The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-10-30
NO. H..
Great Fires Of the Past.

Off oue.thill OF the population in til
previous year, md swept over nearl
iive.sixths OF the space included within
tue city walls at that date, Il llsteI
four days, ind the ruins covered 49,
arres. ttdestroyel elghty.nine clmrche
lincluliug ST. Paul's), the Royal Ex
change, the Custom house, Gnildball
Zion College and many other public
buildings, besiles l3, 2JOprivate houses
Four hundred streets were entirely lai
waste, and about 200, 900 of the inhabi
tants Of the city were obliged 10 enclmr
for some time in the open fields oI
Isliugton and Highgate. The most dis
astrOus fire in London since that date
occurred on the 25th Of March, l74S
when 200 houses in the Cornhill 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 wharves OF Tooley
street in 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,
truyed to the value Of E!,0O0,OOO.
On the 9th of Nav. 1912, fire broke
ont in the City OF Hamburg, Germany,
which ragged with great fury for four
days, DESTROYING alout one third OF the
city. Sixty.One streets, containing l..
TAI houses, were utterly aid waste and
thousands Of people were rendered home
less. There were few public buildiug'
Of wlue 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 fre.engines,
have been comparatively frequent, and
New York hns lad lIer full share. In
September, l77G, soon after the city
came into the hand, Of the British, 900
houses were destroyed, forming ut that
time large part Of the town. The
buildings were rather hudlled together
ut the lower end Of the island, and were
mostly OF wood, nnd the district west OF
Broadway and below Cortland stre4t
was swept bare. New York was visited
by another great cnnaagntion, the
greatest in its history, on the 10th of
December, 1895. Six hundred ware.
lionses, nnd property to the extent Of
over go, 900, 900, were consumed. Our
oldest inhabitants still remember the
horrors OF that terrible disaster. On
the 9th of September, 1880, the city had
another severe visitation, when fcrty.six
buildings and property valued Mt Sl0,.
0O0, 900 were destroyed. The next COLI
aagmtion OF large extent in this city
took place on the 10Th OF July, 1915,
when 302 stores and dwellings in the
lower part OF the city we're destroyed.
These, however, were OF comparatively
inferior value, the whole loss amounting
to SO 100000. Four lives were lost oil
this occasion. Siace that time, owing
to the increased efficiency OF the means
employed to prevent and extinguish
fires, they have generally been confined
10 single building or small group.
In the same year Of the last great Ere
in New York, 1915, Quebec suffered
terribly from The saRe destroying ele-
ment. On tho 2Sth Of May fire broke
out in the Faubourg 81. Roch which
DESTROYED 1000 bull llings before it could
be qnellrd. Several lives were also lost.
Exactly one month latter 1900 buildings
were burned, and by these two connagrn-
tions nearly two.thirds Of the city was
laid in ruins. The pecuninry loss has
been stated at S5,000,0 In the same
year, on the 18th OF June, nearly the
whole town of st. Johns, Newfoundland,
was destroyed, and G,0OO people were
rendered homeless.
Albany suffered from n great con-
1agntion OH the 9th Of September, 1918
Six hundred buildings, besides steam.
boats, piers, aud other property, valued
altogether n. s3,0O0,O0O, were burned.
Twenty acres Of land within the
city limits were covered with ruins.
St. Louis had n great fire in May,
1919, when fifteen blocks Of houses and
twenty.three steamboats, were consumed,
causing loss of over S3,OU0,0O0.
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, aud the whole
loss was but 81, 1000, 900, though twenty
five persons were killed, nine drowned,
and 100 injured.
A large portion OF San francisco was
destroyed in 1851. On the 81 Of May Il
fire broke out which consumed nearly
2,50D buildings, causing II loss VI 3d.
600, 600 and several lives. A little over
month later, on the 22d OF June, 900
iuore buildings were burned, valued at
SO, 900, 900 or more.
Twelve acres Of land in Syracuse were
burned over OH the Slh Of November,
1856. About 100 buildings were destroy.
ed, and the loss Of property amounted
to 100000.
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
.eading facts OF that great event are still
fresh i'll the public mind. The fire, be.
ginning in boot store on High street,
swept north, and destroyed in its course
nearly one.hall OF the city. The pecu.
MARY lUss was about s1j,r00,0OC, and
nue.fonrth OF the population were ren.
Tered homeless.
It seems probable from the reports
thus for received that the terrible fire in
Chicago has no parallel id modern
history, unless in the conhagrations
kindled by war. Even the great fire oil
London. though relatively more dc.
structive, did not equal it in absolute
extent, The London Of that day was
little more than two.thirls the size oil
the Chicago Of today, having less than
$50, 900 inhabitants two.thirtls Of Chi
cago is in ruins, the desolated territory
is far greater than tile fivc-Sixths oI
London said to have been laid vnste il