Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-07-12
The Portland Fire.

a Portland dispatch OF the 9th, to the
Boston Journal, says:
"The excitement and confusion which
accompanied and followed the great con-
flagration here has begun to subside.
The people are beginning to realize more
keenly their misfortunes, and in many
instances have taken the initiatory steps
toward providing for future shelter and
the re-establishment of business. The
first work as has been intimated in my
previous dispatches, has been to provide
temporary relief for the thousands who
have been rendered homeless. During
the day no less than a thousand tents Of
various descriptions have been pitched
upon Munjoy Hill, on the south side of
Congress street, between the Eastern
Promenade and the Observatory, and to-
night they will afford shelter to about
three thousand men, women and chill
dren. The camp is situated upon one of
the highest eminences surrounding the
thickly settled part Of the city, and from
all its points there eau be plainly seen
the towering chimneys, the smouldering
ruins, and other sad reminders of what
were once happy homes and scenes of
thrift and industry. The condition Of
the poor unfortunates occupying the
tented field is one truly deplorahle
Many of them are scantily clad, and not
few have barely sufficient to secure
them from exposure to the burning sun,
me tents which they occupy are, 10
few cases, furnished with single bed,
snatched from the flames, and there is
occasionally a stove and cooking uten-
sis and limited supply Of broken fur
niture, all of which is highly priced by
the occupants in this great and painful
emergency. In one Of the tents which
your reporter visited was a sick child,
which It's frantic mother said the doc
tors had pronounced beyond recovery,
and in smother was an old woman who
had been driven almost to insanity in
consequence Of the excitement and griet
in being deprived of home which she
had occupied in quiet and seclusion du-
ring the last twenty years. In anoth-
er tent which was assigned to a fam
lily of four, there has been an increase
to the number Of five during the
day, and all the occupants are getting
along finely. In several of the tents
are cases of sickness, but the ills are
generally those brought on by exhaus-
tiOn and excitement, and under the care
OF the attentive physicians of the city
they will soon recover. All are well
provided with provisions, and supplies
are constantly arriving in great abun-
dance. The greatest need now is cloth
tnr fNp hn oh,
morrow there will be more tents
pitched, and, if fine weather continues,
they will serve as sufficient shelter until
barracks can be erected.
The best view of the vast scene of
desolation is obtained from MuDioy's
Hill, in the immediate vicinity of the
camp of the houseless The whole
burnt district is plainly visible from
this point, and thousands have gazed
upon it during the day with amazement
and sadness.
The only standing building visible
for a space Of mile and a quarter
ahead and a breadth Of half mile, is
the Custom House and Post Office, and
this is completely ruined.
There is, however, small margin of
cheap wooden dwellings spared on what
is known as the "Back Cove" The Jail
was saved, although it was several
times threatened with destruction, and
the liberation of confined inmates was
seriously entertained. Several of the
bank vaults have been forced open this
evening, and the contents found to be
safe. The books were not even scorch-
ed, although the doors were heated al
most red for nearly an honr.
There is already strife among some
of the business men as to who shall
have the honor of first rebuilding and
engaging in business. In some streets
men were engaged to-day in clearing
away the ruins. The first part of the
city likely to be rebuilt is Middle
street.
Mr., Brown, of the sugar-house, will
set several hundred men to work clear
ing away the ruins of his place to-day,
and the great mandatory will probably
be rebuilt and in operation inside of
year. The plans for new Catholic
church, in place of the one destroyed,
were drawn to-day, and the work of re-
building will commence Immediately.