Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-12-19
The Charleston Calamity.


a great fire which broke out in Cha lesion the
night before last, aud which still raging yesterday
morning The first inimatioa oi the IRE brought
by passengers, but without ANY details or definite con-
6rmaton. The telegraph commenced bringing US the
details shortly after O'Clock and by ~ P. NJ it had
all been received here as published in the Charleston
Mercury of yesterday morning.
1t would be eff ut to estimate the amount of loss,
but it must be immense The part Of the city in which
it commenced is not familiar us, but know that
10 its course it uus have left hundreds homeless, and
perhaps destitut One OF the culiarities OF Charles
ton, Distinguishing it from nearly every other city OF
any SIZE is that there hard be said to be any dis
tnctive fashionable or questionable quarters any par
tcuar neghborboods in which wealthy and needy do not
both reside so that any fire. OF any large number
of dwellings in an part of the city will leave homeless
about the avera e proportion of antilles in the different
situations in life bout where the fire commenced on
Hassel street near the East Bay Cooper River, the
majority though the whole Of the residences may
have been those of families in humble or moderate cir
cumstances Southwest of Ne, trg and Queen stree s,
towards the Ashley River, there was, probably, ma-
ority of the residences OF the weay The more busl-
ness parts OF the city Hayne, Meeting, Broad King
and East Bay streets generally escaped. st Finbar
Cathedral was tie finest ecclesiastical building in the
city, barely finished 1t, with its school, orphan house.
bishops residence and forth, is consumed, 1t was
the Catholic Cathedral of the diocese of Charleston
The Circular Church on Meeting street belonged, we
think, to the Presbyterian denomination. 1t was a
venerable and imposing ediGce. The Institute Hall
Immediately adjoining was Of the finest the CON
tinent. ST. Andrews Hall, bIongng to the ot.
Andrews Society was handsome ard convenient
building.
The loss of Camerons I" immense foundry will be
severely felt by the Confederate government it made
and rifed large plumber OF and manufactured
shot and shell in great quantities.
The suppositon of ucendarsm is naturally sng
gested in connection with such terrible calamity as
this bat when We consider tie character of business
carried on in the building where the ire originated to
gether with the great chances for fire, there would ap
pear to be no necessity for esortng to that supposton
The idea is worthy of consideration, as melting to Wig
eDce but not Of being dwelt upon as the occasion OF
panic for there is really ground but suppostion
founded such vague rum0r as we believe gains cur
rency in connection with almost every large fire.
The blow is heavy one. 1t strips the city of fou
of it's finest buildings the Cathedral, the CircClal
Church, the Institute Hall and st. Andrews Hall
strips the Catholic denomination of its and noble
cathedral building, which was regarded with pride by
all the citizens ornament to the city. 1t strips
many very many families of their homes, yet it by ne
means equals the former great fire which, somewhat over
twenty years since swept away the most important bu
siness part of the city.
No doubt there will be those among the more rabiC
bigots and demagogues at the North who will reoic'
over this affective dispeusation of providence and ever
proclaim it as punishment for the sins of the hatet
community Of Charleston but if such there be, they
will only be prOclamiDg their own shame and evlder
cling their own wickedness La like this, the PEG
pie of the South will show that they indeed PEG
ple and will forward noby to relieve the wants
the suffering families left destitute by this great calam
IT, We feel assured that tried her are
Wilmington will not be wanting to herself, nor unwOr
thy of her welearned character for kindness and ibe
raity-that she will do as she would be done by, ant
do it promptly and freely. He gives twice who give
promptly. God loves the cheerful giver.
Daily Journol, 1911 inst.