The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-06-28

connagration.
"Fire! Fire:"
C0NsTANTINoPLE, June 8, 1870.
The 5th Of June will long be memorable day In
the minds Of the present and coming generation of
the inhabitants Of Pera that part OF this capital
cupied by the foreign legations, the greater part Of
the foreign population and vast number Of native
Christians. About noon wooden house, situated
on the highest part Of the city, called the Taxsim,
caught fire, and, freshened by violent north wind,
spread with fearful rapidity over extent almost
incredible; from the Taxsim to what s called the
Petit Champs des Morris, along the main street to
some distance between the Gaata Saray College,
consuming all Of the fine houses Of the place, OF
stone as well as wood. Some 10000 houses have
been burned and 1t is supposed about 1000 persons,
men, women and children. The loss Is estimated to
be some $o5;O00,0O0
All Of the finest cafes, the opera and shops, with
all of their contents. II burned from noon OF the
9th TO the following morning, impetu0usly, and per-
haps, at other time has there been so terrible q
catastrophe occurred here or in any other capital Of
Europe. Frequent as fires are In this place, no one
remembers any one which consumed so many fine
houses, such valuable effects, cost many lives
The dead are still being taken out Of the ashes,
some from wells, csterns and cellars, into which they
proposed TO escape from the raging element OF fire.
Some have been found in wells still alive.
Few. were found still living in the open ground.
Smothered by the heat and smoke. hundreds fell ex
hausted in the Streets and were covered up In the
falling cinders and burning fragments.
In one place TWENTY-FIVE females were found dead
IN cellar. Mothers were found surrounded by their
children, the smallest in their arms, all dead. Many
lost their lives in fruitess attempts TO save the lives
or property OF their friends,
Many Turkish gentlemen came over from STAN.
nou to aid their Christian friends and convey their
families to their own houses. All Of the Sutans
ministers fastened to the scene and did much to
save lives, but with small success saving houses
and property.
The Grand vizier and the Ministers OF Police and
War were particularly conspicuous in the very midst
OF the flames, and before nightfall the Sultan also
came from the side OF the Taxsm, and did much to
encourage the remen in their vain efforts to avert
the flames with sums of money and words Of prom
ise and encouragement His clothes having taken
fire, his suite finally prevailed upon him to retire.
Early the next morning his Majesty again returned
and, 1t Is said, was deeply affected at the
dreadful calamity which had befallen his subjects.
He had already thoughtfully ordered some five hun
dred tents to be brought 10 the square of the Tax
sim and the adjacent Armenian and Greek cemete.
ries, and carts were everywhere seen conveying
food to the houseess and utterly destitute poor.
SAD SCENES.
Such heartrending scene of desolation cannot be
imagined; 1t must be seen. Mothers fathers and
friends walking among the ashes in search OF chill
dren brothers and sisters! Here some twenty dead
bodies lay together almost burned into dark mass Of
charred matter; there number Of others, scarcely
burned at ALL "sleeping the sleep which knows no
waking" Some were but little changed, though
swollen, while many others could scarcely be recog-
nized as having ever been living men and women
Several, many even, small children. had been lost
in the crowd and rush and abandoned to their sad
fate. Many must even have been trodden to death
under the feet of those who madly rushed along The
fiery streets in search of life and fresh air. What
the end OF this globe must be by fire can be im-
agned from the awful scenes Of burning Pera.
TANNING THE FLAMES.
The wind was so violent that the flames spread
everywhere at once; the people no longer knew
where to ny; all around them nothing appeared but
certain death II its most frightful form, and it is
only surprising that so few became its victims.
The British Embassy, surrounded by names took
fire In the afternoon, and Is now only mass OF
charred ruins. Its archives and some OF the silver
were found.
The American Consulate was burned. but some Of
its archives have been saved.
The American Minister and the Secretary's honses
We're saved, the quarter in which they are situated
called Aga Jiamss, not having taken fire at all, the
wind blowing the flames to another direction.
AID.
An Armenian gentleman named Andrios Efendi
paid the fremen 1920 to save his house, and thus
Gaata Saray and the street called Yam Charchee.
Some 900 have been already collected for the suf
1erers and clothing and coverings for beds are being
distributed everywhere. ~--s'-- Cd
One d the Sultan's barracks has been given up to
the sufferers. -"
The Freemasons have organized committee of
succor for those who are In want OF food and other
positive necessarios and called upon their brethren
in Europe and America for contributions OF any
amount through Messrs. Barring Brothers AZ Co.. of
London who will forward them to the District Grand
Master Brother John P. Brown, Secretary Of the
American Legation. Ii ever humanity had calls
upon mankind It Is here at the present moment
Besides the tents given by the Sultan there Is no
hushed throughout the entire city. Thousands Of
the Mussuman population OF Stamb0ul are seen
going among the suffering Christians, distributing
small sums OF money, FOOD and covering Indeed
pears in the presence Of so much poignant grief and
misery. The weather Is warm, and even hot and
water Is wanted among the tents, where on boards
and even the bare ground lie thousands of females
Portable OF beds and sofas. long time must pass
before these can lie provided for throughout the
other parts or the capital
population Of at least $4,000 persons are house.
less,
English Account Of the Conha gratiou-Petro.
leum in Liquid Flame and Explosion.
The Liverpool Post OF the 10th Of June, to hand
yesterday by City of Paris speaking OF the great
flre its origin and progress, says:"In addition to
the particulars OF this terrible disaster communi-
Gated by telegraph, we arc enabled, by the kindness
OF Liverpool merchant, to add the following de.
tails from special supplement OF C0nstantinople
paper'';z 1872
The disaster originated In the quarter OF valide.
CheSue below the Taxlm, where, about two P. NJ,