Eastern times., 1855-05-03
Destructive Confiagration in Boston.

Destructive Confagration in Boston.
On Friday afternoon, Boston was visited
with one Of the most destructive confagra-
tions which has occurred ii thai city for many
years. The following particulars we cop,
from the Journal
| q About halfpast two o'clock, FIRE broke
out in rear building near the head Of Nortl
Battery wharf, built on d leased estate by Ed
ward Mathews, and occupied by Messrs Bal
lou and McAlister, dealers in paper stock
Ga, and by Mr. Mathews as storehouse.
The wind was blowing strong from north
westerly direction, and drove the flames with
great rapidity down the wharf, and across the
| dock 10 Lincoln's wharf, destroying all the
| principal storehouses and other building.
thereon standing.
The storehouses on Battery wharf were
filed with cotton and other merchandise,
nearly all ofwhich was destroyed.
The building connected with the Peoples
Ferry, including long block of two-story
wooden stores, Just finished by Charles F.
Gordon, for Arnold w. Taylor, were entire
ly destroyed.
Alarge lot of pork and corned beef an bar
rels, temporarily on the wharf, owned by Har-
rison Fay was destroyed-some by being
burnt, and the rest by being thrown overheard
in such manner as to stave the barrels.
A large quantity of lumber owned by
Thayer, Rice g. Co., was OH Battery wharf,
and was DESTROYED, as were also some $50
barrels of resin belonging to Allen & Weltch,
The occupants of the buildings, so far as
ascertained, were Edward Mathews, as a
store-house George Mathews, 'sail-maker ;
II O. Q~I-. 4. n O. <
NJ. Kelley, Geo. Bartoll, storehouse; Pierce
& Bacon storchouse; the rear portion of
Messrs. Winde & Clinkard's boat building
establishment Harris & Dillon, shipwrighis
and caulkers; A. McKenney & Co.
The flames spread with fearful rapidity
among the combustible material with which
they came in contact, and ragged with great
violence until late in the afternoon, when the
firemen, who worked like true heroes, gained
the victory and stayed The further progress OF
the devouring element.
Three fire engines were burned, so that
nothing but. the metallic portions of the ma
chimes remain. Some of the fremen, in order
10 save themselves from the fate of their en-
gines, were obliged to leap into the dock and
swim TO adjacent wharves.
The shipping in the vicinity of the fire suf
lClCu SCtGIClNs duu tue lOSS un tiliS uGSCTlptlOu
of property will amount to very large sum.
The ship Pharsalia, of Boston, is complete:
ly burned up. She recently arrived from New
Orleans, bat her cargo was nearly all dis
charged
The ship Diana, of Boston, Capt. Gutter,
which arrived on Wednesday, from New Or
leans, with full cargc Of cotton, provisions
&C., and having the same all on board was
also nearly destroyed.
The schooner Oregon, of Saeo, was totally
destroyed and sunk.
The ship Gen. Berry, of Boston, lying a,
Constitution wharf was on fire, and at one
time the prospect of saving her was rather du-
bious, but By great exertions she was pulled
out of her dock into the stream and anchored
She lost sails, bowspri, and foremast, and the
rigging of the whole ship was more or less
damaged.
The schooner Robert Paine, of Nova SEQ,
tia, loaded with merchandise, is total loss.
The schooner Moses Eddy, of Wiscasset
Me-, was badly damaged and the schooner
Thomas Mathew, had her malnmast and rig
ging damaged.
/ There were several other vessels that suf
fered some in sails and rigging, but otherwise
escaped iniurv and were towed out into the
stream.
I The firemen nowhere worked with more
efficient energy than while endearoring tc
save the shipping. After being driven from
the wharf by the intense heat of the flames
they procured boats, and hauling their host
after them, they worked manfully on the wa
ter, and even scaled the burning wrecks am
fought the fearful element on the decks of thu
ships, surrounded with flames and the falling
of masts and spars.
The amount of cotton destroyed on Battery
wharf is estimated at from 5000 to 5000 bales
We hear of ono gentleman who had Isl
hogsheads of New Orleans -molasses on th,
wharf, all of which was ruined.
I The total loss cannot at present be correct
ly estimated, but competent judges are of til,
opinion that it cannot fall much, if any, shor
of half a million dollars.