The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-12-13

r ERRIFIC COErLAGPATTO
IN CHARLESTON, S. C.
TIsE FIRE STILL RAGING.
thurc hes, Public Buildings, and pri
vate Residences Icveiied to
the Ground.
THE CHARLESTON THrATRE ENTIRE
I.I CONSUMED.
APPALLING DISTRESS AMONG THE
INHABITANTS.
-, j., a..

! HR.xcFyrGrR, s. C, Dec Ia.--Atout nine
| o clock last night the alarm rang out calling
! npon the citizens of Charleston to queIl the
| beginning Of q fire, which. in the subsequent
| extent, and rFridity OF its ruinous sweep.
! w}U compare with the most terrible conna-
| grafton which ever visited the American con :
! hnent. Before ten O'Clock he fire was ragin g
/ At different points in the lover part of the
! city. The buildings III the neiehborhocd were
| mostly OF wood. OLD and closely built; and
| surrounded by small out-buiitings, exceed
| mEiy iDflamable in their character AS tene-
| ment after tenement WAS enve!opet in the
| fast spreading flames, the panic became
awful. Thousands OF poor, bewiIdered FAINT
| lies we're driven, suddenly, from their homes,
| destitute even OF their soanty effects
Towards midnight the Tire had assumed
| proportions OF an appalling magnitude. The
| regiments NJ the Race Course came down at
| double quick to the burning wards and CO.
operated most earnestly IL the labors OF the
igeneu.
From the precincts of Market, cas-. of Bay
AMI State streets, the conh igratioR had now
reached Meeting ana q ueen streets.
The error Of families. in many eases with
cut thetr protectors, owing TO the military
e&isn0Cies Of the times, was very great.
Contiguous - the fire, and even much fur
Their NJ into the city, the work Of packing up
yalNables ana getting ready TO desert their
lomeSteHds became general, and it is impos-
sitie to give anything like a full account OF
the results Of what VIII hereafter be known
Is che great fra q I-Gl.'
The fire he9un n Russell & Cos sash aud
blind factory At the foot OF HGzal street, and
there are reports that it occurred III three
places q. the same time. Crossing 10 the
other Size of Hazel street. it has burned { am.
eron { Go 5 immense machine shops and
under the impulse acquired 1T that point and
the >t,tr breeze from the northeast, without a
suEt.en, supply Of water, il has become to
1aily unmanaeeab,e and RACES without the
hope Of being able 10 arrest it. except ut GER
tain points.
R'.--e or'.,t.-The out buildings III the rear
q IrsGtute Hall have been set on fire by
sqavBs or fakes Of fire. The attention of the
1lrernen have been directed thijher and they
sra slraluiuc very nerve 10 save Meeting
street. Tn frame buildings on ttaeen street
are smoking, ami will presently blaze forth.
T'.-.-~. o'.'1. t.-Eeetiug street, from Market
- queen, i o9o mass of flame. The Circular
harch AMI Institute Hal ara burning The
diIIS House = thought to be in imminent
danger, while the fire seems stretching around
the Charleston Hotel. There has been A
general desertI0n OF both hotels by the guests
unter She impression that they cannot be
saved.
Or ye},rk-The track of the ccntiacra:ion
b-Etns to oacieaT!y defined. Leaving Church
street., on which 40 block excepting that next
IL Gl.k-t / a> been burned, The fire is steadily
pursuing Its southwark course awards the
corner OF Ar2hdala ana Queen streets
A6ou. , half IN A0uc ago L drilling rain
began falling, which may perhaps dampen
tap tops OF woo len houses en- posed to damage
fem the sparks. The people now under
sand hop- far the fire has "a tended. Furni-
ture IS being removed from build ng. as far
Up IS Mas~i- street.
To o'r.or+-At this boar the FIRE Is still "a
sir@ with Violence and his scarcely been
;t5ased. il splanGii effort vas made by the
ire companies 10 save the house Of l.. ".
>prat. Esd, on East Bay, which was success
ful, and with-it were saved the fine line Of
buildings on Hazel street, the fate Of which
depended Tn that result. Passing to II 9 south
westward, the ire has swept The entire track
10 tlr rear Of the Charleston Hotel, aud to
the eli o. the Hayne street range. There are
no buildings ucr,h o. Msrhej street. None OF
the Hayne street stores are still! standing, ex-
cept, perhaps, hose Of Henry Gerdes and the
Misses Pickuey
Crossing IIrA-t str.et, the lire has extend
ri Gown East Bay TO Cam berlaud street, and
thence across 10 the Mills House taking in its
way tue Circular Church, Ilstjtut" Hall, the
Charleston Hotel, aud all he buildings upon
king street, from Clifford street 10 within a
1ev doors OF Broad street Crossing King ST,
The flames are approaching the rear OF the
Cathedral, the Unitarian aud the English La
thelau Churches. Whether it viii cross The
area covered by these Churches, or pass the
1iil- House, down Meeting street, Is still Un-
certain. The Fire department is making in
credible eNertion>, ald he MEN aTe apparent
ly nearly exnaus ;ed, but are spCinging to each
occasion win renewed vi@cr,2nd such e. ibi
tions of courage and endurance have rarely
been witnessed.
Tin. o'c'or5.-Tne steepie OF the Circular
Church has just toppled and fallen with .
heavy cyasL.
General Ripley, vino IS moving to and fro,
experimenting the movements OF the troops
with Characteristic energy, orderad, several
hour. ago, that several buildings ia The track
o: the conhtEratioa BE- blown up. The exc
euti9m OF this order. delayed al fir. has a:
length been accomplished. Ever and anon,
during the pas. hour, the explosions have
rent the air in the lower part of tha city.
The fire has done its work in thorough
style. It's path is now burned ou', and no-
thing now remains to mark where IL has
passed but sInouldering piles of cynders and
gaunt. and smoking walls and chimneys.
The Charleston Hotel Is safe, ana Eayne
at Get, aIeo. The wind has swept the danger
of further to the south; although the fire
RACES 90 three sides OF The Mills House
That fine structure has not caught.
The Theatre, Lloyd's coach factory, (oppo-
site the Express Office the old Executive
building, aud all the houses betwe III that
point acd Queen street, have been burnt.
The fire seems TO be making advances to-
wards the jail. Companies Of the Reserves
have been ordered out to repress any possible
disturbance among the prisoners confined in
that building. The wind h.s abated some
what.
Four 10 .50rs.-.A change in The course Of thu
wind has bent tue course of the ire towards
Brcai street. Tae Lutheran and Unitari IN
churches are now considered safe
The CathedrtI seems now to be in exceed
lag danger. The buildings on the west side OF
4 Reno tftFt Ibdf LHt tpiHfL Oh ittIl
are burning nerceiy. st. Andrews Hall is
ou lire, and the nobie spire of ST. Finsbsr
Slisteus with spisndor IT portentoue i'm
port. Tae occupants OF houses on Broad
street, beyond King, are moving their effects.
tlaortsr pat ne Ortoch.--As the cloc3 OF
81. Nichaei's tells the quarter, The Cathedral
,teepIe has fallen with d tremendous crash,
aud the Cathedral burning inrioasiy;
hA