The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-10-24


met in the small wooden houses il
that quarter, the numerous outh0uses
stables, and wooden piles adding fuel
TO 70 at every step, until ii cut diaeo-
nally through Vt. Hochis, debouchine
upon ut, WALLER Street, at its In
tereeeti0u with GarOn Street, at about
half past nine o'clock. On the other
side toward, the river, il had worked
ITS way with equal fapidity, sweeping
everything before it over the burned
district Of last year, on which several
new and substantial brick houses had
been erected, aud upon which, in front
OF the Congregational church, large
quantity Of firew0od was also piled,
the only building remaining untoueh-
ed In this quarter being the church IL
self, which for over two hours stood
la the greatest danger, being sur
! rounded on all sides by flaming houses,
lint escaped al II by miracle sey-
eral times It's strong stone walls were
actually steaming with the intense
heatI but. fortunately, as the build
ings around il gradually burned out,
the danger disappeared 10 a great ex-
tent. HlfN atn 1859 t"t
ARRIVAL or THE MILITARY.
About half-past nine o'clock, val
liable reinforcement to the fire brigade
and theiF assistants arrived on the
ground, Ia the persons of a detaoh-
ment of royal artillery, under com
mand Of Lieutenant Colonel McCrea,
and two companies of the rifle brigade
under command of Lieutenant Colonel
Warren, Adjutant Sir A, Palmer and
Lieutenant johnson, dispatched to
the scene of the disaster by order of
Commander Lord Alexander Russell
at the request of His Worship the
Mayor, who had been on the ground
from very carly hour, They were
shortly aftefward joined by a eonsid-
cradle detachment of seamen from the
Aurora, and II ID hardly necessary for
ns to say how nobly the gallant fell
lows went TO work TO pull down sew
eral houses with the view of making
a gap to stop the progress of the fire,
The artillery brought a quantity of
powder with them for the same pur-
pose, and an atte,apt was made to
check the flames, at the request of the
Mayor, by blowing up ia the direction
of Caron Street, at different times
during the morning, some eight or ten
houses, but IL proved equally inef-
fectual with the other attempts
made with the same view. by
this time. 80 extensive was the eonha-
grafton, and 40 utterly inadequate
were the means Of checking ii in any
way, that all hopes of doing 80 were
almost completely abapdoned-vit be-
Ing believed that nothing could stop
the fire in the direction of st. Sauveur
aud BoiaaeauYille until IL burned it.
self out by reaching the open country.
La fact, it was impossible for any one
10 stand for afgmoment within fifty
yards Of the flames, not TO speak Of
working in the midst of the fire in the
narrow streets of ST. Sauveur, where
the deyouring elements actually flew
from house TO house of the almost
nurnberless small wooden buildings
in that quarter, roaring and cracking,
its fiery tongues overlapping tho
streets, and literally bounding on the
devoted houses like wild beasts on
their prey, eaa ss te.@.9 asia...5aa
The fire had now eaten into the
heart almost Of st, Sauveur, ravaging
II from the cliff down 10 st. WALLER
Street which il swept along ON both
sides TO the Sauveur Church. For a
considerable time the Church with
stood the fiery element. but, like the
rest, il was forced also to suceunb,
Notwithstanding the extraordinary eff
forts made TO save ID, The fine new
Presbytery of the Rev. Oblat Fathers,
and the Friars school house and the
Nunnery building next followed, and
the flames continued TO spread in the
direction Of Jacksonville, without
the slightest abatement. About noon
there was a slight lull in the gale, and
the wind shifted round to the South
west, bringing the fire track in the di-
reetion Of Crown Street, where il de- |
bouched between Prince Edward and |
Smith Streets, in the immediate vicin-
ity Of the Marine Hospital, for the |
safety of which fears were entertained
burning some six or seven houses
facing on Grown Street About three
o clock the eonhagration had gained
It's heighthi and at that time the whole |
district from CrownStreet--a distance
across of about mile aud a half, was
one complete mass of roaring flame,
presenting one Of the most desolate
aud awtully sublime speetaoles we have
ever witnessed. About four o clock the |
wind again, fortunately. shifted back
to the northeast, driving the FIRE back
nom Crown street over the burned
district once more, where the damage
was already done, and by six O'Clock