The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1861-12-25
A Terrible Fire in Charleston, S. G.
Branchville. 3. u. Decemh

hUOul niuc " SiuSA ldst HlbHl lnc dldIh
rang out. calling the citizens Of Charleston
to quell the beginning Of FIRE, which. in
the subsequent extent and rapidity Of its ru-
inous sweep. will compare with the most
terrible conhagration which ever visited the
American continent.
Before ten o'clock the FIRE was raging at
different points in the lower part Of the ci-
ty. The buildings in the neighborhood
were mostly Of wood, old and iensely built.
and surrounded BY small out-buildings e1-
ceedingly inhammable in character. As
tenement after tenement was enveloped in
the fast-spreading flames. the panic became
awful. Thousands Of poor. bewildered fam
lilies were driven suddenly from their homes.
destitute even of heir scanty effects.
Towards midnight the ERE had assumed
proportions Of an appalling magnitude. The
regiments Al the Race Course came down
at doube-quick to the burning wards, and
co-oPeraied most earnestly in the labors Of
the fremen.
From the precincts Of Market, East Bay
and State streets the conhagration had nov
reached Meeting and Queen streets.
The terror of families, in many cases
without their protectors. owing to the mill
tary exigencies of the times. was very
! great.
Contiguous to the FIRE. and even much
further up into The city, the work of pack
ing up valuables and getting ready to desert
their homesteads became general, and il is
impossible to give anything like a full ac-
count Of the results 0f what will hereafter
be known as Tie Great FIRE Of 1861"
The fire began in Russell & Co.'S sash and
blind factory. at the foot Of Hazel street
and there are reports that it occurred in
three places at the same time.
Crossing TO the other side Of Hazel street,
il has burned Cameron & Co.'S immense
machine shops, and. under the impulse ac-
CURED at that point and the stiff breeze
from the northeast, without sufficient sup
ply 0! water, il has become totally unman-
sgeable and riges without the hope Of be-
Ing able to arrest il, except a. certain
points.
Eiertn 0eioek.-The out-buildings in the
rear Of Institute Hall have been sci on fire
by sparks. The attention of the fremen
had been directed thither. and they are
s,raining every nerve to save Meeting street.
The frame buildings On Queen Street are
smoking and will presently blaze firth.
Twtfvs OelOek - Meeting street, from
Market 10 Queen, is one mass of flames.
Tie Circular Church and Institute Hall
are burning. The Mills House is thought ia
be in imminent danger, while the FIRE seems
stretching around the Charleston Hotel.
There has been general desertion Of both
hotels BY the guests, under the impression
that they cannot be saved.
One O'clock The track or the eonhagra.
tion begins to be clearly defined. Leaving
Church street, on which no block excepting
that next TO Market has been burned, the
fire is STEADILY burning is southwark course
towards the corner Of Arehdale and Queen
streets. About half al hour ago 4 driz.
cling rain began falling. which may, per.
hsps, dampen the tops OF wooden houses er.
posed to damage from the sparks.
TiDo 0eiock.--At this hour the FIRE j.
still raging with violence scarcely abated
"a splendid effort was made By the FIRE CON.
panies to save the house Of l.. w. sprstt,
ESQ.,. on East Bay. which was successful ;
and with il we're saved the fine line Of
buildings on Hazel street, the fate Of which
depended upon that result. Passing to the
southwestward. the FIRE has swept the entire
track TO the rear Of the Charleston Hotel
and TO the end Of the Hayns street range.
There are no buildings nnth OF Make,
street. east Of the Hsyne street stores. still
standing. except. perhaps. those Of Henry
Geddss and the Messrs Pinekney.
Crossing Market street. the Gre has extend.
Cd down Eas, Bay 70 Cumberland street.
and thence across 10 the Mills House. tax.
ing 10 iu way The Circular Church. Insti-
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