Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1866-07-18
From the New York Tribune, July II
THE PORTLAND CONFEDERATION.
Interesting Details and InOidents--RepOrts
from Eye Witnesses.

Forest City of New England have tolC
the story of the awful calamity which
has overtaken that pleasant town
Further dispatches of yesterday give
additional particulars, which we condenst
and present. Two hundred acres of ter
ritory, compactly built with dwellings
and business houses, have been swept by
the tornado of fame, and 10000 or IL
600 men, women and children were turn
ed into the places that had once been
streets. The heaviest loser was Brown,
the sugar refner, whose loss is estimated
at 100000, which includes not only
the immense works, but houses in various
parts of the city. Fortunately his fine
residence was outside the burnt district.
The destruction Of the new City Hall,
the pride of the city and State, is gener-
ally lamented. It was not believed that
this would 60. and many articles we're
taken there for safety, and we're, of course,
all lost. 1t caught in the dome, and
this, falling through the roof, set the in
terror on fire, and it was quickly burned
to the ground. A few Of the city records
we're saved and great many destroyed.
The building cost originally about $780,
600, but it cannot now be replaced FOR
twice that sum. The Methodist Chuach,
on Chestnut street, near the City Hall,
the most valuable in the city, was saved
by the precautionary measures of iron
shutters to the windows, which it is said
many of the Society opposed when the
church was erected. 1t is worth about
| S70,0Q0. By the destruction of the
Natural History Building that corpora
tion will lose $4,000, exclusive of the
valuable collections which it contained.
/ The Custom House and Postof1ice, both
in the same building, were badly dam
aged in the interior Of the eight
churches destroyed, that of the Roman
Catholic Immaculate Conception Society
on Congress street, together with the
parsonage, was the most valuable, and
the loss will not fall short of 100000
Seven hotels were destroyed, including
among others the partially finished
structure known as the Marble Hotel
owned by the Hon John NJ Wood, once
a member of Congress from Maine. The
hotels destroyed are the International
Freeman, Commercial, American Sailors
Home, KingsJury's and the Marble.
The two principal hotels in the city,
the Preble and the United States, es-
capped, although the latter was several
times on FIRE. The banks of the city,
seven in number. were all DESTROYED IL
The opening of the vaults shows that
the papers and money of the National
Traders and the First and Second Ma
tional Banks, escaped unharmed.
The City Gas Works were destroyed, |
so that the city now is in darkness when /
night comes down upon the widespread |
desolation. The burning of nearly all /
the supply stores renders it impossible |
also to obtain lamps and oil to supply the
place of the gas.
A letter from Portland says that the
greatest apprehension among the bust
ness men is that their misfortune will
carry down many of the insurance com
panies, particularly the local ones who
have the largest risks. If the insurance
losses are promptly met, very many will
resume business again. The people are
not disposed to be discouraged if It is a
possibility to again establish in business.
Mr.. Brown will probably commence the
work of rebuilding at once, and the pro-
1rietors Of the Portland Press have al
,eady ordered new types and presses, and
advertised for an Office or proposals to {
)uild one.
The scenes in the city during the pro- t
,ress Of the fire were such as eye-wit- 7
lesses will not care to have repeated in t
heir experience. XII the vehicles OBJ a
ainable were impressed into the work of !
transferring furniture and effects from L
buildings burning or threatened, but, in
many cases, they had no sooner been de-
'osited in what was thought to be a place t
fsafety, than they were gain endangered f
nd perhaps quickly destroyed by the S
ursing flames. The Portland Press i
after the destruction of his n
flee, issued a small extra from the Office e
f printer who had not been as unfor- 0
unate as were all of his fellow craftsmen Fl
tho published papers from which we ex- "
ract the following, which shows the a
pirit with which the terrific calamity b
as met by the sufferers Il
eff a sermon upon the instability of cD
uman affairs were the one thing desir- Il
bic now, it would be easy to dwell in "
athletic periods upon the sudden disso- Il
ltion Of the solid piles of brick and stone,
hich two days ago we're homes, shops
nd haunts Of men, but have now vanished
Ike dream. The postofice is solitary
l the midst of a forest of unhoused
himneys, and labyrinth of heated and 0
rumbling walls; its granite is bLstered W
nd shivered by the intense flame which bt
Tept over it night before last. The ez
ome of the city hall and the spires of
ur churches, have passed away like u
venIng clouds. Where was once Ex-
lange street is now only heap of ruins. CT
third of the territorial surface Of the
ty lies desolate a large part of the d.
,cumulated wealth, the savings of this vi
nd former industrious generations, has ht
cen destroyed. Half of our population
as been turned into the street without til
arning-there is the fact, black and ter th
bic, without palliation or disguise but la
brick and stone are perishable, and Of
ay blow away as lightly as gossamer, P
ere is yet something solid and endur- tr
q in the world-the patience and en- ba
rprise which built up our beautiful ez