The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1871-10-27

Among the great conhagrations Of the
past that of London in September, 1866,
viii always stand pre-eminent for its
terrible destructiveneSs. IL followed
apon the great plague, which had carried
of one-third Of the population in the
previous year, and swept over nearly
five-Sixths of the space included within
the city walls at that date, IL lasted
four days, and the ruins covered iS6
acres. IL destroyed eighty-nine churches
Including ST. Paufs). the Royal Ex.
change, the Custom-houSe, 6uildhall,
Zion College, and many other public
buildings, besides lS, 200 private houses,
Four hundred streets were entirely laid
waste. and about 200, 900 of the inhahi-
tants az the city were Obliged to encamp
for some time in the open fields of
Ishngton and Highgate. The most DIS
astrous fire in London since that date
occurred ON the a5th of March, has,
when 200 houses i'm the COrnhiL Ward
were destroyed. Many destructive fires
have occurred in the British metropolis
at later dates. the most recent worthy
of special note being the burning Of the
cotton and other wharycS VI Toolcy
street i'm June aud July, 1861. The
fire continued raging with great or less
fury for nearly month. Several per
sons were killed and property was des-
troyed 10 the value Of a., 600 1000.
On the 9th of May, lS42, a fire hroke
out in the City OF Hamburg, Germany,
which ragged with great fury for four
days destroying about one third Of the
city. Sixty-one streets, containing l.
T41 houses, were utterly laid waste and
thousands Of people we're rendered home
less. There were few public buildings
of value destroyed, and that portion Of
the city was quickly rebuilt in much
more substantial manner, than before.
In this country great fires. especially
before the day OF improved tire-engineS,
have been comparatively frequent, and
New York has had her fun share. In
September, l7T6, soon after the city
came into the hands, of the British, 600
houses were destroyed, forming at that
time large part Of the town. The
buildings were rather huddled together
at the lower end of the island, and were
mostly OF wood, and the district west Of
Broadway aud below Cortland street
was swept bare, New York was visited
by another great eonhagraton, the
greatest in its history, on the 10th OF
December, 1885. Six hundred ware
houses, and property TO the extent OF
over SO, 000, 900, were consumed. Our
oldest inhabitants still remember the
horrors of that terrible disaster. On
the 9th Of September. 1889, the city had
another severe visitation, when forty-six
buildings and property valued at Slu,-
OO0, 600 were DESTROYED. The next con-
flagration of large extent in this city
took place on the 18th of July, lS45,
when S0a stores and dwellings IN the
lower part of the city were destroyed.
These, however, were OF comparatively
inferior value, the whole loss amounting
to Sc, 900, 600. Four lives were lost on
this occasion. Since that time, owing
to the increased efficiency of the means
employed to prevent and extinguish
fires, they have generally been confined
to a single building or a small group.
In the same year Of the last great fire
in New York, 1S45, Quebec suffered
terribly from the same destroying ele-
ment. On the 2Sth of May fire broke
out in the Faubourg ST. Roch which
DESTROYED / 800 buildings before II could
be quelled. Several lives were also lost.
Exactly one month latter !, 800 buildings
were burned. and by these two confagra-
tions nearly two-thirds Of the city was
laid in ruins. The pecuniary loss has
been stated at 5000, 600. In the same
year, on the 18th of june, nearly the
whole town of st. Johns, Newfoundland,
was destroyed. and 6,000 people were
rendered homeless.
Albany suffered from great con-
fagraton on the 9th of September, lS4S.
Six hundred buildings, besides steam
boats, piers, and other property, valued
altogether ut S3, 600, ,00l, were burned.
Twenty-four acres of land within the
atty limits we're covered with ruins.
st. Louis had a great fire IN May,
lS49, when fifteen blocks Of houses and
twenty-three steamboats, were consumed,
causing n loss Of over IS, 600, 900.
Philadelphia has been fortunate in
having few great fires, but one occurred
in that city on the 9th of July, 1850,
which destroyed $50 buildings. These
were Of inferior value, and the whole
loss was but 81, 500, 600, though twenty
five persons were killed, niue drowned,
and 100 injured.
A large portion Of San Francisco Wis
destroyed In 1851. On the Sd of May
FIRE broke out which consumed nearly
800 buildings, causing n loss of So
O00,0 600 and several lives. A little over
a month later, on the 22d Of June, 500
more buildings we're burned, valued at
S3, 600, 600 or more.
Twelve acres Of land in Syracuse were
burned over on the Sth Of November,
1856. About 100 buildings were destroy
ed, and the loss of property amounted
to 81 200, ,000.
The scene most naturally recalled by
this fearful disaster in Chicago is the
terrible celebration of the Fourth Of
July in Portland, Me-, in 1866. The
leading facts of that great event are still
fresh in the public mind The fire, be-
ginning in boot store on High street,
swept north, and destroyed in It's course
nearly one-half OF the city. The pecu-
MARY loss was about SIS, coo, 600, and
one-fonrth OF the population we're rem
dered homeless.
1t seems probable from the reports
thus far received that the terrible fire in
Chicago has no parallel Ia modern
history, unless in the conhagrations
kindIed by war. Even the great fire OF
London, though relatively more de-
structive, did not equal it in absolute
extent The London of that day wns
little more than two-thirds the size Of
the Chicago OF to-day. having less than
go, 600 inhabitants two-thirds of Chi
cago is in ruins, the desolated territory
is far greater than the fve-sixths of
London said to have been laid waste in
1866.
Items or Interest.
MEXICO is tranquil, although Juarez is
surely elected and lacks now ONLY the