Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1871-11-03
has suffered the most severely

element. On the Sd Of May, 1875 /,
the city was literally laid in ashes.
Two thousand five hundred of its
buildings were destroyed, and in
less than nine hours from the be-
ginning Of the contiagration more
than twenty squares existed only in
memory, and the ascending volumes
OF smoke and flames which covered
the site of the city. The loss was
estimated at sl7,O00,O0O. On the
oath day of December it suffered
from fire in which sl,5o0,oO0
worth of property were destroyed;
in May, 1850, from another, costing
the city S3,ooo,0o0; in July, Of the
same year, from still another, at
which the loss was s5,Ooo,Ooo, and
June, 1851, one destroying 50, 900,
600 worth Of property.
ST. LOUIS.
On the night of May 18th, ls4o,
the steamer Flying Cloud, lying be
tween Wash and Cherry streets,
was discovered to be on fire, and i,
was soon enveloped in flames. AT
the commencement the wind was
blowing stiffiy, forcing the boat d.
rcctly into the shore. Although the
cables Of all the boats were hauled
in, and they drittcd out into the
current, yet the flaming vessel ap-
pearcd to outstrip them all in the
speed with which she travelled down
stream. She determined on getting
in among and destroying the fleet
OF vessels now looscned from their
fastenings and driven about with
the sport OF the wind and the waves,
and no one on board to control
them. In very short time, per.
haps thirty minutes after the confa.
grafton had commenced, twenty.
three had been given up to the fury
Of the flames.
The fire was soon communicated
to the buildings at the corner OF
Locust street and the Levee, and
the corner house and three others
fronting on the lcvee were com
pletely destroyed.
From the starting point to where
the progress of the flames was ar
rested, southwark was one mile
and it extended in width three
squares, destroying the finest ware
houses and the largest mercantile
establishments at that time in the
city. Thousands were made home
less, and hundreds were reduced
from opulence to beggary. Nine
entire squares and portion Of si>
others were destroyed. In all there
were twcnty-seven steamboats,, scy.
EN- printing Offices and four hundred
and eighteen buildings consumed
Twenty persons, some Of them the
leading citizens, lost their lives, and
a list Of the sufferers filled six col
umns of one of the local papers,
| The loss was estimated at $1,000
| 600.
Sacramento fell prey, in 1852
to conflagration which left the
city in ruins, after destroying ter
lives and sl2, 100000 in public and
private buildings.
In March of the same wear, the
city OF Nevada was consumed. at q
loss of Sl,200,O0o, and Stockton
three months later, at a loss oil
$1,000, 900.
Among the scverest fires Of tho
country was that which broke out
on the goth of April, 1915, in Pitts
burg. Before its flames could b,
checked they had destroyed the
most valuable portion Of the city
and consumed property valued at
S2,oO0,ooO.
Savannah was nearly destroyed
in conhagration which commenced
on the 10th of January, 1920, in a
private boarding house on Market
square. Four hundred and sixty
three buildings were destroyed in
the short space Of eight hours, and
at IN estimated loss Of sS,00o,000.
Among the other notable fires Of
the country have been the following:
In Albany, August 18th, 1913, loss
s5,ooo,ooo; in Charleston, April 81,
loss 1000, 900; in Mobile. October
2lSt, 1927, loss 81 900, 700; and in
New Orleans, Philadelphia and
Brooklyn at various times.