The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1872-11-15
affecting gsgisttt.


Scenes OF the Great Fire In Bosten--
Awful Grandeur OF the Planes
Seen frsm Other Places.
Disratch to the New York Herald.l
The lurid glare OF the flames lighted
up the entire city, and newspapers could
be plainly read for miles away. In
Providence, which is forty miles distant,
an alarm OF fire was caused by the
Boston confsgration, somebody presum.
ing that the fire was in that city. The
FIRE was also distinctly visible in Sto-
nington, Northford, Portsmouth and
other places equally distant.
From the persistent and rapid prog
ress OF the awful conhagration it became
apparent at about 9 o'clock that the
Boston fremen were unequal to the
task of subduing or even checking its
further progress; 10 fact, the whole city
seemed doomed, and every citizen be-
came sober and serious. The au:hori-
ties Immediately sent to the neishboring
cities-Charlestown, Cambridge and
Chelsea-for assistance, and in the
course Of an hour the entire fire depart
ment of these eaversl cities we're on the
ground! Tn. fire fend still swept on,
and the hundreds OF streams which
were poured on the fumes wee of no
more cons quence than a single's,ull
wherry would have been to the progress
of Cuusrd steamer.
1--WE must have still more help" said
the Chief Engineer, Tor Boston and its
suburbs will be in ruins be ore morn
ing" Telesrams were then sent to
more distant towns and cities, and spe-
cial trains were chartered and the right
OF way given for their immediate trans
portation. Three steamers from Wor-
cester and the men belonging to them
we're in B ,ston and at work within fifty
five minutes after the call tor hep
reached them. They came down on q
special train over the Albany road. and
made the forty-tour miles in just forty
five minutes. Assistance was also
promptly on hand from Lowell, Law
renee, Portsmouth, Portland. Manches
ter, Providence, Pawtucket, Stonington
and various other Of the cities and
larger towns in this section Of New
Fog gland. To say that they all did gal
liant service would convey but a faint
idea of the energy and determination
with which they applied themselves to
the rescue. But still the fire fiend swept
on. One, two and three o'clock in the
morning, and the firemen were SEEM
ingly more powerless than ever. A fresh
breeze waited over the terrible scene o.
destruction, carryi. G 10 all directions
sheets Of devouring flame and showers
OF burning embers. 1t seemed as It
nothing buta deluge from heaven would
stav the progress of the terrible element
Some rushed frantic and wild through
the streets, some prayed, some moaned,
a few drunken brutes cursed, but all
showed by their horror-stricken coun-
tenances that they keenly appreciated
the horrible and critical situation.
1t was about 9 o'clock when there
came the first sense of relief, that the
firemen might probably save the north
ern and western sections OF the city,
both of which had for hours seemed
inevitably doomed to the same fate as
the business portion. This feeling,
however, was not universal. The wind
was still blowing fresh, and many
shook their heads ominously and de-
clared that the whole space, from the
wharves to the Back Bay, and from the
South end to the Charlestown and
Cambridge bridges, would be in ruins
before night. No pen can picture, nc
brain can frame into thought, the effect
that this appalling and threatening
prospect had upon the people.
Every one seemed perfectly frantic
wandering hither and thither in great
crowds, aud only adding 10 the con-
srerra ion that ragged through the ranks
of the firemen and about the more i'm
mediate localities OF the raging flames
Merchant princes, who on Saturday
locked their doors upon imme use
treasures, now found themselves not only
impoverished, but threaten ell with beng
made homeless by the terrible hend
Almost insane, they flew through the
excited masses, hut where and what fol
,hey could not tell All, all WAS con-
sternsuion. The ruined merchants. the
i'm poverished mechanics, the helpless
and homeless shop z rls. and the thou
sands and tens OF thousands OF other
re, resentatives OF society, all united IN
the gen, raj mourning Of vi a. had and
what m ght come. But The energetic
and exhausted 6remen still kept AT
work. and in the very face o. &c eral
despair fought the fl .mes more defer
m,nedy than ever
| Between 8 and 9 o'clock waa the
mos, critical period in the whole CO. fl =,
grafton. TIE whole o. the Fith ward
lad been nearly destroyed, snd from
Summer street almost down to Milk
clean sweep had been made OF ev'
ery,hing on the east side o. Washing
ION street. The old South Church, the
'amous sanctuary o. many generations
on the northeast corner OF Washington
and Milk streets. was now the objective
point 1t that succumbed to the iurl
Gus element 1t was generally conceded
that the whole OF the north and wes
ends would follow Thousands watched
the old spire with bresthless anxiety
and PRAYED fervently that it might bt
SHARED. The fremen worked with 8
determination, inspired, it seemed, as il
by heaven, and Tor an hour or more moi
less than fifty streams poured upon the
ancient tabernacle and the burning
buildings surrounding it. Steadily but
slowly the brave fellows seemed 10 ge'
the mastery OF the fiend, and finally
alter hours OF persistent toll, they
came out tr,umphantly. The old