Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-06-21

Between two and three O'Clock yesterday
afternoon, the Townsend House, corner O.
! Market and Decatur streets, was discover.
ed to be on, fire in the northeast cornerneal
the roof. The fire had already gathered
considerable headway, so much so that il
bafiied all efforts to check or control It. I'm
mediately after the fire was discovered, the
work of cleaning the house of furniture
! goods, DC, was commenced and carried on
steadily while the fire was progressiugs an
til most of the contents of the house were
removed. The stables occupied by Louis
H0rb, livery keeper, werevery soon involv-
| ed in the fire, and afterwards it spread to
the left, along Market street, burning out
the dwellings of William Robertson, John
Huyler, William Frink, and the blacksmith
shop of Michael Gaguer. The fire finally
reached north, and destroyed four of the
six tenement houses belonging to the estate
of John Wecden, and the stables belonging
large foundry and machine shop, belonging
to Messrs. Barney 81 Pringle, on Fulton
street, was in imminent danger. The fur
niture and goods in the houses burned were
nearly all taken out before the fire reached
them, but, of course, greatly damaged.
AS nearly rs we can estimate, the total
loss by the fire will reach about $4,000
The principal sufferers are Pitt Cooke,
(Townsend House, $4,000, insured $4,000. r.
u. Colt, probably $l,500, insured $780,
VIM. Robertson, $1,000, no insurance. Jno.
Kugler $l,400, insured 5000.
In very short time some fifteen or six
teen families were rendered houseless, and
the goods and furniture scattered, damaged
and some of it lost or destroyed. Nothing
is known as to how the fire originated,
other than surmises. 1t was not known
that fire had been where 1t was discovered
for weeks.
FIRES IN PoRTsMoUTH.-Ports was
in commotion on last Wednesday, caused by
the frequent and unaccountable recurrence
Of fires throughout the city. The first
alarm, about A. NJ, was caused by fire
in small frame dwelling, on the south side
of Front street, above GaylOrd's Rolling
Mill. 1t caught from defective stovepipe,
but was soon extinguished, with little dam
age.
Between one and two o'clock p. NJ, an
other alarm was given, and the stable on
the premises of Mr.. Stephen Riggs, situat-
ed on the alley above Court, between Front
and Second streets, was discovered on fire.
1t was entirely Consumed, and but little
was left of the stable Of Mr.. Densmore, i'm
mediately north of it. The stables on the
east side of the alley were badly damaged.
The total loss was about $500.
Another and third alarm was given about
four o'clock, and the exhausted firemen
were again called to action. The stables in
the rear of the premises of Messrs. Prem
dergast and Douglas and Mrs. Oldfield, on
Sixth street, were found in flames. They
were entirely consumed, together with val
liable contents stored in the lumber rooms
in the loft. These rooms were filled with
various articles packed away, including
trunks, clothing, bed-clothing, provisions,
&c. In the destruction of these articles
was the heaviest loss. The origin of the
last two fires is unknown-probably incen-
diaries. They may have been caused by
wicked or careless boys. All the fire COM
panies of the city worked nobIy and earned
the thanks of our citizens. But for their
active exertions the contlagration would
have been far more serious and extended
Portsmouth Times. at