Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-04-11

Destruction of Port au Prince by Fire
The Whole Town in Ashes-ThOusands
of Families HOuseIess-WOrLk Of Encen-
diarisnt.
A correspondent writing from Port au Prince under
date of March %, says:
| forward to you copy of lie Bien Public from
winch you VIII gamer correct account OF the dlSas-
trous fire of the 18th and 10th inst by which the
entire town of Port Prince has been laid in ashes,
and thousands OF families rendered houSeless and
helpless. 1t is not in the power of pen to picture
this occurrence that One stranger to this country
and its people, conceive its horrors for the Wild
savage excitement of the scene is due to the people,
who are powerless to act incapable of realizing the
event and knowing but yells and pllase, and plum,
the white wholesale merchants; and from the fact
that but one year ago fire occurred in the vicinity
OF the white retailers and their increase cause the
natives to feel they have reason to hate the whites
growing out of the Bull Dog affair it is strongly sus
pcloned that this has likewise been the work of in
eendiarsm.
Still the it is believed as two attempts have,
SINCE the 18th, been made to fire the three remaining
fre-proofs occupied by white dealers The vicinity,
as also the burned quarter strongly patroled night
and day by both whites and blacks but the general
indifference the blacks have manifested and the in
activity of the Government to interfere in the matter
is subject of comment at least if the suspicion is not
ustidabe no measures have been taken to Danish it.
as no effort was put forth to prevent the flames, or
subdue as strong an indication perhaps of the real
state of feeling in this matter, as can well be
pressed.
The Government has been quiet during all this af-
fair. The President left the Palace few moments
on Inc lJLn l1lSt 10 view the scene, aQVl
to retire. lest his presence might ince the populace
to rebellion. lie is rapidly losing favor and an out
break at any time would surprise no one.
A sky of calmer blue, studded with brighter stars,
never looked down upon more heart-rending scenes
than the night of the 18th of March, as formed the
only canopy for hundreds of women and children,
whose bed was the dried and smoked turf of the
Champs de Mars-the only available place of safety,
just at the limits of the town.
As a natural consequence of such an event in such
country all business was at end, and the markets
were closed the bakers either burned out fright
ened from their labor, and neither meat or bread
were attanable The utmost hospitality of the few
whose houses were urdlSturbeS was unable to minis
ter to all: though the residents both native and
foreign did all that was possible to alleviate the dis
tress of the sufferers. Several American gentlemen
deserve great credit for their ncessant efforts to sub
due the flames. and all foreigners ready and
tive
Another account says
"a great fire broke out in Port-au- Prince on the
10th ult and half the Capital of Hayti is in ashes
In no city in the world could fire extend more
rapidly than here where the houses being built of
WOOD rapidly become prey to the Gevouring ele-
ment. No engines have ever been bought to extin-
gush fires, notwithstanding the calamity of Feb. 28
great numbers of families were ruined. The people,
instead of helping to stop the progress of the fire.
rob and plumber The educated classes Of the foreign
ers did their best to save the city. The Government
and the troops, did nothing, but, what could few
men do when they only had at their disposal few
buckets and but scanty supplies of water.
The fire burned for 80 hours. The cause of it is
unknown but it is fact that efforts were mazda nv
men to set on fire the houses that had luckily
escaped. Thrtythree blocks were completely burn ed
down, embracing about 1000 houses. Eight or nine
thousand people are now without home many not
being able even to clothes for themselves and
children. There is great distress in consequence"
THERE is a church at Oberwyl, in Switzerland in
which the parishoners have just erected very fine
organ. A great number recently went to hear it
played the first time, and, delighted with its deep
growls and trembling rumbngs, they crowded in the
gallery and tho small staircase indeed so great
the pressure that young lady, Of slender FORM
Crushed against the low baustrade had the misfor-
tune to lose her equilibrium and to tumble over into
the nave of the church. Those in the gallery shut
their eyes and screamed with horror. A few who
were below looked up at hearing the cry, and what
was their aStonishmant to the lady slowly and
quietly descending in the midst of an enormous bell
shaped parachute. The fact is, the crinone was
and the lady light, the imitation of the
former buoyed up the latter and the frightened fair
descended on the hard marble pavement rs light
ly as if she bird luterng down from the lofty
roof
A PoIYT SETTLED.-General Howard has written
letter to General Fisk, Assistant Commissioner of
Freedmen for Tennessee and Kentucky, denying the
charge made by Governor BroWnlow, in recent
speech that before the passage of the Freedmens Blu
bill, he General Howard) read it to the PTes-
dent. who approved oft General Howard says: II
sent my report to the President reeommcnding sub
stantially, many things embraced in Senator Trum-
bulls bill. did converse with the President with
regard to these recommendations but never read nor
discussed the said bill with him before its passage =
PItS5urg Commercial.