Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-01-28
A Fire In a Chinese CITY.

The Chinese correspondent of the Newark
Mercury, writing from Fuh Chau, November
9TH, give the following description Of q scene
in Chinese city:
Fuh Chau was visited by terrible fire last
night, in the suburb which lies on the north
side Of the river Min. 1t commenced about
halfpast five o'clock yesterday afternoon, and
continued uotil one o'clock this morning. /
first saw it about hslf-past seven, when it pre-
sented n brilliant appearance. There were ap-
parently about twenty or thirty buildings burn
ing at once, and the lurid flames shot away up
into the sky, while a vast cloud Of smoke, min
CLING with burning cinders, was carried by the
wind far over the south side of the river the
sparks falling all the while, like so many me-
teOrs, TO the earth 1 watched the fire almost
without cessation for four hours and a half, and
during all this time it was constantly spreading.
Often black cloud of smoke might be seen
arising on the outer edge Of the fire. the next
moment score of buildings were enveloped in
flames: and in few moments more the timbers
tOttered, the tiles ratified by thousands upon
the ground. with a crash like the sound of ar
tiilery, and the houses came down to the level
Of their PROSTATE neighbors. Thus the element
ragged till half past eleven, when it reached its
highest point of terrible subimity Hundreds
of buildings were in blaze; and a great vari-
ETY. OF cOlOrs seemed to blend in one living
sheet of flame, burning, cracking, and crashing
with tremendous power. The flames extended
close down to the waters edge, and at one
time caught large boat lying near the shore,
which almost in an instant was in a blaze from
stem to stern, and went floating down the river,
| causing great cOmmotion among the other boats
whose crew manifested the greatest agility,
giving their dangerous neighbor wide berth.
Ii finally brought up against one of the stone
piers of the long bridge, where it was allowed
to burn out in the quietest manner possible.
The noise during the continuance of the fire
hnxyn nd oil 6
the flames, rattling tiles and crashing timbers,
| mingled their sounds with the discOrdant
voices Of men crying to their gods for help,
| or quarrelling with their fellows for plunder
women and children screaming in agony, dogs
bowling, most piteousy and hogs squealing out
| a most dolorous protest against being roast
ed alive. Among the thousands of people con-
gregated at the fire, not one seemed to have
| the least idea of doing anything to stopits raw
ages: but, according to the Chinese custom,
| every man was intent on practicing the grab
game" to as large an extent rs possible. The
| property of all houses burning, or likely to
burn, were declared public property and
pitched into accordingly.
The only protection the Chinese have against
fires consists in fire. proof walls, built at certain
distances all through the city, and intended to
cOnfine the fire TO the district in which it orig
mates. 1t must be acknowledged that they
very often accomplish their design; but it
sometimes happens that the flames spread over
the tops of these walls and set fire to buildings
in the adjoining district, which seemed to be
case last night.
This morning. as look across the river from
my window, L see thousands of Chinese swarm
ing about the ruins, all riggcd in their suits Of
blue, which have been donned since our cold
| weather commenced. the thermometer being at
90 degrees to-day. The ground is little the
clearest OF any L ever seen so soon after a fire.
Scarcely stick Of burnt wood, even, remains,
except few posts, which are still standing.
Perhaps it is against the law to take away
anything that keeps son its feet At ali
events, thore are acres upon acres as bare as if
there had never been a house upon them
Thousands of poor creatures are hOuseless to-
day, but they will nearly all find some rela-
tive to shelter them until they can get up their
habitations again, and probably there will be
less suffering then among the same number of
poor people, under like circumstances, in any
| of the large cities Of America.