, 1863-12-14

Over Thirty Vessels and
Barges Destroyed.
Five Piers a Mass Of Ruins--One
Man Buraed TO Death--Ths
Crowd. Scenes, Incidents,
&C., DC,
From the New York World, Dec 10.1

known in this city occurred yesterday inter-
noon, on thtScanal boat Cora Campbell. w.
ing in the bulkhead between piers So and 50
North river.
Tho FIRE broke ont about two o'clock in
the afternoon, at time when the wind was
blowing dcrcely, and spread with great ra-
pidity among the other canal boats and ba1gcs
lying in the vicinity, md from thence I'd sew
eral echooncrs and bTgs, lying at the adjoin-
ing piers. The Cora Campbell had a deck
load Of hay, which Was ignited by sparks
falling from the smokestack Of tho boat At
the dock would have prevented the disas-
trous confagration which Immediately en-
sued. So rapid was the progress of the
hamcs, however. that this could not be ac-
complishcd- The fire ran over the tops Of
the bales, driven on by the wind, and cnyel-
smoke. The barscs immed3atc1y adjoining
took fire, most Of them having deck loads Of
hay, which burned Ike chat, the hoops ser
cring first and the bundles then bursting
open with q miniature explosion and sending
tufts Of the burning material high in the aif:
- The larger vessels then took fire, tho 1ames
lcaplng mp the shropds, sevcring the halyards
and unloosfng the sails, which burned up
freely, being It the same time blown into
ribbons by the gale.
from the Third district was sounded ut 9
o'clock, and was responded to promptly; but
1t was soon found that the force was made
quate to the work, and second alnrm was
sounded from the Fourth. The fremen went
to work with will against their enemy; but
such was the combushhle nature Of the: ma
tcrial, it Was almost impossible to impede the
progress Of the fire. The flames tTarersed
directly across the piers, sweeping every
thing before them and gathering Strength In
their course. The fremen were driven back
1,x In re H.
greatly heightened by the wind, which: was
blowing at the time from the north-north-
west. A number OF the downtown steamers
were then sent for, and rendered most ynlua-
bic aid in checking the further progress OF
the confagration.
was at the full cbb at tho time the fire oricl-
mated, which added to tho CONSERVATION OF
those having property in the vicinity. The
xesscls were very many Of them, settled in
moved. Several tug-boats and Police Boat
No. were On hand, and endeavored to tow
some of tho vessels out from the adjoining
piers, but owing to the cause above stated
could rot succeed. The police boatsayed on
ly enc vessel. Sometimes the hawscrs would
bum of and part before thuy could be fairly
pended In endcaEoring to remove the vessels
would prove fruftless, and the task was aban-
doncd. There were some seyenty-fye ycs-
sell, canal boats and bargcs lying In the imme-
diatc vicinity, md it was at one time thought
they must al be destroyed.
THE BOUNDS OF TIE FIRE
thanks to the energy and perseverance Of the
tween Hammond and Christopher streets, In
Guiding Perry and Charles streets. Three
hours Of unccasing lnbor had the effect to
produce this desirable result, and the body
Of the fire WAS confined to the piers lying 1t
the foot of Charles and Perry streets. Up TO
II o'clock IN the @ evening, however, II wss ,s
confident that It could not get beyond their
control AT one time during the afternoon 1t
appeared that the houses and stores on the
cast side Of West street would fnll a prey to
the deyouring element As many as twenty
buildings ena occupied I'm, mostly as ,I; s,tI;o5es,
took fire at different times, bat
were rescued BY the energies Of the firemen.
!. Almost n1l these buildings have hole In the
roof, and are drenche1 With water from top
to bottom. The merchants occupying the
premises did not leave their stores during
the whole evening, and stated that they
should remain there during the night:
The Hoboken ferrJ house had u very mar
row escape from the flames, md would hare
taken fire and been consumed Ind not the
wind fortunately yecred round and turned
the lire In anolher direction.
The sparks and burning cindcrs were whirl-
cd up into the air md carried long distances
by the wind, burning all the more 1ercely in
their passage, and '}gnitiDg any combustib1e
material upon which they alighted. Astream
Of these in1anmable projectilcs were rolled
along BY the gale to the oflice Of the Hudson
River Railroad Company, foot Of Christopher
street, and some Of them forced under the
door, From these the interior Of the office
ignited, hut the flames were quickly subdued
before they could do much damage to the
place.
Other buildings In the vicinity wonld occa.
sion1y take fire, md thus divide the attentions
any serious damage. A few families were
rendered housc1ess, the most of them find
ing refuge with their more fortunate neigh
bors.
Loesxs AND INSURANCE..
No true estimate of the losses could be as-
ctrtnfned Inst evening, and only one OF two
Of the inEurances. So far as they could he
estimated at seS5o,000. They IRE more likely
to rise above 1an 60 below this amount A
large portion Of the property is said to be
uninsured, and the loss, will therefore, fall
heavily upon the owners. Upwards Of thirty
vessels, canal boats and baTgcs, with their
other grain, -four, wood and articles Of like
character: Hay formed the bulk Of the deck
loads Of the various vessels. Some Of the
schooncrs were laden With supplies for the
government, md all Of them had full cargoes.
q - atai "a a. Iathso 81 aa 10 SoI.a '.i!t
t,s.s 80 s-... ..leu, u.'oNi 'GusI "lta
suen t o"1s ~ o14 n1e io9e ano aa Ine e1taneo ~
1'.s;54 So ~ 4, ~ tus I.s Iaeat Goa'9 y
WAS impossible to obtain anything very accu.
srte. 4 full list Of the losses aud insurances
will be made up today.
TEE DAMAGE 70 p1EHs
IL ext;mo+c1 Mt sao nm tho f,r~ rnat,ny .
aomr,1ata 1sract ~ thns. 1.ino ~ - tha @an5 ~
Christonhcr Charles hmos a5,d Perry streets
i large amount Of hay was living along tie
piers ut the time, taking fire, and causing a
dense heat and smoke fhat impeded tka Ia
bors Of the fremen, and allowed the flames to
last night we're mass Of rubbish, still burn
ing and still keeping the drcmen busy.
rur CROWD
~ ., .m.
, - tMal9ngn ~ tao ao9a 9 !, ~, eoasanIous s.zatia
cIo~a o. 1nS = caos s,,,,a " ~ Luz sn.rG VI
o.saea5 o,a ~ a,s3nnS IL. iaerer gnet. -
Gs.3stn,,inr Ghar,ss md Parrr str+afs M woen ~
5sa., JPnns P1SMd - - LII, ~ ~ auH
tI Tahsrers M fheif w. nMe ~ " ~ r,arnants
i.t4ad3..' - IL n-' nG1 ,pssss uu et LII
1;Is .1 idecs sanmht ~. scans ~ tse ~ ond
asssstod sH aidm3rsh1x n ;ncrsase ne .rnersi eu
confusion. After snndoTn. and when the
fiames became Visible at = long distaaco.
parties came fran repota districts Of the
ment in the attendance On the whole the
crowd was GOOD natured and orderly one
Or i've were nnrnlv ana had to he taken in
but there Wore no serious disturbances. and
as far as heard from, no pockets picked OF
watches stolen. The women and children