Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-11-14
THE TERRIBLE FIRE IN BOSTON.


This has indeed been year Of easpal-
ties, by sea and by land. The country
has scarcely recovered from the terrible
shock of,the fearful fire at Chicago, by
which that city was almost totally laid in
ruins And now, we have the appalling
news that Boston has been visited by
similar affiiction. The fire commenced
on Saturday evening about seven o'clock
and continued with undated fury until
Sunday at two o'clock, when it was
placed under control. Scarce was the
alarm sounded when it swept with rapid
and irrepressible force over the second,
third and fourth districts in swift suc-
cession. Stores and granite buildings,
engine houses and telegraph Offices, were
swallowed up and consumed in sheets of
fame, which, aided by the high wind,
lesped from roof to sOof, until within less
than thirty minutes from the first alarm,
the whole city, in one direction, was at
the mercy Of the devouring element.
The heat was such that the engines were
driven back from station TO station.
Building after building was blown up. in
the hope Of staying the progress of the
terrible havoc. But apparently without
effect. 1t extended to the shipping and
many of the vessels were bnrned, while
moored TO the docks. The scene, from
the telegraphic dispatches, defed de-
scription, and must have been awful in
the extreme The result is that the best
part of the business portion of the city
estimated at three square miles, has been
laid in ruins, at loss, which will not fall
short of two hundred millions of dollars.
Apart from the personal suffering and
misery which must necessarily ensue, the
insurance companies and the capital thus
involved must suffer heavily.
The general boundaries Of the burnt
district may be defined by line Crawn
through the whole length of Summer
street; from Washington to and across
Federal street, and nearly to Berk's
wharf; thence across to Washington
square, crossing Purchase, Atkinson and
Pearl streets; thence along Hamilton
street, Just in rear OF the Merchants Ex-
change; thence across to the corner of
Milk and Washington street, intersectlng
Congress and Devonshire streets, and
thence southwark along Washington
street, back to the corner Of Summer.
Within this area, which forms nearly a
square, stretching about half mile each
way, every building is consumed. The
streets comprised in the district are the
whole of Summer, Franklin, Hamilton,
Hawley, Arch, Williams and New Devon
SHIRE streets, Batterymarch, Otis place
and Winthrop place, Washington street
from Milk to Summer: Federal street
from Milk to Broad: Atkinson street
from Congress to- Purchase; Pearl street
from Milk to High; Oliver street from
Milk street to Washington square Milk
street from Washington to Broad; most
of Water, Central, Doane, Kilby and
Lindell streets, and Congress and Devon
shire streets from Water to Milk streets.
This makes about forty solid blocks, or
about five lineal miles of buildings.
Nine hundred and thirty business houses,
sixty dwelling and lodging houses are
destroyed, and three hundred families
are homeless.
The burnt district is full of roughs and
thieves committing all sorts Of depreda-
tions. The loss can only be roughly es-
timated at one hundred and fifty million
dollars.
A large force of engines are on the
watch and the military guard for the
burnt district has been reinforced by a
battalion Of cavalry.
The value of goods DESTROYED is about
fifty million dollars. The New England
insurance companies suffer most, but it
is believed that some Of the Boston COM
panies will be able to resume operations.
The English companies lose seven mil
lion dollars. The estimated losses OF the
New York companies reach five million
dollars, but it is not believed that any Of
them will be forced to suspend, and a
good feeling now prevails. The ChicaG
calamity VS. much worse in It's effects
than TINS can be.
The fire caused a panicky feeling on
Monday and Tuesday in the New York
money market, but it had subsidized on
Wednesday. The great wealth OF Bos
ton capitalists gives more confidence than
in the Chicago case.