerted
bimst to pref erve ord and prom Il action;
but We must say at, though the fremen worked
well, there appeared to be but very little Of that
concert Of action which is indispensable 10 SO extern
sive copfagrati u.
We were sorry too to zee to wards the close Of the
fire spirit Of rowdyl-m manifested by two compa-
nice, which is smost the Il II o the KIDD that ever
stair ed the fair annals Of our Fire Department. We
alUde to the fight that took place in Commerce
street. We are not able TO say VINO originated the
aifh ut but 1t Is to the beet interests and the
credit of both oaJies that the affair should be
strictly inquired into AMI the offending parties pro
reriy reprimaodsd. Our Fie Department has
h,herto justly boasted OF the amcabe disposition
eviI ced by the companies towards esoh other; we
trust IT will at once put stop to proceedings that
will otherwise son acquire for it reputation a.
disgracefu as that Of some Of its Northern breth-
fen.
The flames speedily made their way into the
row Of buildings on Magazine street: between Poy-
dras sno Lafay cite, occupied by tho we'll known
homes OF Msrtio, ven & Cobb, Shultz, Hidden &
Lsfting. Woodruff Co, Parmele Il Brothers, &c.
The walls Of toese buildings had been generally
deserve that credit. Pork lard, bacon guany bags,
liquors, rope, and su materials, when all ia flames
at once, are strong asts Of ire-pr0Of walls and
these speedily failed. Fo tunatey they fell without
Touring any one, and gave greater facilities to get
at the fire. VIM II. Cock Il Co.'s store, at tn cor
Der of Tchoupitoulsa and Lafayette streets, and
opposite Converse Co.'s large est sblishment, was
not 80 fortunate. Tie wall fell VITA tremendous
were oil extrlcated, and heard that one Of them
he'd since oied. We did not learn their names.
The flames soon CROSSED Commerce street, and
caoght the houses extending through to Maga
zire street. Those on the upper side Of Lafayette
street were also In flames, and several Of those on
the ievee side of Tchoupoulas street burning.
The 4 c ragged with great virulebcc for fully five
hours before il va. subdued, consuming property
valued at about MILTON of dollars. We 40 lend
LIST OF the sufferers by ttis destructive coafagra-
ton. On the swamp ride of rchouptouas street,
common ing at the corner Of Lt'ayette and running
towards P.ydras street, Converse d Co., grocers
and liquor dealers; Fran Ike x Danueel, Western
Profuce dealers; ". ;. Wright Co., commission
merchante 4. j. Hart Co dealers in groceries,
drugs, cttmicalr, &C.; amp Keen. Bard & Co.,
WfstsrD produce aud commission merchants.
On the wee side of Tchounitouas, comm sncing
al Lsfayette street, Vim. II. Cook & Co.. Western
produce dealers; Gordon 4 Foste' -four merchants;
John Hurley Co., com hiss,an merchants; Haines
x Co., produce merchants; and f. NJ. Daley & Co.,
commi-sion merchants.
On commerce street, IN the rear OF the houses
just mentioned N. Oseiton commission merchant
and Western produce dealer; Stanton 4 Co ice
merchants; and A. Thorn pson, Western produce
broker
Lafayette streets, r. W. Milbank, commission and
forwarding merchant and Charles Hanna. Western
produce dealer.
On Laay cite street Kerr & Poincy -four dealers
and commission merchants.
On Lafay cite street. opposite Converse & Co.'s,
J. NJ Savage Co., commission merchants.
On the upper corner d Magazine and Lafayette
streets, two four story buildings, belonging to Mr..
Florence. occupied by Beatty, Liggett & Co. and
A. W. Walker, commission merchants; and rear
wa ehouse, o, cupied by J. N. Savage 4 Co.
On the lower corner of the Same streets. J. W.
Stanton Co., shipping and com mission merchants;
and in their rear, ON Fourher street, j. w. Ross
Co, CON mission merchants; on Magazine street,
Martin. Owen 4 Cobb. commission merch ants;
Shnlfz. MADDEN d Lattog, Wes,c produce deal
ers; John o. Woodruff 4 CO., commission erchants;
Graham Buckioghsm., Western produce dealers;
and Psrmele & Bro, commission merchants.
We have stated that the loss by this fire is es.i-
mated at million OF dollars OF this about two
thirds Ras covered by insurance. some Of our in
sursnce companies have suffe ed sevc ely, but we
trust and believe none more than they can stand.
The lack of water in the start was the cause of this
great loss. Had toere been sufficeucy of water
when the engines fir-t reached the spot, not more
than two ard probably not mere than one house
would have been burned.
We commend this fact to the attention of the city
authorities Another thing Is the want Of proper
FIRE alarm. Nearly al hour elapsed from she time
the fire conn enced before the ala m was spread
generally throughout the city. With q telegraphic
fire alarm, acd proper supply Of water, such de-
strucsive fires could scarcely occur.
In our brief and imperfe notice Of this fire Ia our
evening paper Of yesterday. we stated tnat there
was rumor that some kegsof o sder had expl ,ded
In the stefe of Converse q Co. We are happy now
to state that the rumor WA false, - there was not
pound Of row er IL the store at the time Of the ro.
A Lumber Of petty pilferers were arrested during
the progress Of the fire, and several persons who
were sun struck or injured by the fight among the
fremen were taken of by their friends
30 ended this great fre and we trust II may be
long ere we have 70 chronicle similar one in New
0riesna
JfaaIBLE COLLISION AT THE JuSorroN-THE
EkGINE5 TOTAL WREcKs-A collision occurred at
fl.a IlncfiOn a shnrf ahoua Lat