American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-11-06
qlg Al1R1GAN UNION,
MoRGANTowN, NOVEMBER 6.
FIRE IN MoRGANTo WN.

49, AoSst
past six o'clock, the startling cry OF
fire, and the hurried ringing of the
Courthouse bell, spread wild excite
mcnt through our streets. The fire
was discovered to be in the stable of
the Swan Tavern Of VIM. N. Jarrett,
opposite our office, and though quite
small when the alarm was first given,
the flames spread with such fearful We
locity as to defy all efforts to save the
building or its contents. SO fearful
was tho progress of the flames that in
five minutes from the time the alarm
was given, lle whole building was
wrapped in one sheet of lurid blaze,
threatening destruction to all that sur
rounded it. a stove pedlar, who had
Ills horses in the stable, rushed into the
burning building, and succeeded in
loosing the halters of the animals, and
they followed him out, but scarcely
moment too soon, for the flames came
down just as they quilted the stalls,
with such force as to have burned them
to death within sight of the spectators
none of whom could possibly have res
cued them. 1t was an act of deter
mined bravery, and a fearless discharge
of duty, on the part of the youngma
to so into the stable at the time he did,
and one from which many a stout heart
shrunk back appalled, moment before.
The houseof Mr.. Jarrett, within few
PAGES of the stable, it seems almost in
credible should have been wrested from
the conflagration, for the heat was
so great as only to be endured by the
most determined, and even they were
several times well nigh compelled to
abandon it to its fate. But, from the
pump on the porch, and those on adj
joining lots, a constant stream of wa
ter flowed to the scene of danger; the
fences, shed, &C., by which the fire
might communicate to the house, were
torn away with hcreulean force, and
the house was saved. So imminent
was the danger considered to this house
that all the furniture, bedding, &c.,
was removed from it, anu that with
such entire presence Of mind that no
loss was occasioncd to the owner from
tho brcakage usually consequent upon
excitement at such fires. And here,
we will remark, in the saving of Mr..
Jarett's house, the most fearful aspect
of the conhagration was changed; for
had that house burned, what power at
our command would have saved the
combustiblc block of buildings compos.
ing the square Immediately contiguous
and leading to the very heart of the
town? That house fairly on fire, the
flames would have laughed at our most
criminal negligence in providing the
appliances for such great emergencies.
The dwelling house of our old citizen,
John w. Thompson, was in the most
imminent peril, and was several times
on fire in different places; the gable at
one time, interlapped with the flame
from the burning stable, was on fire to
such an extent as almost to crush the
hopes Of the stoutest hearts, and to
stay the energies Of the strongest arms.
But CALAMITY the fremen of night
piled their discouraging task, until the
danger was over A line of buckets
was formed to the river, and water
was rapidly passed along the line, and
from contiguous wells, with GOODNESS,
regularity and precision, alike COM
mendiblc in its execution and the her
culean service performed; and here a.
gain the progress Of the fire in another
direction was checked to an extent en-
tirely incalculablc, for in the direction
thence Of the breeze, stables and frame
houses in close proximity, presented q
most inviting field for the uninterrupt-
ed rayages Of the dosolating element.
The moyeables were taken from this
house, also, and their renewal was at.
tended with some degree of loss; but
the loss is Insignificant compared to
the property in peril. The fire next
took the stable Of Geo. r. Dcring, on
the lot adjoining Jarrett's, and reduced
it to ruins in an incredibly brief period.
Tho NOW had that day been slowed