, 1866-12-31
TERRIBLE FIRE AT ELnlRA, MEM
YORK.

0nc-thtsd tho Runinc@s Section OF abe
Town Destroy Hotels and
Hualdl1l:s burnt Loss Half \
1illlion-Tne tnsurances, tho Scenes,
tnelucidcnr*, &C., &c.
tFrem :he New York Wcsld, Dec. esth.J
The city of ElmIra, in this State, was ter
ribiy desolated By IRE on Sunday morning,
the sd inst. At two o'clock on the morn
irg Of lha: day, flames were seen issuing
from tho cellar Of drug store On the east
side Of Lake street, between Carroll and
Walter streets. The alarm was ineffective.
Many minutes elaI eed before the citizens
realized the fact thut the alarm really
underneath which the f1rc started was en-
vcleped in flames. TIC building Was
Of wood. It burnt with fearful rapIdity.
Not for more thAn Aali an hour after Its coin
u1enct1nent did the engines reach the scene.
Soon after they got we'll TO work, so;uc
chemicals aud liquors stored In the drug
stop exploded with Tremendous violence,
blowing out the entire front Of that and au-
Joining buildings On either side and rolling
pillows Of flame out In the alr, the intense
heat of which compelled flre1ncn and cit!-
zeps to take new stations further of. The
force OF the explosion carried the dames
across the street, and set FIRE to Anthon's
Hotel and Turner Hail. Down both sides
OF LIKE street the contlacr2ttor swept,
carrying OF building after building In its
fiery path. Built almost solely Of wood,
they wcrc defenceless against tho flames,
misesably insufficient, the Water Company 5
Office being Itself consumed. and the key to
the main trunk Of the principal reservoir be-
ing lost In the ruins. The stoppagc Of the
flames WIS h1ally effected, not b. human
labor, but by the fact TINT reaching with
Concert Hall, d large vacant lot, they could
20 no further, and thcy we're checked from
Wsnt Of ammunition On which to seize. For
over Elk houss the dreadfRl scourge ragged
with unSorcrnahie fury.
House Kftcr house went down. The whole
city was in the streets, working with the
energy that only common calamlty can in
splre but tfeir labors were frivolous, owing
to the DETECTION Of ttr supply of water, ant
nothing they could do stopped the course O.
the conflacrAtion. Fortunately no lives wey,
lost dnrirC all the dreadful hours, and ;eon
siderable movabls property ~as saved, ,thougl
The buildings destroyed are: The oil
post Office building, includi:.s four offices
/ I've stores, enc uaa1 Let, AMI the dwelling 0
Rev. G. T. Kellogg, rector Of Grace Churcl,
This st. NtcAolas buildings, Including fou
offices and three stores; the BsicWiddi
building. including one large store anu Oh
cwellinE; tNo wooden buildings and . til
shop; the Cowen building, a large drug an.
medical establishment: the Pat;Eon build
ing, including. three buildings Qoa
etuFcs, two Offices, and ope Turner
lEAiD; Dunn's Block, four stores, two Oft
ces, three tamily dwellings; Concert Ball
iuclrdlng enc hotel. one large Assemb1
Hall, ono store and several offices; McchaE
les Hall building, comprising three store
and four offices Bolts Place, large eatln
salcun; Dundy's block, tobacco warehouse
l;igcluw's boot and shoe factory, and adjoi1
jng sheds, in all comprising the whole I
| Lake street, between Water and Carol
Hith the exception Of two email tencments
TIE ASSURANCES.
A total Of insural,ces oi $2T, 500, lear,
out of tnc estimated loss Of $II1,OUo q =
usalndcr Of ST., $40, to be borne By the su
irscrs. The tnsuraaces arc distributed
| fn1laHs auin11 fhs coY1 nanfHs