Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-05-15
The Great Fire in Troy.

fiagrations on record, ana nearly oho-nah
of that flourishing place is now but heap
of smouldering ruins. The Telegraph
Office being burned, no news was receiv-
from there after half past 2 o'clock, P. NJ,
at which time the fire was making sad
havoc, until late on Saturday evening,
when we were placed in possession OF
copy of the Times, published at halt past
4 o'clock. We copy the full account in
that paper - ..
The city has been scourged by another
terrible confagration-one Of the worst
which have visited us in years, and at
this writing is still raging in dozen or
more different places, and there is dan
ger that the portion of the city below the
Bridge will be destroyed. The scene
beggars description. The wind is blow
ing hurricane from the northeast, and
clouds of fire and dust and thousands OF
burning cinders are floating in every d.
rection. The fire department appears to
be powerless against the rapid progress Of
the flames, so swiftly are they borne be-
fore the terrible blasts of the wind.
The fire originated in the wooden Rail-
road bridge crossing the Hudson to Green
Island, in the roof near the West end of
the first bridge, which rests on Starbucks
Island. We have not learned the partic-
ulars, so great is the excitement. But it
is said the fire took from the sparks of a
locomotive, and at the time of its discov-
cry, at precisely II o'clock, it was under
such Roadway as to be uncomfortable.
The alarm was given, and the depart
ment turned out promptly We hurried
to the scene, and found the bridge on fire
almost throughout its entire Eastern
length, and the flames sweeping on with
terrible rapidity. The steamer laid hose
at the end of the bridge, but had scarcely
got to work before the flames drove them
back. An attempt was made to pull the
draw open, in the hope that this would
bar the progress of the fire, but the at
tempt was unsuccesslul-the fire licking
up the dry wooden timbers one after an
other, and the sight was awfully grand
The sheets of flame shot up from 30 to 60
feet into the air, and the clouds of dust
and smoke made it impossible almost for
humanity to endure the combined action
of heat, smoke and dust.
At about / o'cloke the entire eastern
portion of the Bridge was destroyed, and
one by one the sections of the structure
fell down into the river, and floated down
on the current, sheets of living fame en-
dangering the boats along the docks and
the lumber yards below.
When the fire reached the east end OF
the bridge, thousands of burning cinders
were sent over the town in the direction of
the wind, and set on fire dozen or more
buildings a. once. The Manufacturers
pank Was on nrc-E. Woods grocers
Huntington's grocery-R. Green's cabi-
net shop--the 9th street Presbyterian
church-numerous houses on Federss. St,
and some as high up as Eighth-all we're
blazing from the roof tops, and no efforts
-oula put out the flames. Where the fire
,n;u on God only knows.
mir nast o'clock-The burning
fakes have fred dozen points in the
upper part of the city, and ;.l as many man: de-
s::ruottiive fires are raw '' w
we have never seen equalled. Among
the first buildings to catch fire were the
Sixth street Presbyterian Church and the
Troy Orphan Asylum. The iremen are
fighting the flames on Fourth street,
while far beyond them other confagra-
tons are in progress. Eighth street IS
nearly mass of fame. The va liable
stores on River street, from Federal
downwards, are also burning. The kero-
sene oil at Wilson's drug store makes an
intense heat. The Mayor has been urged
| to blow up buildings, bat it is doubtful
whether that remedy would be of avail
The fremen intend to make last grand
stand at Fulton street.
2 o'clock.-We understand the Mayer
has ordered the buildings on River street,
above Fulton, in the course of the fire to
be blown up, SO as to prevent the pro-
gress of the flames.
| The wind is still raging terribly, ane
the fire is sweeping onward. All o
River street below the Bridge, and as fal
down as the Museum corner, is now OF
fire, and the heat is intense. Ever mo
ment walls are falling in, and the only
salvation for the street below will prob
ably be the blowing up of the stores, a
ordered by the Mayor. Third, Fourth
Fifth, Sixth and Seventh streets are ais
on fire, and as we left, the North end @
the Union depot was burning. There
general sweep of residences on thest
streets, almost as far down as Fulton
he fire running in a diagonal dire ctio
with the wind, which was from the Mort
+ West. There is report that the Tn
versity is on fire, but so dense is tn
smoke that we cannot tell as yet. Ever
moment thousands of dollars worth {
property is being swept up by the devoul
ing flames.