Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1859-03-06
GREAT FIRE N MEMPHIS.

ing offices Destroyed Less estinated at
SI3O,OOO-HncidenIs.
We copy from the Memphis BGlteHa Of the Sd the
following particulars Of the disastrous fire in that
city on the night of the 1st.
GA Tuesday night, about O'CLOCK, our city was
visited by another disastrous conAagration results
ing in the almost total DESTRUCTION Of nine business
houses, together with most of their contents. The
Ere originated 10 the Office Of the Edgls 1n9 EngE e,
frequent attempts to burn which, Together with the
ApdtdncLe, have been made within the past few
mo,::1hs. and from the lsteness Of the hoLr had
gained such he.iway before the arrival Of the FIRE
department that all attempts to stop It's progress
proved unavailing. The IRE is undoutte1.s lne
work of an incendisry, whose determined and per
sisent efforts for the accomplishment OF 20 vliain
an undertaking have at length proved success
full il appears that fire FIRST discovered in the
prsss-roon Of the establishment, and was subdued,
Immediately following which fames eomnenced iss
suing from the room deyoted TO mailing, which, Ps'
ing alongside the stairway communicating with the
upper story, speedily cut oR all communication
herewith, and in few moments time had eal'
br iced the entire in: eror Of the building On The
second and third flors Ths third story was oc-
cupied by the editorial and composing rooms of the
ApalgHehe, nearly all Of the material furniture and
hisuFes Of WATCH we're destroyed From this tne
Gre spread H both directions, north and south, and
in less then fifteen minutes time most the entire
blo1k, bOuaded BY Main and MourOs streets on the
eatt and nOrh and by The alleys on the west and
south, vas one mass Of fame. Tie FIRE brigade were
out in fall force and performed their work IN that
style for which Memphis 6remen are proeerbIsi
and their efforts would doubtless have proved vastly
successful had plsn ifili supply Of water been
al eessible lis to be hoped Tuesday nights e1sm
pie of cur eiys great need in this respect will not
be without its proper effect upon the city authors
ties.
We are pleased 10 be able to stale that 70 loss Of
life has attended this disastrous occurrence, and
only two persons received severe bodily injury. Mr.
]. J. Simpson, Of the house Of Hawks. Smith & Co.,
while endeavoring to save portion Of the contents
of DR.. Gray's dental Office fell through in eohse-
quence of the floor giving way, and was severely
burned upon the head, hands and face. He was
rescued from his peril0us position almost by q mir
scle, and removed 10 his room, where his wounds
we're properly cared for A small Italian boy,
named n. Arata, was severely injured last evening
by the falling Of wall He was somewhat bruised
and the lower part of the body and extremities
badly burned, rendersng his condition extremely
painful, though not dangerous.
The total loss in buildings and contents may be
set down in round numbers at $780, 900, against
VII CHI there is insurance the latter TO the amount
of about 4O,OOO, the greater part of which is in
home Offices and all in agencies located in this city
The buildings we're owned by John N. Lea, Esq :,
of Nashville, Mrs. jenkins, of Baltimore, and
Messrs. Mosby Hunt and, L. s. Ayres, Of this
city, the loss on which is about $4,000. We did
not learA to what extent they were insured.
The Balletin contains carefully prepared state
ment CT the losses sustained by the sufferers, to-
gether with the amount of insurance held by each
and the proportion Of stocks and material saved,
from which We extract the following:
Hutton & Clark, job office; loss $1,000; iDsu
rance $500; saved about $1,000 worth Of job stock
and material, in q damaged condition
Eggle and Enquirer Office. including the Offices Of
the CTistqB AgDocaIs and PEes6yeridg Sentinel loss
Sc, 600; insurance $4,000. Books Of the establish
ment and all valuable papers and files saved
AUdlGnche office; loss SIS, 600; insurance 81 205
Saved all the eOunting-roOm books and type con-
tsintd in one page of paper.
EVeniRg Ledger Offices loCs $4,000; insured for
81, 500. Saved about $500 worth Of material.
We sincerely sympsthise with our Memphis con
tsmpOrsres in the serious interruption of their bu
siness and the heavy losses they have sustained by
this calamity. We trust they will soon be able 10
resume business.
The appeal gives the following incidents Of the
FIRE:
AT 8 moment when generous young gentleman,
connected with the establishment Of Hawkes. Smith
& Co., was in the upstairs room Of DR.. Gray, en-
deavoring to save some Of his property, the floor
upon which he stood gave way and fell with him
trough the floor below into the cellar, while the
floor of the third story came after the ether two.
The unfortunate young man was caught in some Of
the rsfers, sud lay bruised and burning. The
sight was fearful one but awful as his situa-
ton, heroic men were found to go to his help We
especially name Mr. johnson, Mr.. Barbour, and
JnO. Toomsy the porter of Hawkes., Smith & Co., who
contriVed, sitter q delay that seemed age, to res,
him. Toomey, at the expense Of burns and
other serious injuries to himsel sawed through the
part thai held the sufferer confined When the lat
ter was got free he was found to be much bruised
and burned, his foot badly crushed and his hands
literally cooked. The attendant phys clan believes
he will recover. The porter Toomey is doing well.
As the FIRE performed lis destructive work the
walls Of the buildings fell in many places, to the
danger of life, but serious accident occurred at
the time except that portion Of the wall Of Sstfsr
& STATIONS store fell upon the roof Of Whit.
neys livery stable, destroying portion Of it, and
also breaking down part Of the stable wall. As
the horses had been taken out, serious result
sued. In the afternoon of yesterday another Pr
ton of wall fell, and Italian boy named Nicho-
las Arrata buried up to the middle in the fallen
ruins. He was extricsted by the efOIts of by
stsnders when lie vas found to be much bruised and
considerably burned, but his injuries are not dan
gerous The escape, like that before mentioned,
was a narrow one. We omitted TO say that, in the
latter case, no sooner than the young has been
rescued from bis fearful situation Than the neigh>
boring walls fell upon the spot where he had been
euwrapped.