Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1861-1862, 1861-12-13
rEER0RAPHIo.
A Terrihle CaIamily ior ChnrIeston
i SWEEPING AND RULYOUs 00NFLAGRA-
TTON!
THE CITY ALL NIGHT IN FLAMES !

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of Charleston to q1e the beginning of Gre, which, in
the subsequent extent and rapdy OF its ruinous sweep
will compare with the most terrible ocua'gratlon which
ever visited the American continent Before ten o'clock
the FIRE raging at different points in the lower part
of the city. The buildings In the nslghborhood we're
mostly of wood; old and closely built; and surrounded
by small out.buildags exceedingly infimmable In their
character As tenement after tenement was enveoPed
in the disappearing imes, the panic became awful
Thousands of poor bswldered families we're driven sud
denly from their homes, destitute even Of their scanty
effects.
Towards midnight the fire had assumed proportions
of an appalling magnitude. The regiments at the Race
Course came down G. double quick 10 the burning
wards, and co-operatcd most earnestly in the abors oil
the hremen
From the precincts of Market, East Bay and State
s.reets the conf ,graton had reached Meeting and
Queen streets
The terror of families, in many cases, without their
protectors owing to the military Sgences oil the times
was very great
Contiguous to the fi-e, and even much further up
into the city the work of packing up vauables and get
ting ready to desert their homeseads became general
aud It is impossible to give anything like full account
of the resua and of what will hereafter be known as
a. "The Grea, Fire of 1861"
The FIRE began in Russell Co.'S sash and blind fac
toy-and there reports that it occurred in three
places at the time. Crossing to the other side Of
| Hsz,l street. il has burned Cameron Co.'S immense
machine shops and under the impulse acquired at that
point and the stiff breeze from the northeast without
sufficient supply of water II has become totally unmsn.
ayesblc and RACES without. the hope OF being able to
arrest It, except at certain points.
ELKyEy O'clock The outbuldings In the of In
sti,ute Hall have been set FIRE by sparks fakes Of
fire. The attention of the fremcn bas been directed
thher and they sraining every to Meet
ing street. The frame buildings Queen street
smoking and will presently blszs forth
TWELVE ocLocx.-Meetng street, from Market TO
oa,en is ono mass Of fame. The Circular Church and
Institute Hall are burning The Mills Houscis thought to
he in imminent danger, while the FIRE seem, stretching
around the Charleston Hotel There has been general
serou of both hotels by the guests, under the i'm
preston tia. they cannot be saved
Oyr o'cLocK The track Of the conAsgrahon begins
to be clearly defined. Leaving Church street. on which
no block excepting that next to Market has been burned
the fire steadily pursuing It's southwark course towards
he corner Of Archdals and Queen streets About
half an hour ago dzzliug rain began falling, which
NAV, perhaps, dampen the tops Of wooden houses
uosei to damage from the sparks. The people now
understand how far the fro has extended Furni'urc is
being removed from buildings far up Mase street.
Two ocLocK-At this hour the FIRE is still raging with
violence and has scarcely been abatei splendid ef
fort was made by the fire comp,niss to the house
off, W. Small Esq, East Bay, which
full and with it saved the fine line ofbuildings
Hazel street. Passing to the southwestward, the ere
swept the entire track TO the Of the Charleston
Hotel and to the end ofthe Hayne street range. There
are no bulldogs north OF Market street. None Of the
Hayne street stores arc still stsndng except perhaps
those of Henry G,res and the Misses Pinekney.
Crossing Market street, the FIRE has extended down
E,st Bay 70 Cumberland street, and thence to the
Mills Hous, taking in It's the Circular churcA, In
sti,use Hall the Charleston Hotel aud all the buildings
upon King street. from Clifford street. to within few
doors OF Broad street. Crossing King street, the fumes
are approaching the Of the Cathedral the Uuitsran
AID the English Lutheran Churches Whether il will
cross the area covered these Churches pass the Mills
House. down Meeting street, s still uncertain. The Fire
Department IL making incredible exerions and the
are apparently nearly exhausted but springug each
occasion with renewed vigor and such exhibitions O.
courage and endurance have rarely been Witnessed
THREE o'cLocK-The steepe of the Circular Church
has ius. toppled and fallen with heavy crash.
Ger. Ripley who il moving TO and fro experimenting
the movements OF the troops with Characteristic energy
has ordered several hours ago. bst several budingsiu
the track Of the conh,gration be blown up The
ton Of this order delayed at first has at length been
compshed Ever and anon, during the past hour, the
explosions have the air in the lower part Of the city
The fire has dore its work in thorough STYLE It's path
| ia now burned out, aud nothing now remains to mark
where it has passed bl; smoudering piles of cnders and
gaunt and smoking walls and cSimneys
Tho Charleston Hotel is safe aud Hsyne street also
The wind has swept the dlngsr off further to the South
aud although the FIRE rsgeI three sides Of the Mills
| House, that 6ne structure has not caught.
The Theatre, Lloyds Coach Factory, Opposite the
Express ofce) the old Executive building, and all the
houses between that point and Queen street, have been
burnt.
The FIRE seems to be making advances towards the
Jail Companies OF the Reserves have been ordered out
70 repress any possible disturbances among the prisoners
confined in that building. Toe wind has abated some
| what.
-Four o'cLecK-A change In the course Of the wind
has bent the course Of the FIRE towards Bsosd street,
The Lutheran and Unitarian Churches consider
cd SAFE The Cathedral s,ems now to DO 10 exceeding
danger The buildings the west aide Of Friend street.
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near the corner Of Qrel street. burning heresly-
g. Andrews Hall Is Ere and the noble spire Of ST.
Finebar gllstens with spenior Of poreptous import
The occupants Of houses Broad street, beyo-d King,
arc moving their eHecs.
QuARrER PAST Frvs o'cLooX.-As tho clock Of 81.
Mchae'a tells the quarter the Cathedral s.eepe has
fallen with a tremendous cash, and the Cathedral Is
Burning furiOusly likewise st. Andrews Hall-n fact,
the wtoe of Broad street Ia FIRE, from Mr. Gadsdens
esdsnce MszJck street. The residences Of Messrs.
Geo. n Cofin James L. Pettigru and others near BY,
are consumed The flames have crossed Broad
street, and the wind has not ulled II is impossible to
say where they will stop short of the river There does
not appear be any imminent danger OF the fire again
making heaiwsy, either to the right or to the left Of the
furrow it has coven through the city from east Bay to
King street. But the head of the ccrHigraton Is still
fearful to lock upon aud pushing forward with grea