Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1861-12-19
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA.
WILMINGTON, N. c., SATURDAY. DECEMBER a. 1856
TIE Great Fire,

The Charleston papers of yesterday contain sundry
details of the great FIRE Of the 18th and 12th Of
which we copy from the Mercury. Both the Mercury
and Courier estimate tie loss at from FIVE to seven mil
lions of dollars The loss must be- at the very lowest
calculation, immense. Mr.. Russell, in whose Sash and
Blind Factory the fire first discovered, thinks it
must have been the work of an incendiary, the
result OF careessness the part of number of coun-
try negroes who had been qQarered under old shed
adjoining the establishment, in allowing their campfire
to get ahead of them. With number Of country ne
groes with a campfire in Old shed adjoining sash
and blind factory, with fierce wind blowing, we see no
necessity for imagining ncendarism in order to account
for the outbreak Of fire..
The slaves worked zeaIously and faithfully to assist
the fremen The only person known to be hurt is Cap
tain j. f. Bowers, slightly injured By explosion 10
addition to the public buildings mentioned yesterday
by US we notice three other churches to wit, Cumber-
land Street Methodist, St. Peters Episcopal and the
Friends Meet0g House, all neat and convenient but
not costly structures. Al9o the Savings Bank, the
Southern Express Office and the Apprentices Library
The Savings Bank lost convenient Office, but no other
property The Office Of the Southern Express was a
large aud handsome building erected years since
gentleman named Werner; the loss Of the Apprentices
Library is mainly in the Library, we believe
All the sacred vessels in the Catholic Cathedral were
saved. The Bishops residence attached to the Cathe
dral contained very rare aud valuable library, por
tion Of which was saved.
The Courier gives o list o. from two to three hundred
sufferers by the fire. This includes simply the number
of owners Of property and does not indicate either the
number of houses burned or Of families left homeless.
On the 18th, the Mayor issued his proclamation an
nouncing the appointment of Committee to solicit sub
gcripons and dispense aid, far as possible to those
who misortuncs have deprived them Of necesarie This
general committee consists of Judge McGrath, Bishop
Lynch and others, with subcommittee TO get unoccu
pied buildings to get clothing, to receive donations III
food, money and otherwise.
Every effort appears to be making TO relieve the wants
OF the sufferers.
We requested to bring to the attention OF the au
thorties, and all whom it may concern, that Captain
Richardson's company Of Bladen Artillery, now at OF
near Confederate Point, have been in service sometime
but have yet received neither pay bounty nor cloth
ing The winter is upon them and they are unproVldee
to meet its seventies They are without funds to sup
ply themselves for have stated they have not a.
yet received anything They have not yet been provd
ed for by the government Of the Contederacy of thu
State neither by the authorities Of their own county
For these reasons we invite the attention Of all whom
it may concern so that some prompt action may be ia
ken.