The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-07-11
The Great Portland Fire.

The dispatches from Portland, Maine, hereto
fore published, have told the story Of the oalami-
ty which has overtaken that city. From our
Northern files we gather some interesting details
OF the confagration. The fire originated in a pile
OF shavings into which boy celebrating the
glorious Fourth, threw pack Of pop crackers.
Two hundred acres of territory, compactly built
with dwellings, and business houses, have been
swept by the tornado Of fame, and ten thousand
or twelve Thousand men, women and chiIdren
were turned into the places which had once been
streets. The heaviest loser was Brown, the sugar
which includes not only his immense works. but
houses in various parts Of the city. Fortunately
his fine residence was outside the burnt district
ss' that generally aS sa
safety, end we're, of course, all lost. It
caught, in the dome, and this, falling
through the on;o reef set, set the interior on fire.
many destroyed. The building coat originally
ABOUT bTt it cannot now be replaced for
nut;street, near the City Hall, the most valuable
in the oity, was saved by the precautionary mea-
sures OF iron shutters to the windows, which it is
SAID many OF the Society opposed when the church
was erected. 1t is worth about $4,000. By the
destruction OF the Natural History Building that
w Sss esSusve Of the yau
House and Postoffice, both in the same building.
were badly damaged in the interior. or the eight
churches destroyed, that Of the Roman Catholic
street, together with the parsonage, wac the most
valuable, and the loss will not fall short OF $780,
600. Seven hotels were destroyed, including
among others the partially finished structure
known as the Marble Hotel, owned by the Hon.
John III. Wood, once member of Congress from
Maine. The hotels destroyed are the Interna-
tional, Freeman, Commercial. American, Sailors
Home, Kingsbury's and the Marble
The two principal ones in the oity, the Prehle
and the Unittd States, escaped, although the lat
ter was several times on fire. The banks Of the
city, seven in number, were all destroyed. The
opening OF the vaults show that the papers and
money Of the National Traders and the First and
Second National 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 business men is that
their misfortunes will csrry down many OF the
insurance companies, particularly the local ones
who have the largest risks If the insurance
losses are promptly met very many will resume bu-
discouraged If it is possibility to again establish
In business. Mr.. Brown will probably comm ence
the work OF rebuilding at once, and the proprie-
tors OF the Portland Press have already ordered
new types and presses, and advertised for an Office
| or proposals to build one.
The scenes in the city during the progress Of the
fire were such as eye-WitneBses will not care to
have repeated In their experience All the yebi-
cles obtainable were impressed into the work OF
transferring furniture and effects from buildings
burning or threatened, but, in many cases, they
had no sooner been deposited in what was thought
dangered, and, perhaps quickly destroyed by the
pursuing flames
In al the Northern cities subscriptions are being
raised for the relief OF the Portland sufferers.