Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1865-03-16
rebels and consequent distres lie
rrsrnrcrIos or oorros Arp rupLIc sroar,.

r =
says: 2 uoita5 . Il -
DESTRUCTION OF COTTON AxD PuBIIc STORES.
Before leaving. details Of soldiery were sent
Ito fire every building without exception N
which cotton was stof d. 1t 10 estimated tina,
$4,000 bales were. consumed The western
lportion of Carlrston suffered severely by these
fires. TheUcotton thus destroyed belonged
lchIefy to the Rebel Government: bat hpn.
idreds Of bales, the property Of citizens shared
1.-The same fate. Thirty thousand bushels OF
rice Government property and large ware,
house filed with csfnrnissary stores j, were
also destroyed, The FIRE engines were brought
out, but were poverless TO extinguish. the
fatnes The succeeded only in preventing it
from spreading. s..-siT 4aF
7 HORRIBLE CALAMITY. J 2 &c t.s
When the starving poor people heard that
/ the public stores we're keing burned. they ran
in greu erUWds TO try to save some Of the rice.
This was about o'clock in the morning.
Some boys discovered where large supply Of
gfnpowder was stored, apd amused them
selves with tossing handfuls of it into the
large piles OF burning cptton. Suddenly the
fire communicated to the magazine. and a fear
full explosIon took place. The scene is des-
eribed as being extremely horrible. it is es-
/ timated by the citizens that upward OF l50
men. women and children perished in the
flames. and that nearly 300 were injure'f,
Lnrned and wounded. Possibly this may be
IN exaggerated estimate, but there are no pub
lie officers Yet tom whom the truth can be
sscertained, and rumo+ is wholly untrust-
worthy. his frightfnl calamity occurred at
the North. Eastern Railroad depot, which was
totally Destroyed The miserable victims
wee seen tu'Hbling about in agony, literally
roasting alive; their wild shr:eks were ap
pailingi and all help was impossible
DEsrAucT.oS-oF fRr+krr rnofEE4r.
The haines rapidly Communicated to the
aiiacrnt buildings and four large blocks were
almost entirely burned down. This IRE raw
aged chapel, Calhoun. Esst Bay AMI Laurens
streets, IN the vicinity OF the n. q Railroad
depot. wo large brick buildings on the
corner of East Bay and Laurens streets and
Minonty street, were also destroyed An
houi later five buildings near the Court house,
on Meeting street. were added to the list of
total losse, by the fire. The new bridge from
the city to James Island was similarly de
stroyed.
| DESTRUCTION or THE GUSBoATs.
While these scenes of horror were going on,
the rebel iron -elads were burning. These
vessels were named the Palmetto Stat-, the
ChIeorz and the Charlestnn. The Palmetto
State exploded with fearful noise about 9
o'clock, and the Chicora followed SUIT shortly
afterward. the Charleston held out TIL II
o'clock, and then burst asunder. One Of
these iron -elads had 2D tuns of gunrowd,r on
board, and the effect of its ignition was ter
rife. Red hot iron plates were thrown as
far as the wharf, and room set them on fire.
But the wharves were saved from destruction
| by the Fire Department. The gas works
were in danger, but were successfully protect
ed. We still have gas, theref're, such as it
is-but as it is made wholly Of Southern pine,
it is far from beiI brilliant light The
Charleston Courier Of Monday (No. %, 0,0hl,
mentions a curious phenomenon eonaected
with or caused by these explosions. The
explosions" it says, "were terrific. Tremen-
dons clouds Of smoke went up forming beau
| tiful vreaths A full Paine ito tree, with its
leaves or stems, was noticed by many obser-
| vers As the last wreath ofsmoke disappear
| ed. the full form of the rattle snake in the
center was r. marked by many as it gradually
faded away =" ...- ,..fs.
I The Courier made no comments on this
significant phenomenon; but when its fugi-
ii We editors return IF they ever do come back
they will find that the Palmetto and Rattle
snake ''went up" last Saturday. never TO de-
cend They ended as the ConfejeeaHy will
end-ir smoke. ~
Of these hot beds of treason, the
printing Offices that SO largely con-
tributed to fire the Southern heart,
he gives the following incident
We found the Mercury Office deserted-a
negro family ALREADY quartertd in the room
which had been the ed itOriSl sanetuml In
the frunt room, there were four busts of emi.
| hent Americans-one OF thetn Calhoun. !
hase>1o respect whatever for mere intellect
| unless it is Employed for the benefit Of the
race; and when it is perverted snd made IN
engine for the oppression of the poor, have a
! cordial dvtestatIon OF it These human infer
nal machine, these torpedoes in trowsers,
should be treated just as their mechanical I'M
ages as trvated--iestroyed or put out OF
h; rms way. Now, Calhoun did more than
any one man to make slavery respeciable-he
usei all his great powers 10 crush tire negro
So hate him ] said to the negress who
showed us into the room: --.
THAT man was your great enemy-he did
all he could to keep you slaves-you ought
60 break his bust" GO So
She said nothing and as was occupied in
examining manuscripts did notenotiee that
she left the room After while, having I'm
, Tie Outb W
Calhoun would be good trophy for this
Tribune office, and made up my mind to
"<pollthe Egyptians" TO that extent.
The negro woman was there, and saw
that the bust had disappeared. ] asked her
where it was
She had gone done" and broke it,
I So perish all Queen Liberty's rnemiesl
7 he Courier Office was 10 possession Of the
L Provost Marshal. '-'.i s-
After reading the above truthful
expose Of the present condition of
this city, can any one fail to see the
Justice Of an over ruling Providence?
The awful lesson this wicked city has
been taught. should serveItolshow
every intelligent beng, that the sins
of o nation, like those of individuals
are sure to meet condigu punishment
! in this world. sem vi .fs -..-l =,
T EA Savannah correspondent
E tsays: Gen. Sherman has q very
Il 49, = ~