The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-07-17

The United State, took in about two
hundred families during the fire, from the
majority of whom they expect no remu-
neration. Several of the merchants that
have been burned out have secured places
in other stores that were unharmed, and
the mixture Of goods strongly reminds one
of country variety store. The hotels
burned by the fire were the Woods, Elm,
international, Sturtevant, Freeman, Amer
ican, Commercial, Kingsbury and Fulton,
Thieves, am sorry to say, are numer-
Gus, and last evening many of the citizens
went armed, and if detected stealing many
rogues would have been shot.
THE FIRST BURNING OF PORTLAND.
The recent confagration in Portland has
suggested many references to the time
when the place was destroyed by the Brit
ish fleet in the Revolution. This event
took place in October, 1775, several months
before the Declaration of Independence.
The inhabitants were entirely nuprepared
for anything of the kind when, on the 10th
of October, a detachment of five vessels
from the British fleet stationed at Boston,
appeared in the harbor of the town, then
known as Falmouth. The commander of
the squadron, Captain Mowatt, the next
day sent an officer on shore with letter
to inform the inhabitants that he had been
sent "to execute a just punishment on the
town. for their "most objectionable rebel
| lion,' and two hours would be allowed "tO
remove the human specie ont Of the town"
This letter being publicly read IN the town
house, naturally caused great CONSERVATION.
A committee of citizens waited on the
British officer in his ship, and obtained a
respite until the next morning. He offered
to await the answer of an express to be
sent to Boston, if the inhabitants would
surrender all the arms and ammunition in
their hands. This the people nobly re-
fused to do; ana the night was spent in
removing the arms, the women and chill
dren, and the sick, to safe spot in the
interior. Promptly at the hour appointed
the next xtmorning, the British vessels opened
fire. The bombardment was kept up with
the utmost yigor all day, but it not prov
ing sufficiently destructive, parties of ma
rines were sent ashore in boats to fire the
buildings. There was some resistance, and
several Of the incendiaries were killed and
wounded; but the people having no organ
ization, and very little powder, nothing
effectual was done to stop the work Of
destruction.
The buildings were all Of wood, and the
flames spread with great rapidity until
three-quarters of the town were laid in
ruins. Four hundred and fourteen build
ings were burned in all, and about one
hundred and sixty families were made
houseIess. Among the structures destroyed
were a handsome new court house, an
Episcopal church, the town-house, custom
house, all the wharves, and all the vessels
in the harber Very little furniture or
other property was saved, owing to scar
city of teams for the work of removal. The
public library and new fre-engine were
burned.
Of course there was great destitution
and suffering. The Provincial Congress
soon after made grant of moneys and
corn to the victims Of the fire, and subse
quentIy other grants were made, and the
taxes of the town abated. a committee
appointed to ascertain the exact amount
Of the losses, reported that the sum total
was fifty four thousand five hundred and
twenty-seven pounds thirteen shil!ings,
the amounts set to the names of indiyidu-
ais on the list ranging from over two thou
sand pounds down to two pounds. AT
the close of the war of the Revelation an
appeal for aid was made to the sympa-
thizing people of England, Ireland, and
France; but it does not appear that any
response was made. In 1871 the Gen
eral Court made grant of two townships
to the sufferers of Falmouth, which, how
ever, did not result in any practical benefit
TO them.-AdverhSer.