Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-12-27
LOCAL NEWS.


TT. s.x,r F1ss al rzs eovr,sxrsr oon..J
LAsr NIsHr -Dss'rssfia Of Gevsssmssi Pro.
dssts-Between ana o,clock last evening an
alarm OF IRE WA heard, and brilliant ii1ht vas
seen In the direction Of the Observatory. As the
Sovernment stables, stock-yards, provender de-
pots, &C, are In that vicinity, great excitement
prevailed throughout the city, and an Immense
crowd soon gathered at the scene Of the contaa
Raoon, which was the Government Corral
o the large square bounded by d and and
Twenty arst and Twenty second streets. esst m
The Observatory. On this square were ten she'd.
OF pine boarding, for the projection Of the horses
each several hundred feet In length. They were
Paneled to each other and ranged north and south
About the middle Of the square were two dwell
lngs-a frame house, occupied BY colored fami
~, and three-story brick building, occupied by
widow lady. Five sheds on the east side vuers
for the stsbIing Of The team horses, under tie
general superintendence Of Mr. Snow-,hose on
the west side were the stables Of issue for cavalry
ana artillery purposes, In charge Of Capt Cot
The Are seems to have originated In the shed on
ne extreme east How Il orfginated has not been
sscertslned some say a horse, in raising his
over him; others that watchman, by design or
accident dropped q lamp In the litter on the hoor
ana then ran from the building; others, again
ma " proceeded rom the carelessness Of the
teamsters, who, IL IL aid, are In the habit Of
uehung piece Of candle with a match. wben
tney come Into the stables late at night MANY
sgnn. mink II was the act Of an incendary, as ii
alleged that the Loyalty Of some of the EN-
about the place Is to say the least, uestion.
aole. However the nre originated, the flames ran
aIong the ify pine roof Of the shed with terrible
IaPldltJ, dense volumes Of black smoke heraldino
us eSproach. The i've sheds where the wagon
hones-nearly one thousand In number-were
tabled, were separated from each other bv very
narrow spaces, and the IRE spread from one to the
othef rapidly. Many Of the horses were smothered
by the smoke, but the most Of those DESTROYED
were literally burnt az the stake. The scene was
awful In the extreme, as the flames spread and
soldiers and citizens, with knives and axes, cut
toe matters OF the frightened animals, and sent
mem scamPering In every direction. Captain
CottiRghnm had all the horses In his charge-for
cavalry and artillery use-cut loose et once, and
tne shed In his department nearest TO the burning
ssables-ssparated by few yards only-was raIed
N the ground. This prevented the spread Of the
Five sheds were burned to the ground, and one
WA destroyed and one considerably damaged by
the axemen. The frame dwelling was burned to
The ground, but by the exertions OF the nremen
and soldiers the sdjoinlng brick building YVES
horses were burned, and great quantity Of har.
ness and stable furniture; very little provender
was lost The horses In the sheds at the south
west corner OF the coral let loose In the CON-
fusion, although they were several HUNDRED feet
rom the burning buildings. There were probably
not less than 500 horses In the STRUCTURES yrhs1
the IRE broke out. Over one thousand of these
Wild with excitement were sent scampering over
The city in all directions By the not less excited
crowd. Some went through Georgetown Others
leaning through the city, others strag BIT towards
the iIosr, ana others again northward towards
tne common along Rock Creek IL is almost
naeotoW that In the confusion which ensued no
Scc.uenI Should have occurred, as the night was
dark and the streets full Of spectators
Some Of the horses ran into eulIey, or holes
and were either killed or broke their limbs, 40 a.
10 render them useless. At enc spot there were
collected dozen or more, which had escaped
from the sheds, burnt to greater or less extent
Though suffering greatly, scarcely any one
seemed DESTROYS Of approaching them for they
Kept continually moving about-kicking lump.
ing, ana shaking their Notwithstanding that
they endured the most torturing pains One poor
animal was 30 severely injured, and whined so
Piteously, that a gentleman near him at the time
Drew from his pocket a revolver ard terminated
MS misery by shooting him In what proved to be
aVital part. One or two other horses were shot
under similar circumstances, by soldiers In the
vielnity Of the ere but few attemp pts were made to
ca2fh the runsways.
The streets In the northern part of the civ vsrs
Il times crowded with the fugitives Great ex-
citement was occastoned by the efforts of persons
to secure them. When the herd was running fu.
noosly down Ma ssachusetts avenue, q man ran
out and tried 70 keep them from the side walks,
but got caught between two droves and was
Knocked down and run over by them but strzmRe
setts avenue they scattered, he grester bodv con-
unrlng east. Men and dogs were catching them
In the by-streets, where small squads were de.
,seoeo rom me larger droves, and by this means
thus capturtd by different parties and placed In
charge Of the Metropolitan Police at the central
gu.rdhouse, and secured in the pipe-yard attached
to the building, where they are this morning. A
very large number succeeded In passing ever the
canal bridges and into the Seventh Ward.
shortly after the IRE was discovered q signal
gun wa 1rsd, and there promptly appeared on
the ground detached companies Of regulars from
tne lst, ID, Sd, 9Th ana 9Th regiments There
were also present large number Of volunteers
They all deserve great praise for the services they
nANA-
guard for the preservation Of property, thew col
bccted the feed, "a large amount OF which was on
band AZ the ime,) raked up the hay, put out hying
clnders as they came In contact with innamable
substances, and checked the progress Of the Inc
oy tearing down one or more Of the sheds and
carrying and slowing away the boards All the
military, under the control Of their ofacers,
worked In a. spirited a manner a. IL they were
personally Interested In the Preservation of the
place and its contents.
Several horses are lying scorched and black
the south enclosure Of the Treasury building dead.
have suffered.
The scene presented at the site of the ere this
morning 10 truly q shocking one. About two
hundred horses, literally burnt 10 q crisp, are
strewed over the bare and blackened field The
spectacle IL horrid one, many Of the bodies
having the head raised az II the poor creatures
were neighlng for help when they were over
whemed by the flames. The skslls and legs are
burnt to the bone, while the bodies are covered
WIN ucsu 10 t3tcu hlfQCeb 10 u coal
few blackened posts are all that remains Of
comousttele material, and the ground is strewed
with chains, bridle-bits, and other fragments Of
Iron from the harness.
The horses are being returned in droves this
morning, having been captured by employees Of
the Quartermaster's Department, and citizens and
soldier, last night and this morning. All that
are branded win be recovered probably, but II IL
said that some hne stock brou ght in yesterday
was not yet branded. Ii so, they are lost to the
Government, no doubt.
VIII this destructive Are induce Congress 10
grant an appropriation At once for the purchase
of two steam 1re-engines? II Is safe 10 say that
the loss OF the Government would not have been
half so great last night, II steam fre-engine had
been promptly on the ground Let members
take q look at the valuable Government property
In the ane structures within few hundred yards
Of the Observatory, and Its exposed condition,
and thst-h no other property was at stake
ought 70 open their eyes 10 the importance Of the
subject. In one short hour property OF the value
Of one hundred steam fire engines may be burned
fer want Of such an engine
GENITAL 6uAaDaousE CAsEs-Bsfoys yssfies
IHosspsos-p. Rucksr, disorderly conduct fined
o. OF. John Rawlings, do do. 81 So. James
CONWAY, drunk In the street: (this man was 90
drunk that be was robbed Of watch and q sum
Ana m ham h>sfS H. NJ