Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-09-20
From the Newbern Times Exira-Sept. 1e-

From the Newbern Times Exsra-Sept. 49,
Iss4!ih. ssft5 20 go A. M. 8tsst.6f = 49,
n GREAT CONFEDERATION FEARFUII Loss OF.
II PROPERTY jAsUALTIEs ORIGIN OF THE
Il FIRE-ITs ExTENH-PRoBABLE Loss-F IRE
! MEN, &C., &C., ga terrible fire broke
4 ont this morning at the furniture store of
i G.. A. Nelson & Co., on Middle street. sup
posed to be the work of an ineendiary.
about l o'clock, and rapidly spread right
i and left, until both sides Of the Street. from
# Broad to Pollok, were in a light flame. and
! now lie in ashes. The vacant lot between
Steyenson's corner anC. the brick building
i occupied now by Robbins & Co, checked
the fire in that direction, but It swept down
to Pollok and turning Dissosway'si old
corner swept every thing up Pollok street to
the residence of VIM. G. Hall, ESQ, which
building is now being blown up, three
heavy explosions having taken place since
we commenced this writing, SO that the en-
tire block facing Middle and Pollok Streets
| from Stevenson's corner round to the Rail
road, may be considered a complete loss
and all that portion of Middle street. from
! the Episcopal Church square up to the old
| Court House corner. go -....- ...s.
Nothing but the most extraordinary eff
| forts of the fire department saved the en-
! tire block ON the South side Of Pollok, be-
tween Middle and Hancock, which, had it
|
block bounded by Middle and Craven and
Pollok, and South Front, and thus swept
out the entire business portion of the city
So that, to arrive at just estimate of the
| services Of the fire departments on this oc-
caslOn, 1t Is only necessary to estimate the
value Of four entire squares of the business
part Of our city, for without it no human
effort could have staid the ravages of the
devouring element until it had swept down
to the waters edge. Our whole male popu-
| latiOn was on the street, and all did what
they could. The tops OF the houses in the
j vicinity of the fire, were covered by citi-
zens who by wetting blankets, extinguish-
| ing sparks, and extraordinary exertions in
various ways, rendered incalculable services.
The fire was SO sudden and spread so
rapidly that Mr.. Nelson and family, who
resided on the second floor Of his store
were compelled to Jump from a second
story window in order to save their lives, in
doing which two female members were
slightly injured. We heard of one other
! lady getting a limb broken bya similar pro-
cess but did not learn the name, and sew
! eral persons were more or less injured by
! explosions and otherwise, but fortunately
we have heard OF no lives lost.
! The losses by the fire. Of course, cannot
! be estimated, hut cannot fall short of one
| hundred and fifty or two hundred thousand
dollars, and may be more. We could not
| ascertain, but our impression is that very
few goods or other property we're saved:
| BY the extraordinary efforts of Capt r. A.
| Shotwell, assisted by the corps Of CASTOR
House walters, saved nearly or quite all of
the stock OF Henry ". Jones q Co., on
Middle street, but as a general thing, we
think nearly everything was consumed.
This calamity will fall heavily upon many
| Of Cifi ,ln l,aI To
cuperate from losses heretofore sustained,
and to get into Il condition to live.
We suppose the losses in many instances
were covered partially or wholly by insu-
rance, but to what extent we have, as yet,
no means Of knowing.
The RECENT FIRE IN NEwBERN.-We
take the following account of the fire in
Newbern from the Commercial, which oc-
cured on Sunday morning, the 10th inst,
being additional information to that pub
lshed above:
-Four squares of the business centre, the
very heart of our beautiful city, are broad
! expanse of smoking ruins
That this devilish deed, was the work of
an incendiary OF incendiaries, admits of no
question. At the request of the City Coun-
Gil, His Honor Mayor Washington has Of
fered a reward of 81 500 for the arrest and
conviction of such party or parties. and has
called meeting Of the citizens of New
bern, at the Theatre to-day at II clock,
A. NJ, to take such measures as may be
| thought advisable for the reliefof the suffer
ers by the appalling disaster. The Church
| yard of Christ Church, (Episoopal,) was
! blocked up at daylight this morning, by
| the houseless and homeless, and rescued
property.
Robbins & Co.'S store on Broad street,
was in great danger at one time, but was
saved from the fact Of their having reser-
voir in the rear of their premises, and
through the exerticn of the proprietors, and
| their employees ana nelghbOrs.
Nathan Tisdale, Deputy Sheriff, was
slightly injured, by falling through burn
ing roof on Pollok street.
| We noticed innumerable instances of
daring courage and bravery on the part of
our firemen and citizens, but where all
achieved so much, it would be invidous to
particularize. We append a list of the los
ses by the principal sufferers as far as we
are able to ascertain, up to the time of our
going to press. The total amount will not
fall short of $500, 600.
c. A. misunderstanding Store. Loss,
81, 900, insured for So, 900
J. S. Stevenson & Bro.-two buildings,
Dry Goods Stores. Loss, $4,000.
John Hume, one building. Loss, ST.
0O0
John Mccormick buildings. Total loss,
$40, 600, small insurance.
Leopold Baer, Dry Goods Store. Total
loss, $50, 900.
H. & B. Emanuel, Dry Goods and
Clothing. Total loss, $4,000.
G.. a. Haskell, one building. Loss,
$780,
McNamara & O'Connor-Saloon & Res.
taurant, Loss, $1,000.
Henry w. Jones & Co.--Dry Goods
Saved all their stock. The building was
owned by DR.. Disosway.
John j. Schillinger- Lager Beer Saloon,
two buildings.) Loss, $4,000. Insured
for So, 900. .-.
E. H. Lawlor-Dry Goods and Groce-
ries Loss, $4,000, No insurance.
E. Montanus-Cigar and Tobacco. Loss,
81, 200. ~...- - .. 3D.. .... -:....-
Dr. l. Disosway-Banker and Broker
Loss $25, 600 Was offered $15, 900 in gold,
three days ago for his four buildings.
John Decentralization House. Loss,