The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-12-18
oLD-r1ME FIRE I'm GOTHAM.
Hundreds OF Structures Burned Over
the Heads of British Troops
ia 1875.

Am iAfUs
September n, 1776. a great fire be-
gan In New York in small wooden
house on the wharf near the Whitehall
slip, says the New York Tribune. The
fire began late at night There being
but very few Inhabitants In the city,
In short time II ragged tremendously.
It burned all the houses on the east side
Of Whitehall slip and the west side Of
Broad street. A proyidential and happy
circumstance occurred at this time; the
wind was then southwesterly. About
two o'clock that morning the wind
veered to the southwest. This carried
the flames of the fire to the northwest
ward and burned both sides of Beaver
street to the east side Of Broadway,
then crossed Broadway to Beaver lane,
and, burning all the houses on both
sides of Broadway, with some few
houses in New street to Rector street.
and to John Harrison, ESQ. s, three
story brick house, which house stopped
the fire on the east side of Broadway;
from thence It continued burning all
the houses in Lumber street and
those in the rear Of the houses
on the west side of Broadway to st.
Paul's church, then continued burning
the houses on both sides Of Partition
street and all the houses In the rear
(again) of the west side OF Broadway to
the North river. The fire did not stop
until II got into Mortkile street, now
Barclay street The college yard and the
vacant ground in the rear Of the same
put an end to this awful and tremendous
Ere.
Trinity church being burned was oc-
casioned by the flakes Of fire that fell on
the south side of the roof. The souther-
ly wind famed these flakes of fire in a
short time to an amazing blaze, and It
son became out Of human power to ex-
tinguish the same, the roof Of the noble
edifice being SO steep that no one could
go on 1t.
st. Paul's church was in the like per-
ilous situation. The roof being fiat, with
a halustrade on the caves. a number OF
the citizens went on the same and ex-
tingushed the flakes Of fire as they fell
on the roof. Thus happily was this
beautiful church saved from the de-
structIon Of this dreadful fire. which
threatened the ruin thereof, and that II
the whole city.
The Lutheran church. being contigu-
ous to houses adjoining the same fire,
II was impossible to save It from de-
struction This fire was SO furious and
violently hot that no person could 60
near It, and there we're no fire engines
to be had at that time In the city
The number Of houses burned was 493.
There being very few inhabitants in
the city at the time. and many Of those
we're afraid to venture at night in the
streets for fear OF being taken up as a
suspicious person. a Mr.. White, a decent
citizen and house carpenter, rather too
violent a loyaIist, and latterly had adj
dicted himself to liquor. was on the
night OF the fire hanged on tavern sign
post at the corner Of Cherry and Roose-
welt streets. Several Of the citizens we're
sent to the provost guard for examina-
ton and some of them remained there
two or three days, until they could give
satisfactory evidence Of their loyalty.
Hugh Gain, in his Universal Regis
ter" for the year 1717. says: New York
is about a mile and half in length and
a half mile broad containing before the
fires on September q, 1776. and August
3. ITS, about 200 houses and 10000
Inhabitants"
The Sons Of Liberty were accused by
the British Of being the incendiaries
and number Of them were thrust into
the flames In revenge for the supposed
outrage, Several citizens we're also ar
rested and imprisoned, but the charge of
being accessories was not sustained and
they were released. SO great was the
distress OF the inhabitants that they
tackled sheets of canvas to the rem
nants Of charred walls and standing
chlmneys, thus forming a city Of tents,
In which they bivouacked."
The fire occurred at the time when
Howe's troops were stretched in a cor
don across the island. in readiness to
fall upon the army of Washington. en-
camped upon the heights on the opposite
side OF Harlem Plains, Washington oc-
Il
cupying as headquarters the Roger Nor
ris house, which overlooks Harlem lit
tie below High Bridge and is now known
as the Jumel mansion. The loyalist
owner Of the property, Col Morris. had
married the beautiful Mary Phillipse.
whom Washington at one time wooed in
vain In this house battles were
planned. consultations were held with
chiefs Of Indian tribes "and secret in
structions were issued to the spy Of the
neutral ground After the revolution
the estate was conhscated and was then
purchased by John Jacob Astor. who
sold it to Stephen Jumel. After Jumel's
death his widow married Aaron Burr, but
he left her shortly after and sought Sc
clusion on Staten island Upon the key
stone Of an arch in the main hall Is the
date 1853 and from Its piazza may be seen