Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1861-12-18
GREAT FIRE IN CHARLESTON.

GREAT FIRE IN CHARLESTON.
The following particulars of the destructive ire
in Charleston, S e., of which we had time simply
to announce in our last are CLEANED from the Wer
curry of the 18th and 18th instant: E.' .,
This morning dawned drear1y upon a night Of
terror and disaster. About o'clock last evening
the alarm rang out calling the citizens to quell the
beginning OF fire, which, in the subsequent extent
and rapidity of its runous sweep will compare with
the most terrible confagrations which have ever
visited the American continent The wild work of
the ames and the immense destruction of property
which has thus far taken place, is chiefly atributa
ble to the sudden and unfortunate change in the
weather. which occurred almost simultaneously with
the breaking out of the fire. The mild and spring
like calmness of the atmosphere during the last fort
night was broken by heavy gusts OF wind, which
swept the dust and smoke and sparks hi;her and
thither in binding clouds. Great flaming bits of
wood were borne in dense showers for distance of
nearly a mile in Southwest direction and the
whole city was brightly lit up by the dreadful and
widening glare.
Before 10 o'clock, the fire had begun raging in
several different points in the lower part of the city.
The buildings in the stricken neighborhoods were
mostly of wood, old, closely built and surrounded
by small out-buildlngs of exceedingly inflamma-
BILE character.
The fire began in Russell & Co.'S Sash and Blind
Factory, at the foot of Hasse Street. and the report
though vague one-is, that it appeared in three
places at the same time Crossing to the other side
of Hassell Street, it 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 supply of water-ior
it is dead low tide-it has become totally unman-
ageable, and RACES without the hope of being able
to arrest it, except at certain strategic points, upon
which extraordinary interests depend
The fire advanced steadily onward, stopping only
when having reached the river it had nothing more
to burn. We give some notes of the disastrous re-
suits:
The CATHEDRAL OF ST.. FINBAR.-This splendid
structure, built only about eight years ago, was
justly rated one of the finest architectural ornaments
of our city. 1t was constructed of brown stone in
very massive and costly manner All the sacred
vessels were saved The Bishops residence, attach
ed to the Cathedral, contained very rare and val
liable library, portion of which was saved.
The CIRCULAR CHURCM.-The site recently occu-
pied by the Circular Church was formerly, in the
memory of many Of our old citizens the locus quo
of brick church, known as the white Meeting"
1t had its origin coevally with the settlement Of the
city in 1850.
On the 25th May, 1906, the new building was
opened for the first time with appropriate religious
exercises. The new building was circular in form,
ID d
lofty spire, 1872 feet high added to the appearance
of the building.
few years since, the church was entirely reno
waited, at an expense OF $40 O0O rendering it of
the most beautiful and consistently arranged of
city places of worship.
| The CUMBERLAND STREET (MEruoDIsr) CHURCH.
This was plain, substantial structure, affordng
commodious apartments for their large congregation
with galleries and basement rooms for very large
ami arch r IN, tho
fire of 1888 and rebuilt soon AFTER 1t is again en-
| tirely DESTROYED.
| st. Peters (EpiscopaD Church, located on Logan
street. between Broad and Tradd streets, was neat
and well arranged edfce with ground floor and
galleries. The congregation is quite full one, and
1t has been for time past under the rectorshp
OF the Rev. Mr.. Prentiss. 1t is entirely destroyed
The FRIENDS MEETING HousE-This unpretend
ing structure on King street, South Queen street.
was burned to the ground.
| The ST.. ANDREWS HALL-This we'll known and
| historic building, in which the Convention of the
People of South Carolina held its sttings and agreed
upon the Ordinance of Secession, on the Goth of
| December of last year, is now in ruins. The walls
standing, but the interior is entirely consumed
INSTITUTE HALL.-This magnificent Hall, the
largest in the South is lost to us and we feel sure
that it will be seriously misSed-conneced as it was
with the popular heart by the fact that within its
walls the first uprisings of the people OF Charleston
in this revolution had utterance and more than ALL
| because the Ordinance of Secession was ratified
| there.
The Office of the Southern Express Company was
burned to the ground, and large quantity of mis-
cellaneous goods was lost The Express office WILL
we learn, be re.opened in Meeting street, opposite
the Charleston Hotel, in a few days.
The Savings Bank is sufferer to the extent of
its convenient Office all the papers, books Of ac-
counts, records, &c. were saved. We regret to hear
that the Treasurer, Henry s. Griggs Esq, who re-
sided the premises lost all of his household fur
niture and portion of very valuable collection of
paintings, which he had been collecting for some
years.
The Apprentices Library is We learn total loss
To no one will this be more distressing than to the
octogenarian gentleman Dr. Jos. johnson, under
whose care the society has been for so many years
In addition to this, the doctor is We believe, him
self sufferer by the conflagration.
CAMERON & Co.'S "PHENIx IRoN-woRKs."-Ths
extensive foundry and machine shops is again il
ashes, being the second time in the last ten years
that its energetic and popular propretors have beer
visited with fire. The entire premises in ruins
including large quantities of shot, SHE'LL and othe
ordnance stores, ready for delivery to the Conede
rate States amongst which were valuable and i'm
proved machinery for rifing cannon, making per
cussion caps, &c. The powerful steam fire engine
which was prominently at work during the conAa
grafton at different points, was built at this estat
lishment
One of the most gratifying incidents of the fire
Wednesday night was the zeal manifested by gu
slaves in their efforts firemen and laborers Tn
entire colored population, male and female, worke
most earnestly-and not unfrequenty masters an
their saves could be working together in r.
moving the household goods and valuables. W
noticed one instance, particularly, where a whit
haired old body servant was giving way to his fee
ings-sobbing bitterly-at the loss of the famil
mansion whar we ben libin' all our libes."
The following is the course Of the fire frol
Camerons Foundry:
On East Bay the fire extended on the East sid
from the residence Of Mr.. j. s. Bird to the corne
Of Market street. On the West side from Mr.. Get
Kinloch's to the Southwest corner of Market st.
inclusive was destroyed.
On Pritchard street The property of Mr. Jno To1
rent MIR. Tavel, Mr.. Artope, Mr.. Cordray, and otl