CHRONICLE. 



33 



nicating with the stores that ad- 

 join our premises. 



About 130 houses were con- 

 sumed b}^ the fire, thereby 1500 

 persons deprived of habitations at 

 this wretched cohl season of the 

 year: the distress in this town is 

 consequently very great indeed. 



Another Letter, same date. — 



" The custom-house and other 

 public buildings have been saved 

 by the greatest exertions. A 

 more dreadful sight was never 

 witnessed. During the awful 

 conflagration, a hurricane, ac- 

 companied with a hail-stornij took 

 place, which saved the wreck of 

 the town. Huts are now erected 

 for the miserable sufferers. A 

 subscription has been raised, and 

 the inhabitants cannot be too 

 highly praised for the exertions 

 they have made, taking in as 

 many of the houseless poor as 

 their houses would hold, and 

 clothing them with their gar- 

 ments. This dreadful fire broke 

 out at midnight of the 11th." 



Anvther Account. — The fire 

 broke out on tlie 12th, about 

 eight o'clock in the evening, and 

 consumed between a hundred and 

 thirty, and a hundred and forty 

 houses. What increased the dan- 

 ger, and added to the extent of 

 this calamity, was the way in 

 which the town of St. John is 

 built. The houses are entirely of 

 wood, not a brick being used, ex- 

 cept in the chinmeys. They are 

 also irregularly built and huddled 

 together as suited the convenience 

 of their various owners, and 

 without regard to safety or order. 

 A tremendous gale from the 

 south-east was blowing when the 

 fire connnenced, and threatened 

 the total destruction of the place. 



Vol. LVIH. 



Towards morning, however, a 

 lieavy snow which had been 

 falling up to this period chang- 

 ed into rain, and materially 

 checked the rapidity of tlie pro- 

 gress of the devouring element. 

 The extraordinary exertions of 

 the navy, army, and public de- 

 partments, are represented as be- 

 yond praise. Several houses were 

 pulled down before the flames 

 reached them, and thus the com- 

 nmnication being cut otF, the in- 

 jury was limited to the number 

 of habitations specified. We are 

 sorry to say that the lower order 

 of the populace gave themselves 

 up to plunder, instead of assist- 

 ing their wretched fellow crea- 

 tuies, of whom 1,500 have been 

 rendered destitute, during a ri- 

 gorous and inclement season, by 

 this awful visitation. Their houses 

 and provisions are destroyed, and 

 what augments their distress is. 

 the imjx)ssibility of vessels enter- 

 ing the port with supplies, in 

 consequence of the ice. The other 

 inhabitants share their store with 

 tliese imfoitunates, but so heavy 

 a loss must be felt by all. A li-. 

 beral subscription was entered 

 upon, which afforded temporaiy 

 relief ; and we have no doubt but 

 it will be benevolently aided by a 

 similar measure in this country. 



The rapidity with which the 

 houses were consumed is describ- 

 ed as almost inconceivable : many 

 of their inmates had barely time 

 to escape naked, or merely cover- 

 ed with blankets, and stood shi- 

 vering in the storm and snow, 

 while all that they had in the 

 world perished before their eves. 



Report speaks of only one 

 life lost on this melancholy oc- 

 casion. 



D Limerick 



