The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-12-13
CITY INTELLIGENCE
DESTR UCTIVE FTRE-Sl50, 600 WORTH OF
PROPERTY DESTROYED.

| discovered on fire. The first story was occupied
| by Marston & Bro. in the wholesale china trade
the second story by Merryfeld & Stinchcomb, the
| third by L. Rosenwig, cap manufacturer, and the
| fourth and fifth stories by MarstOn & Bro. The
| fire originated in the cap mandatory of Z.
| Rosenwig, and when discovered the flames were
| bursting through the roof. An effort made to
give an alarm from Box 3, corner of Baltimore and
| Hanover streets, but it would not work. IDstead
of running for the Central Telegraph Station
person hurried to Box No. 0, of Charles and
Mulberry streets, four squares from the fire, and
| gave the alarm from that box.
| Not much inconvenience resulted from this, how
| ever, as the Fire Department was able to desig
nate the precise locality from the immense blaze
which lighted up the city. The time lost, howey-
| er, in running to the boxes, to the advantage
of the fire. The Department was soon on the
! ground, but by the time it got to work. the build
ing from the first floor to the top, throughout all
| It's apartments, was one mass of fire. The flames
leaped from the roof twenty-five feet into the air,
throwing light almost equal to midday for squares
around. From the front side and rear windows
streams of flame gushed out, and in all particulars
the fire the most furious which has ever taken
place IN this city The intense heat prevented the
| hremen from going near the building and they
were compelled to be satisfied with protecting the
adjoining property, which was on fire in fifty diff
| ferent places at one time Their activity was most
| commendable. Some of the companies
fortunate in selecting plugs for small pipes, and
consequently the supply of water not Efficient
This, however, was soon removed by change,
and the Department worked admirably, though
to great disadvantage, owing to the intense heat
There was but little wind when the fire broke
out, but as the flames increased in fury the draft
| became great, and the sparks were borne east
| ward in immense masses. 1t was greatly feared
| that other buildings in the neighborhood would be
| fired by the sparks, the roofs of all the build
lDgs literally covered with heavy flakes
| OF fire, but this event did not happen. Owing to
the precaution OF placing men,wth water, on them,
| who applied it wherever ignition took place. The
fire continued to rage with unparalleled herceness
hut ha faatt hiatt tba of huid in
which it originated were much higher than those of
the buildings adjoining either side, the fire did not
| spread for the time either east or west In the
rear, however, there great danger that all the
adjacent buildings would be destroyed. The flames
were pouring out of the windows in sheets, and
| the window frames of the large rear building of
| the piano mandatory of f. D. Benteen, and the
| cottage furniture WarerOOms of Il. W. Haywood
were fire. The edge of the roof, and the win
dOwS and roof ofthe building occupied by Mr.. Shry
| ock, were also on fire. The prompt arrival of
set of hose extinguished the flames, and pro-
| tected the property from destruction.
In less than half an hour from the time the fire was
discovered, the Marston building was almost burnt
| out About this time the walls of the building
| commenced falling with a terrific crash adding
millions of sparks to those already floating in the
! air, and adding greater fury to the flames. The
| firemen, who were at work Baltimore street,
| had been laboring Inanfuy and up to this time
| had succeeded in preventing the flames from
municating with either of the adjoining buildings,
! but when the walls of the MarstOn building went
| down with fearful crash, it became evident that
the buildings, east and west, must be destroyed.
The red-hOt bricks and burning timbers fell on the
roofs ofthose buildings crushing them in and carry
ing the fire TO every part of them. No. PA, to the
east, was occupied principally by James S. Wa
ters, wholesale and retail book and stationery store,
and by the Protestant Episcopal Reading Assoca-
ton, and by the Ladies' Tract Society of the same
denomination. The upper story occupied BY
Mr. d. 'Almaine, artist, and Mr.. Gillespie and Mr..
Hart, epgravers. No 24S to the west was occu-
N ed on he first hv II bor1
dealer, and the three upper stories by Warner &
Brother, hat and shoe dealers. But few minutes
elapsed before both these buildings were mass of
flame.
The fremen turned their attention to the adioin-
ing property and succeeded in contning the fire to
these two buildings, which were burning with
frightful rapidty. Messrs Fickey & Sons, on the
west, Wholesale dealers in fancy goods were seri-
ously damaged by having their goods flooded with
water, and John Turnbull's wholesale carpet store
to the west, suffered in similar In fact,
all the surrounding property was injured to a
greater less extent. by water. Much effort was
necessary to keep the flames from communicating
to adjacent property, and the fremen exerted them
selves ceasalessly and unwearedly. The police ar
rangements were under the immediate direction of
Marshal Kane, and were of the most amye charac-
ter. Ropes were stretched across the street and
plenty of room given the firemen to work. Mayor
Brown was also on the ground, and all the Fire
Commissioners were also actively engaged in fur
therlng the efforts of the tremen. The streets
were thrOnged for squares with thousands of cti.
zens, many women and some fc~ children. The
City Passenger Railway stopped while !
the fire lasted. The following is account of the
losses and insurance:
The loss of the Messrs. Marston is estimated at
about SG5000 which is fully covered by insurance
in the city and foreign offices. The building is
insured for $4,000. MesSrs. Merrified & Stinch.
combs loss will be about SIS 900; their insurance
was only about s., 900. We were unable to learn
anything in regard to the loss or insurance of
Messrs Rosenswig, who occupied the third story,
and in whose premises the fire first discovered.
Mr.. b. F. Voss, who occupied the lower portion of
the building, No. 24S Baltimore street, had stock
of hardware on hand valued at about $40, 900; this
was entirely destroyed. Mr.. Voss has insurance
for $50, 000 in city and foreign Offices The Messrs.
Warner Bro, who occupied the other portions
of this building, had stock on hand valued at
Sl5, 900, which was entirely consumed. They have
insurance for $40, 600 in city offices. Their books
and papers, and also those of Mr.. yoss, were
saved.
The stock of Mr. James s. Waters, who occu-
pied the building No. 244 on Baltimore street. was
very extensive, having lately received large accumu-
lations in fine books, &c, and valued at about
SoO,0O0. large quantity of books was carried
out of this building by the police, fremen and
others, to a place of safety, but they were only
such as were in front of the building, the great
heat and falling timbers making it rather peril
Gus undertaking to enter the burning house. Mr..
Waters was absent in New York at the time of the
fire, and the amount of his insurance could not be
ascertained; it is believed, however, that it
will entirely the loss. There was no
| insurance upon the furniture and effects of the
Episcopal Reading Rooms Association or Ladies'
Tract Society, who used the second story of this
house, the loss upon which is estimated at about
$500.
Mr.. D'Almane and Mr. Gillespie, artists, in the
third story were not insured; loss about $500 alto
gether. The store No. 242, occupied by John
Turnbull, was slightly damaged on the roof, and
some damage done to the goods by water The
loss was slight and is covered by insurance. The
store Of the Messrs. Fckey, No. $50 Baltimore
street, was also damaged the rear roof and some
water was necessarily thrown into the house. with
out, however, doing much damage to the goods,
which were covered by tarpaulins. The loss here
is fully covered by insurance.
| Mr.. William Sherlock, whose stables extend
from FaYette street to Bank lane, loses about $500
by fire and water. He had on hand some six or
| seven hundred bushels OF oats and other proven
| der, which is rendered entirely useless He has no
insurance. Mr.. Lewis H. Cole, tobacco and cigar
| merchant, adjoining the stables on Fayette street,
| the store running back to the allev, also suffers
| some damage from water and hastv removal of
| goods. He has insurance of S5 900 in the
! American and S2,5O0 in the Associated offices of
| this city.
The warehouse on the East, adjoining MIR. Cole,
| occupied by F. d. Benteen, as a piano manufacto-
| ry, was also on fire in the rear, but the damage
sustained was immaterial; the loss was covered by
| insurance. On Charles street, several buildings
| between Bank lane and Baltimore street took fire.
and it necessary for the tiremen frequently to
| throw streams of water upon them. Messrs. Per
| kins Co., No 6, dry goods dealers, suffered some
"hat from water, but ther loss IS covered by luSur
ance.
There were several buildings in the neighbor-
| hood on fire at once, while the flames were rag
ing, but the powerful streams of the engines pre-
vented any headway being made. The buildings
the south side OF Baltimore street, opposite the
warehouse Of Messrs. Marstons' were several times
about to take fire from the great hea but the pipe
men in front kept them pretty cool-as it was
however, the paint on the doors and windows is
considerably bIistered.
CENTRE MARKET.-The supply in Centre market
| yesterday morning was fully equal to the demand.
| The display of fowls and game was very fine and
commanded good prices. The following are the
ruling rates: Beef II cts. per lb., choice cuts Is
cts. do, pork l0@ll cts. do, mutton s@l2 cts
do, veal 6@l2 cts. do, partridges Sl.25@2 per
dozen, fickers 81 do, pigeons Sl50 do, canvass
back ducks Sl.25@2 per pair, red heads 75@l00
cts. do, black heads 90 cts bald pates so cts. do,
pheasants s719@l25 cts. do, rabbits 31@3715 cts.
| DO Vegetables sold at the usual prices.
WIFE-BEATING.-Yes esterday officer Butler, of the
! Southern police, brought to the station a man
named William Pollock and his wife, the former
charged with beating the latter in most cruel
manner. The parties live in South Baltimore, in
the vicinity of Ieadenha street, and it is said the
| man is much addicted to intemperance. The man
beat the woman with a large bludgeon, and when
brought to the police station she presented fright
full aspect. She hao large cash the left eye,
from which the blood flowed freely, and was other
wise injured by the severe beating. DR.. Beard
was called in, who dressed the woman's wounds,
and Pollock was committed by Justice ShoWacre
| to answer before Court.