The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1862-03-08
FIRE.DOOMED CITIES.

In connection with the burning of Charles
ton, an article on "Fire- Doomed Cities"
from The Leisure Hour, is just now partic-
ularly timely. 1t appears that of all cities,
ancient and modern, Moscow has suffered
the most fearfully from fire. In 1886, it
was nearly consumed, and two thousand
persons persisted. But this calamity was
trifing to the dismal catastrophe of 1871,
when beleaguered by the Tartars.
They fred the suburbs, aud furious
wind carried the flames into the very heart
of the city, which the inhabitants could not
quit excep to die by the sword. A Dutch
merchant who was present at the scene, and
whose account is preserved in the Harlaem
MSS, speaks Of the event as like a storm
of fire, owing not only to the wind, but to
the streets being "paved with great fir
trees set close together, oily and resinous,"
while the houses were of the same material
Thousands of the country people had taken
refuge in the city from the public enemy.
The poor creatures ran into the market
place, and were ''all roasted there, in such
sort that the talest man seemed but a
child, so much had the fire contracted their
lmbs-a thing more hdeous and frightful
than any can imagine" "The persons"
uG duuSs lL1dG WcIS OuIuI IA buAo HIC "SlC
above two hundred thousand"
A still more stupendous confagration
was the burning of Moscow in 1912, owing
to its increased extent. If attended with
fewer horrors, they we're sufficiently rife
for all who could not fly-the sick, in6rm
and wounded inevitably persisted. Upon
the approach of the French invaders, and
the loss of the great battle of Borodino, it
was determined to abandon the old capital
of the Cars; and on Sunday, September
18th, its three hundred thousand inhabit-
ants were suddenly reused from sense OF
security by peremptory order to quit
| their houses, while the Russian army of
defense filed through the midst Of them in
full retreat. On the morrow the officers OF
the government and the police withdrew;
the prisons were thrown open; and none
were left but the incapable and those who re-
manned to execute the secret orders of the
authorities. In the evening the enemy en-
tered. Not Muscovite was to be seen. The
city was deserted.
Scarcely were the French established in
their new quarters when smoke and flames
were observed issuing from houses closely
shut up in different districts. By Tuesday
evening, the 18th, the fires had assumed a
menacing aspect, distracting by their num-
Der the efforts made to quench them, while
high wind rapidly connected them with
each other, and wrapped Moscow in a sheet
of flame. Midnight was rendered as bright
as day, for Dumas could read the dispatches
forwarded to him by tie light of the burning
metropolis.
Thirty thousand houses, seven thousand
principal edi6ces, and fourteen thousand in
ferior structures were reduced to ashes.
The private loss is supposed to have ex-
ceeded thirty millions sterling. palaces
and temples" writes Karamain. the Rus
sian historian, monuments of art and
miracles of luxury; the remains of past ages,
and those which had been the creation of
yesterday; the tombs of ancestors, and the
nursery cradles of the present generation,
were indiscriminately destroyed"
New York has many fearful confagra-
ton inscribed on its annals. The greatest
was that Of 1885, which many of our citi-
zens yet wildly remember. 1t broke out
on bitter December night, and ragged three
days before it could be stayed, completely
laying waste the business part of the city,
consuming six hundred and forty EIGHT
houses and stores, with S18. OO0, 600 worth
of property: nor was it stopped until build
ings we're, by order of the mayor, blown
| up with gunpoWder. In 1845 occurred an
other great FIRE. which, though happily in
ferior to that of 1885. yet did immense
damage, laying waste the entire district be-
tween the eastern side of Broad street and
Broadway.
London. as the largest city in the world.