Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1864-05-05
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
rERRIBIE FIRE !-GREAT DESTRUCTION OF
PROPERTY!


rEERIRTE FIRE!-GREAT DESTRUCTION OF
PROPERTY!
Yesterday morning at 20 minutes to l o'clock,
fire srcke cut in warehouse shed, on the western
side of the Cape Fear River, 200 feet sou'n Oh
the Ferry, which is opposite to the Market LOCK.
From this point it spread with amazing rapi0i'y'
and is an nconcevaby short space OF me every Du"u
ing on the Western side of the river south OF the oepot
of the Wilmington Manchester Ralroa0 was enVea-
oped in flames.
WHEN We arrived at the dock, the whole Western
bank of the river for several squares was one line
of fame, and it feared that the Railroad depot
with the workshops of the Company, would also be
destroyed
The destruction of property is is very great. We
sum it as nearly as We as follows -
The Confederate Gooernment lost 800 bales cotton
burnt of which about 200 Sea Island-say $780,
600 1t lost also materials and work in progress at
BEERYs Ship Yard about 100000
I. Andrea lost $500 bales of cotton-30O of it Sea
Island-say So 100000.
The Nashville : Chattanooga r. r. Co. lost 1877
bales j. w. Thomas 81 bales-say 100000.
In Capt. HaHehS Sheds there were $50 bales of cot
ton ii Of Sea Island belonging to- the State of Vr-
ginia, and sundry other parties Also rope and bag.
giDg to tie amount Of 800 0OO-All burned. Total
loss about 100000.
RGnEin j Martin and B. HaUet's Rosin Oil Works,
about $4,000. Insurance to the amount of 81, O0O-
B. Uallet's loss in shed about $50 900. insurance
$4,000.
The Southern Express Company lost two cars with
MERCHANDISE, also some merchandise in a snail ware
house. Loss about 100000.
JOHN Il. Taylor shed, etc, at Ferry, $4,000. \
The damage to the machinery and tools at B. ". i
". L. Berry's ship-yard is comparatively light Most
of the Wo;kmen's tools saved. They expect to be
able to resume work in about three weeks The sheds
and saw mill machinery in of ship yard is the
principal loss Estimated total $4,000.
The WliDsngton & Manchester Railroad Company
lost tie small wooden building in which the President,
Treasurer and Superintendent had their Offices. All
The contents were saved. The building was Of little
value. The Chief loss CT railroad property was Is
freight cars of them belonging to the Georgia Cen
trail Road, to the Wilmington & Manchester Road,
and to the Southern Express Company. Total loss
in cars $4,000.
Thus far we lave d summing up Of about four mil
lion eight hun rcd thousand dollars, but this does lot
include the Injury 10 quarter of mile of wharfng,
mainly ruined, the loss Of the sheds and buildings
belonging to the Confederate government and to other
parties the injury to the cotton press. These and
other things not necessary to mention hardly be es
timated at the present time it may be impos
sibe to replace them and difficult to do without them
We happy, indeed to learn that the cotton press
itself is expected TO be in operation again in short
time. 1t is probable that when the whole loss is known,
and the wharVes buildings etc. have been included the
whole loss will tail little if enything short of six mil
lions of dollars
The usual doubts expressed as to whether thss
tremendous FIRE accidental the result of ncen-
diarism 1t may have been either. We have not been
able discover anything that will warrant in say
ing that it was the the other if we except the
astonishing rapidly of it's spread, which does look
though it were too rapid to be merely accidental and
gives rise to suspicious of foul play although indeed
the combustibiIity Of all the materials the fire had to
work upon could hardly be increased.
We doubt whether any human power could have ar
rested the progress ofthe fire when it had once gotten
under way, still could not but remark upon the
TACT that if the fire had been within the reach of
control by the exertions of the fire department. there
was fire department to be found by which such ex-
erors could be made. This struck the more forci-
bly, because Of having noticed the activity and zeal
Of the remen several occasions during the present
year-we had that they practising with their
engines, and we Know that the town author
tiles had been making exertions to increase
the efficiency of tie department and to have
its apparatus Put iato the best order. We believe
they had succeeded in accomplishing both these OBJ
jects. We enquire why the present state of things
exists, and are told that the white companies are on
duty Home Guard, ard that the colored companies
mastering $50 in OIL mainly free negroes, have
had their members either impressed scared off by
the fear OF impressment. Whether incendiaries are
abroad or not, We shudder at the thought of a fire
breaking in the closely built Fart of the town.
filed every place TO be with coton-cotton is
our next door neighbor-cotton is everywhere.
We make these remarks III no captious fault finding
spirit, for that is thing despise but we desire to
call the at 1rtion of the authorities who have control
of these matters to the condition of things as we have
the est authority for believing that they actually ex
is hoping that will be devised calculated
to provide for the safety of property, public and pri
vae, and relieve tie apprehension naturally felt by the
community.
Capture ii Desperate Nrsro--A Dang Gang
this County.
On Tuesday last three citizens of Long Greek Dis
trict in tbs county, viz :-Messrs L. d. CHERRY, P.
MONTAGUE and WIN. II. REGISTER, started out with
the determination to capture runaway negro of des-
perate character, known Williams JIM" who had
Esq, deceased. Jim had been lurking 10 that neigh
borhood for several months past killing stock, breaking
open smokc-houses, stealing robbipg and committing
all manner OF depredatorsy He is a tall and very
powerful negro and had r Uueny expressed his deter