The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1865-06-23
Great Fires at Nashville and
!. .a' .s'l +. Chattanooga. %
Immense Destructicn of Gov
sta ernment Property.
Fatal Explosion at Chattanooga. /.
LOSS OVER sa,ooo,o 900.
From the Nashville Dispatch 10Th

Loss OVER So, 900, 900.
From the Nashville Dispatch, 9th.
One of the most destructive confiaprations
that mas visited Nashville for many years. oc.
Cured yesterday at o'clock p. NJ. The sontb
half OF two immense Government buildings
known as Taylors Depot, on Summer street
below Broad, was totally destroyed, with all its
contents, amounting to about 81 900 600 worth
of Quartermaster's stores. It is not Known
now the fire originated, although several sto.
ries are afioat, but all of them, evidently. with.
out foundation. The most probable. however
was that the roof ignited from sparks elected
Dy the locomotive attached to a train of cars
which had passed few moments previous to
tne nre, the buildings being quite near the rail
From Captain w. A. Wainwright, who is in
charge OF the Quartermaster's stores in this De.
partment, and had his Office adjacent to the
buildings, we learn the following particulars
regarding the disaster:
At the moment the alarm was given the
building was enveloped in smoke which was
coming out of all the windows. The fire hose
was Immediately directed on the building, but
the elements were already under full headway,
and the water caused the flames to burst out
with terrific rapidity, barely allowing the men
In the building to escape. 1t was reported that
two government employees failed to get out,
buu "CAC UuAuCO W uCdlu DUL llOIQ all the
circumstances attending the early stage of the
fire, we have every reason to believe that no
lives were lost. There were two men in the
building while it was wrapt in flames, but they
were both seen when they got out, one of them
jumping through window and badly injuring
his leg. The following list comprises the bulk
OF the property destroyed:
In the cellar there were 500, 900 pounds of
wagon grease, 100 barrels of tar, 10, 900 pounds
of oakum and 200 bales of oakum, SO pounds
of pitch, 1000 pounds of pitch, about 1000
pounds of tanners grease, 1000 wheelbarrows.
1000 water buckets, 500 sets of blacksmiths'
tools, 300 anvils, 200 bellows, 200 portable
fOrges, 300 vises, an immense amount of runn-
ing gear for wagons, and 600 heating stoves.
On the first floor there was 1900 pounds of
harness leather. 60 600 kegs of horseshoe and
cut nails, 5000 boxes of sheet tin, 65, 900
pounds of iron washers, 20 600 pounds of rope,
1900 pounds of paint 10000 feet of lead pipes,
8, 900 gallons of meats -foct oil, 5000 pounds of
bride leather IL 0C0 feet of betting, 200 circular
saws, 1000 picks and handles, 5000 lanterns
12O00 files, 1900 hay-forks, 1900 axes and
handles 10, 900 augars. about 800 chests of valu-
able horse medicines 1000 wagon covers, 5, 600
sets of harness, 5000 horse brushes, 5000
jockey sticks, II 600 neck straps, 5000 halter
chains. 8 600 bride bits, 1900 wagon spokes
and an immense quantity of boxes containing
glass.
Capt. Wainwright estimates the property at
about S4,0O0OOO, of which about $1,000, 600
will be recovered from the iron, which is not
materially damaged.
EXPLOSION AND FIRE AT CHATTANOOGA.
From the Chattanooga Gazette, 10th
About halfpast one o'clock, Friday after
noon, a locomotive attached to long train of
empty cars, attempted to start off from where
it was standing, on the lower track at the river
landing. The engine was within very few
feet of an old, tumble down brick building, en-
tirely open at one end and on one side, which
has been in use tor over q year as sort of
powder magazine. Lately il has been used for
| the storage of captured ammunition, several
tons of which were in it. There was consider
able powder open in boxes and even the floor
had streaks of the infilmmable article scat
tered over it. The train being heavy, the en-
CINE gave two or three short, quick puffs, the
air was filled with sparks from the sm Oke
stack, and In the same instant, the powder in
the magazine exploded. From the Statements
of some of the guards, the powder on the floor
seemed to ignite first, but the explosion was
almost instantaneous. The next moment the
| bursting of shells and the whiz of the flashing
| powder attracted the attention of every one in
the neighborhood, but the whole building was
on fire in less time than it has taken us to tell
| it. East and south of, and separated from the
| magazine by a cross street, were three long
warehouses 1.-TWO reaching down Market street
and the third one running westward towards
the new magazine. Two of the warehouses
| were packed with hay in bales, of which there
| were about 3, 900 bales in one and 4 900 in the
| other. The other was about half filed with
commissary stores. The explosion and rush
| of bursting shells were so rapid that MANY
were deferred from going in the immediate
vicinity of the fire, but few men rushed into
the warehouses to see what could be done to
| save them. Five minutes, however did not
| plaYSp after the first pyn1nSiop fbo
houses containing the hay were entirely in
| flames, driving out the firemen who had got q
stream into them. About seven o'clock in
| the evening smaller explosion occurred, At
the time it took place large crowd of soldiers
were walking about among the ruins of the
magazine and several of them were seriously
injured, one of whom will probably die. His
| name we did not learn. piece of shell struck
him on the forehead. Another had his right
arm carried away by another piece, and a third
man, Elisha Joiner, Co. Fl, 18th Ohio, was
struck in the shoulder by piece of the iying
shell, iDf1cting an ugly wound, besides being
| hit on the ankle One man was struck on the
head, another in the back, both wounds, how
ever being slight. In addition to these. quite
| number, perhaps twenty, were injured dur
ing the afternoon by bursting shell. A few
men, some six or eight. are reported missing.
and at the time of writing it is not known
| whether they are dead or not.
4 ~
the two warehouses destroyed, was in charge
of Capt. Clark, A. @. NJ.
! In the commissary warehouse, in charge of
Capt. Toll, Post and Depot, ,Commissary, there
were 407 brls. of pcrk, all of which was saved:
623 brls. of flour, 80, 600 lbs. of hard bread !:
5000 bushels of beans. II 900 lbs rice; 90 500
lbs. coffee; $4,000 lbs. sugar; $4,000 lbs. of
mixed vegetables; 5000 bushels salt Can't
Toll estimates that about one-third of these
articles are lost to- the government. The
whole loss, according to rough estimate. will
probably amount to $3.50 COO.
Two small buildings between the wore.
houses and the landing were totally DESTROYED.
and poor horse that was tied up in a Shed
near one of them, w.s burned up with them
The magazine which exploded was under
the charge of Capt Hogan. ordnance officer.
and we learn he has been ordered under arrest
until an examination can be had into the cause
of the explosion and consequent loss of life and
property.
INDIAN FIGHT In NEBRASKA.