The Republican journal., 1872-11-14
The Scene at the Fire.


of the scene
Merchant princes there We're, whose words
was as good as their bond; men whose single
name at the bottom of a note for hundreds Of
thousands would pass upon the street without
an ondorser; but to-day they scarcely know
where to lay their heads. Then, too, there
were thousands of the hopeless poor about the
streets. The dwelling houses destroyed were
nearly all in thickly settled Irish colony at the
South Cove, and the plaintve means Of those
VINO were thus rudely turned out to battle with
the world, destitute. attracted universal SYM
palhy. On every corner there was a little pile
OF household furniture, and every street was
packed 18th teams. That the city was surely
to be destroyed seemed altogether beyond cues
ton, and the haggard look and wild, beseech-
ing eyes of the crowds, showed only too plain
ly the effect which the assumption of this idea
produced upon the little children who were in
the streets, half clad and piteously imploring
the reief which the community was poweriess
to render them. Old men tottering towards the
grave watched with feverish anxiety the pro-
gress of the destroyer of their accumulations
OF many years. and young men heartbroken,
speculated mournfnly in regard to their future
but the dependency upon the lookers-on was
but temporary. With willing hearts and strong
arms all lent themselves to the work of helping
the unfortunate, and there was gladstone eX-
hlbltion OF The principles of the golden rule. In
spite of the terrible reverses there was gen
eral expression of opinion that Yankee pluck
had never ii better opportunity TO show itself.
"BoSToN SHALL BE REBUILTT'
was the common cry, and the men who uttered
il meant Just what they said Here is an in
stance. In front of a pile of smouldering ruins,
in the centre of what was yesterday one of the
handsomest blocks of buildings on Washington
street, stands the rough wooden sign, ''The
firm OF Morse, Shepard 4 Co. has removed to
No. % Channcv street" This firm has lost
100000 by the fire, and there are hundreds of
others who, like them, are determined to re-
commence business as soon as possible.
GRAND AND FEARFUL SCENE.
shortly after midnight gained the roof of
one OF The highest hotels in the city: it com
manded Il view of the field OF demoniac desola-
ton. cannot say if in such moments, where
exceptional emotions rise, one should be
ashamed to confess himself awed. As | clam
hered upon the roof, some four blocks distant
from the utmost limit of the fire, and felt the
insh OF the Internal heat upon my face and the
vile glory of the 6Xulting confiagraton swim
in IFS mil aculous brightness before my eyes
my heart leaped with throb which had in it
something of horrid JOY which all humanity
and All reason could not quiet. The tossing
ocean Of vivid. Vengeful fire, breaking around
and submerging everything, had IN it all the
grand emotion of the ocean, but intensified to
the soul IN Il manner altogether Undesirable.
Here the rioting fire waves broke against tall
building, anon they rose above it like the tide,
then with reverberation, as the building fell
crumbed and frittered beneath it, 1t sent up
deluge OF sparks like golden spray. There was
a wealth of suOlimty in the picture which, like
all things sublime caught the mind at once.
All this time brave men were struggling against
" hat seemed doomed. Preparations were being
made to fight fire with fire, water had failed.
The marines from Charleston Navy Yard, iii
their blue oyercoats, came to the aid Of the city
authorities, a guard upon the property. The
circle of the fire was roped around, and senti-
nails forbade the tibet to enter or escape. Great
masses ofincandescent debris lay heaped through
ALI the burning district; places unscathed, but
threatened, were emptied of their valuablea as
rapidly as possible-all this while the transtix-
ing sight was before my eyes. Among those
who stood beside me little was said, and that in
low tones, save where a youth, with all youths
irreverence, talked silly jokes to unappreciative
ears.
THE WIND vEERED ROUND
and mass of acrid, sutfocating smoke was
carried INTO our faces, causing the eyes to run
with water, as though Heaven had sent an an
CRY breath to tell US that this was scene for
tears and not for idle gazing or raptured Won
der. | descended to the streets, but found them
impossible. Every shade of fear, horror and
terror was visible in the strange, weird looks
and distracted and nervous action OF the thou
sands who hurried to and fro. After endeavOr-
ing trntlessly to pick my way III the direction
returned to the hotel. | met thin-faced, gray
whiskered Old gentleman at the door, who was
smoking cigar. He seemed the coolest man l
had seen. but he was a loser by the calamity TO
the amount of some hundreds of thousands.
The Evening Traveller tells of the view from
A., ,aof,e;,,'aa.a
''ie ioo' VI ''9 oiioe
rhe of the fire from the roof of the
Traveller building surpasses all picturing, and
transcends the bounds OF imagination and adj
mil rltl aft II ha do hara
describe the vast district with the rolling seas
of fire and smoke; no words could do justice 10
the scene, and the minglng of awe and pity,
Took away the faculty OF thinking almost. A
night in building which had just escaped be
ING ruined, ana was still III state OF prepara-
ton for being blown up, is not replete with
pleasing sensations, yet two OF the attaches OF
tnc ifaVeller ihadt The best they could OF a
hishI above powder mine u was the deter
nl'n"tioh % the rh'ei oi me Flfe department
llia. iiie uallles should sp'ead no iufthef lhail
9la'e street AZ iar' anu AZ defasef reSSoft
We iiaNeh9f anu many otnef nuliuihss III the
nlc'nitS iiai pfeti iiheu iol DO" ny up, ana
inah, o'u II, h'a neeh down up. Inc W all
nttei vi Dostoh' where are stored 'iie accuili'i-