The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1861-12-18
THE LATE FIRE At CHlRLESTON!|
Loss, Over S. 900, 900 !.
BEN. M'CULLOCH AT RICH
MCND.
Fort Pulaski Taken by the
EPHerNlS


Norfolk and Richmond papers give full
particulars of the extensive conHagration
in Charleston, S. c.
The fire broke out, on the 18th inst.
in sash and blind factory, at the foot of
Hazel street, extending 10 the machine
shop of Cameron a. Co. Before midnight
the fire had assumed an appalling magni-
tude, and Meeting street, from Market 10
Queen, was mass of flames. As tene-
ment after tenement was enveloped in
flames, the panic became awful, and thou
sands of families evacuated their houses
aid flied the streets. The buildings In
the lower part of the city where the fire
broke out were principally of wood and
extremely infamable, which accounts for
the remarkably rapid progress of the fire.
At midnight the Circular Church and In
stitute Hall were burning, and the prox-
unity of the flames to the Charleston Ho-
tel and the Mills House caused them to be
evacuated by their inmates, At one
0 clock the fire tended more southwark to-
wards the corner Of Archdale aud Queen
streets to the rear of the Charleston Ho-
tel and to the end of Home street Cross
ing Market street, the fire spread down
East Bay to Cumberland street and across
TO the Mills House, including in its de-
struction the Circular Church, Institute
Hall, and the Charleston Hotel. All the
buildings on King street, from Clifford
to Broad, were destroyed before o'clock
Gen. Ripley, who superintendent the
movements OF the troops who arrived on
the scene at about this time. ordered sew
eral buildings on the route of the confa-
grafton to be blown mp. After some de-
lay the order was executed, but not before
the Theatre, Lloyd's Coach Factory oppo-
site the Express Office, the old Exec1ksve
Building and all the houses from this
point to Queen street had caught fire and
were destroyed. At about 4 O'Clock the
wind changed the direction Of the flames
towards Broad street, and soon after St
Andrews Hall took fire. and subsequently,
the Cathedral, the spire Of which falling
shortly after > O'Clock, the fire made,
clear sweep through the city, making its
track from East Bay to King street The
Charleston Courier Of the 18th inst gives
list Of between 200 and 300 sufferers,
and says that the loss il estimated AT
$1,000, 600 to S7,O0o,00O. Mr.. Russell,
at whose factory the fire originated, thinks
that it must have been occasoned by an
incendiary ar the negligence of the ne
groes. The Mills House is only slightly
damaged.
A message was sent TO the Confederate
Congress on Friday by Pres't Davis in re-
lalon To the coniiagiation at Charleston.
recommending al appropriation in aid of
the sufferers. A resolution was accord /
ingly unanimously adopted by Congress
appropriating 500, 600 as an advance ON
account of the claims of S. c. upon the
Confederate States
A despatch from Richmond dated the |
18th inst says that Federals, 800 strong, |
attacked Col Edward johnson ut Valley |
Mountain on the 18th inst, but we're re-
pulsed with great loss after an engage
ment of several hours.
Latest particulars in regard to the fire |
at Charleston stats that five churches
were destroyed-the Roman Catholic Ca |
thedral. St. Peters (Episcopal) Church,
the Cumberland Street Church, and the
Circular Church The Charleston Mer-
curry says fity-seven buildings we're de-
stroyed by the FIRE.
Ben. McCulloch had arrived at Rich
mond.
A passenger from Fortress Monroe res
ports the arrival of the steamer Connect
cut at Old Point with the intelligence that
Fort Pulaski has been evacuated by the
rebels and is occupied by the Federal
tr00nG