New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-07-06
O" A
The City Of Portland, Me-, in Ashes.
TWO THOUSAND BUILDINGS DESTROYED.
Two Thousand Families Homeless.
Over Fifty Buildings Blown Up to Check
the Flames.
LOSS ESTIMATED AT OVER $lo,coO,oOo
A PERFECT SEA OF FIRE.
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE DISASTER.
RELIEF FOR THE DESTITUTE.
LARGE FIRE IN THIS CITY

sRyEN BANKS FOUR NEWSPAPERS, FOUR HOTELS AND
RIGHT CHURCHES BURNED-Two THOUSAND FAMI-
LIES BURNED OUT.
srsea Dispatch to The n. y. Trbune
SAco Me-, Thursday. July s. ls6d
Ihayo Just returned from the City of Portland, where
have witnessed the most terrible conagation ever nhet-
ed on city in New England Nearly onehaf the terri
tory had been burned since o'clock yesterday p M
Tho fire broke out in a bodybuilding shop, just above
Browns sugaThouse, the wind blowing gale and eonn-
ming for II hours burning mile in length and from
one-fonrth TO one-half mile in width. Browns sugar
houses are all in ashes.
The FIRE burned in northeasterly direction to Ex-
change and Mdde-sts thence to Congress and Cumber
landsts thence down through the town 10 the Grand
Trunk Railway station All of Middle and Exchangests
IN rims, and all Of Congressst., from the United
States Hotel to the Munoy Hill All the banks being the
Casco Canal Merchants Traders, Cumberland and Frst
md Second National, down. All the newspaper Of
fees, viz The Press Advertiser, ArgRs and Star, are
In ruins. The PostOfce and Custom House is ruined,
though ii is thought the records safe in the vaults
The American, Commercial, and International House,
Ind Woods Marble Hotel are burned.
Eight churches and the city building are destroyed
The Natural History Rooms are gone
Two thousand families in the heart of the city turned
out Of the city by the fire. and some $40 100000 of property
destroyed All Of the business portion Of the city except
Gommercial-st is burned send from here as tn
wires were not up when left Portland at nine this
ing The fire still raging when left though it was
Thought to be under CONTROL Help had from Saeo,
1siddeford Bath, Gardiner, and Lewistown.
TO The Associated Press.
PARTICULARS OF THE FIRE-FIFTY BUILDINGS BLOWN
UP--HALF THE CITY DESTROYED
PoRTIASD Me-, Thursday, July 5, 1856.
The fire has completely swept through the city, from
the foot of Hghst to Norhst, on Munjoy, destroying
everything its track completely that the lines Of the
streets can hardly be traced and space Of and half
miles long by quarter Of mile wide appears like forest
of ehmneys with fragments of walls attached to them.
The wind was blowing gale from the south, and
tremendous sheet Of fame swept along before it, deyour
ing everything IN passage and the utmost exertons Of
fhe fremeD aided by steamer and hand engines from
several other places could only succeed in preventing it
from spreading in new directions.
Many buildings, perhaps So were blown up to check
the flames; but the inhabitants could scarcely do
than flee with their families to the upper part of the city,
sayng such goods theyco carry though every vehicle
in the city was employed with excellent effect in moving
goods.
The Custom House, being freproof escaped, though
greatly damaged. The records in the upper story
ere probably destroyed.
The splendid city and country building Congresst,
which was nearly fre-proof considered SAFE and il
was piled full of furniture by the neghboring residents,
End then it was swept away with all its contents.
Half the city is destroyed and that half includes nearly
NIL the business portion excepting the heavy business in
Commercials.
The fire commenced little below the foot OF High-s, in
abost-shop Ii next burnt Uphams Touring MILL and then
Browns with all its surroundings; the Staples
& Sons and Richardson's foundenes and nothing else
Commercials. Of consequence.
next swept what is called Grahan's corner, composed
Of small wooden buildings clean. 1t then burned up
far as the old Varnum House, Peasants, one-thrd
fbe way up Centres, half the way up Colton-st, COM
petely up Crosst Union-s, Temples and Exehangc-st
1t swept down the nohery side Of Fre-s to India
It, on the east while the west it moved along dagon
ally across Middle-st and down to Cumberland, taking
She Elm House but sparing the first Parish Church.
"A Then from Chesnut-st TO Northst. it made clean
1xeep on the southery side OF Cumberandst, and the
pams was the case with Congresst and everything else
10 Firest., as far east as India-st
AL the banks are gone.
All the newspaper offices are burned.
But three printing Offices are left.
All the jewelry establishments, all the wholesale dry
goods stores several churches the telegraph Offices nearly
-'--os and tho -~-'
1Ae stationery s'v~-i - ~ -1souty Of the business