The New York herald., 1866-07-06
RO1NOOS FRE
Extensive and Destructive Con-
fagration in Portland.
HALF THE CITY IN RUINS.
All the Newspaper and Express Offices,
Hotels and Banks Destroyed.
ONLY ONE BUSINESS STREET REMAINING.
The Custom House the Only Public
Building Saved.
Every Lawyer in the Place
Burned Out.
TWO THOUSAND FAMILIES HOUSELESS
Churches Thrown Open and Tents Erected
to Shelter the Sufferers.
~~~~~~~-~~-~~~~~-~-~o~-
LOSS TEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
TwO THOUSAND FAMILIES HOUSELESS
Churches Thrown Open and Tents Erettcd
to Shelter the Sufferers.
LOSS TEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
AID FROM OTHER CITIES TENDERED.
&c. &c. &C.


The Gre which began here Ave O'Clock p N. yestsr
day ragged with great fury and at this writing aftcr
noon) s still burning, with onehalf OF the territory OF
the city already laid waste II swept through the city
from the foot Of High street to North street, ON hunoy
destroying everything In It's track completely that tho
lines Of the streets hardly be traced and space OF
mile and half long by quarter Of mile wide ap-
pears like forest Of chnneys with fragments Of walls
attached to them.
SUILDINGs BLOWN UP TO STOP THE FIRE IN VAIN
Many buildings perhaps fifty, blown up to check
the fames but the nhabta could scarcely do
Than fee with their families the upper part Of the
city, saving such goodsas they could carry though every
vehicle in the city employed with excellent effect
In moving goods
ORIGIN OF THE DISASTER.
The nre commenced a little below the foot OF High
areet In boot shop. II next burned Uphams Touring
MILL and then Browns sugar house. with all ts surround
ngs, then Staples Sons and Richardson's fouudries,
but nothing else Commercial street Of consequence
COURSE OF THE FLAMES.
II next swept what Is called Graham's corner, COM
posed Of small wooden buildings II then burned
up far the old varnum House. Pieaean, street,
third the up Centre street, half the way up Col
borne street. completely up street. Union street,
Temple street and Exchange street.
swept down the northery side of Fore street 10
India street the east, while the west II moved
along dagonaly Middle street and down to Cum
berland taking the Elm House, but sparing the First
Parish church Then from Chestnut street TO North street
1t made clean sweep the southefly side OF Cnmber-
land street, and tho the with Congress
and everything else Fore street far east
India street.
The upper side OF Fore street Is swept clean to India
except two buildings the corner Of India. Woods
marble hotel the Freeman House. the American House,
tha Inn HIM tha Int sha
oal House. the sturdovaut House and Kngsburys Hotel
are all destroyed Congress street. from Chestnut street
70 the Observatory, is cleaned both sides Not a
building is standing Exchange street. Federal street
entirely destroyed Is also Cumberland street. from
Pearl street to the hill, both sides. Union Plum
Temple Lime and Silver streets entirely cleaned
Franklin from Fore Oxford All OF tho wholesale aud
most Of the retail shoe stores destroyed.
VIOLENT GALE SPREADS THE rLAMEs.
, The wind was blowing gale from the SOUTH and
tremendous sheet Of flame swept along before H. devou
ing everything in s passage and tho utmost exertons
Of the nremen, aided by steamer and hand engines
nom several other places, could only succeed in pre-
venting II from spreading In new directions
The BUSINESS PORTION OF THE CITY CONE.
One half Of the city is destroyed and that half In.
eludes nearly all the business portion, excepting the
heavy business houses in Commercial street.
BUILDINGS SAVED.
The Custom House, being areprooi, escaped, though
greatly damaged The court records In the upper story
are probably destroyed.
Tho store Of Emery wa,erhouse hardware on
MddIs street. snSuarly passed by the Of name
snsca.hed though everything was swep, on each side
BUILDINGS DESTROYED.
All the banks gone.
All the newspaper Offices burned, and there arc
only three printing Offices left
The splendid city and county building on Congress
street which nearly nrcproof considered safc
and u was piled full Of furniture by the ncghbonng
residents, and then IL swept away, with all Hs
contents
All the jewslry establishments all the wholesale dry
goods stores several churches, the telegraph Offices
nearly all the stationery stores and the majority OF the
business places are destroyed.
is useless TO specify the dwelling houses but among
the dns ones may be mentioned thosc Of Mrs Wood on
Middle street; Mr. Ramsry aud Mr.. Donnel Con.
srssa street; Bishop Bacon's, Congress street. and
Billings Chase Richarison Cumberland streot, and
others
VALUABLE HISTORICAL COLLECTION LOST.
The Portland Society o. Natural History for second
time has lost its valuable ooecton-a misfortune which
will appeal generosity u other societies through.
out the country.
The following is approximate list of The losses and
insurance
Charles stares Son, machnlsts; loes. $50 900, In
sired for ti2o 900 The Home New York and Boston
company.
Uphsm's Touring mill; loss, $4,000; Insured FOR
$4,000 IN J. W. Nunger's agency.
Mp Richardson Co, stove foundry--lass, so, 600
insured, $4,000.
The Pren oiceioss, t12, ,0eo, insured FOR ST. 500 IN
the Iuternatonal and Protection companies
Brown 4 Thurstons job ofhce--Ioss, $40 900; IN.
sared 90 500 the Drgo and Maine Mutual and Relief
and Republic Sew York companies.
woods Hc,el--loss, fT5, ooo insured, $4,000
Masonic Hall, With all its contents was destroyed
partially insured.
Esht churches burned-the Second Parish, the
Third Parish the Pearl street tuniversaist The Frs.
Baptist, 81 stephens (rprcopai, Bethel, s~edenbor.
gan and the Catholic chapel ~ith bishop Bacona resi-
leece and convent school attached