Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-10-10

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over district one mile inlength, aud TWEEN
ty-tour blocks, containing twelve hundred
houses, were destroyed. The loss Of prop
erty was estimated at five millions of dol
lars. Among the public buildings burned
were rnanyfne churches, nearly all the large
business blocks, banks, newspaper offices,
and the gas works. r.rpsrs7rrgs .g7re
THE PORTLAND FIRE.
La 1856 the city of Portland was devas-
tated by a terrible confagration. 1t
commenced at boot shop on High street,
on the 9Th of July, and, famed by strong
southerly gale, ragged through the city de-
stroying everything within space of one
and a-half miles long by quarter of mile
wide. About one-half Of the city, includ-
ing the business part, was laid in ruins.
Upwards of fifty buildings were blown up
to stop the progress Of the flames, but with
out avail, and the terror-strieken inhabitants
fed from the Inflated city for safety. The
only building in all the burned district
that escaped was the icustom-house,
which was, fortunately, fire-proof. The
fire lasted for two days, and burned
all the banks, newspaper offices,
telegraph Offices, most of the churches fand
among them the handsomest in the city,
nearly all the public and business bindings.
The loss was estimated at ten millions of
dollars, and was about half covered by In
surance. When the fire was subdued at
the close of the second day, about one-fourth
Of the population was left homeless, after
all the buildings remaining undestroyed had
been filled. Canvas tents and barracks were
hastily erected to accommodate these suf-
fereTs, and, in the meantime subscriptions
were started in every town in the Northern
States and Canada for their relief. About
100000 in money, clothing and food was
thus collected. As soon as the ruins were
sufficiently cool, The energetic citizens com
menced to rebuild their city, and at the
present day but few traces remain of the
JefflDle nle OF 90.
COLUMBIA AND ATLANTA FIRES.
Columbia, s. C., was one of the Southern
cities that suffered most by the late civil
war. 1t was surrendered to Gen. Sherman
on Feb. II, 1866, and soon after taking
possession it was burned by the
Federal troops. Bales of cotton, private
as well as public property, were taken
into the streets, ripped open and set
on fire. A perfect gale was blowing
at the time and scattered the burning cotton
through the city, and everywhere it struck
the fire was at once communicated to the
buildings. To add to the extent of the dis
aster, the Federal soldiers fired the arsenals
and public buildings, and the doomed city
was swept by the angry flames in a dozen
places at once. The abatement Of the wind
alone saved it from utter destruction, but as
it was, but little was left of the beautiful
Capital of South Carolina.
Since its occupation and destruction by
Sherman, it has been to a great extent re-
stored, but il still bears traces Of the con-
querOi's torch. T.sr.r
The destruction of Atlanta by the Fede-
raj troops in 1864 was very nearly as COM
plete as that which now seems TO have
visited Chicago. The loss Of pro-
perty was by no means so large,
owing to the vast difference in the size of
the places, the grandeur of their buildings
and the extent of their commerce. The
"Gate City, has risen from the dust and
ashes which were the habiliments Of her
mourning and again clad herself in the
robes of prosperity. g ISL
THE MOSCOW FIRE.
Moscow, the commercial emporium of
central Russia, was destroyed by the Rus
slams, in 1872, to dispossess Napoleon.
The events connected with the destruction
of the city, and the subsequent and conse-
quent disasters of the French army, are
matters of history. The city was
soon afterwards rebuilt, and 50
greatly improved that the fire was
an actual benefit to it. Previous to that
time the principal streets presented Irregular
rows of buildings, in which the palace was
neighbor to the howell The Kremlin has
been completely repaired, and the new and
more uniform rows of buildings present a
stately appearance, more in conformity with
the broad streets of the city, and better
adapted to modern civilization.
THE LONDON FIRE.
In the year 1866, the great fire of Lon
don, which has been regarded as the most
destructive that ever visited any city, oc-
Cured. The London Of that day differed
very widely from the London of the present
time. Like the portion of Chicago in
which the present great fire originated, the
buildings were of wood. The summer of
1866 was remarkably dry one for
England, and the streets were narrow.
Under such circumstances, and with pow
eTful east wind to spread the conlagratiOn
when it first gained Roadway, the extent of
its sweep was only limited by the material
to be consumed. The horrors of that ter
rible calamity are well described in history
and are familiar to many of our readers.
The destruction was immense. It COM
menced on Sept. 3 and ragged for seven
days, during which it destroyed 1920
dwelling-houses, 81 churches, 6 chapels,
bridges, the city gates, the Exchange
building, the Customhouse, Newgate Prison
and Guild Hall. Its ravages were only
stopped at length by blowing up whole
blocks of houses. The loss has been vari-
ously estimated, but must have amounted
to many millions ofpounds, aud it was felt
all the more that there were no insurance
companies to help to sustain it. Parliament
voted one million eight hundred thous-
and pounds towards the relief of the
sufferers. The great fire brought some COM
penSating advantages. 1t arrested the
plague and ever afterward the city was
much more healthy than it had been known
before. 1t was rebuilt in very short time
and care was taken to make the streets
broader and more regular, and to construct