Erie, Pennsylvania Fire

February 1857

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE !

A WHOLE BLOCK CONSUMED !!

About 1 o'clock on Wednesday morning a fire was discovered in the rear of the wooden buildings opposite CADWELL'S Block, on State street. The combustible nature of the entire block rendered all efforts to save it abortive, it being almost immediately enveloped in flames, and in the lapse of two hours burned to the ground. --- The buildings destroyed occupied the ground from RINDERNECHT & JUSTICE'S up to C. B. WRIGHT & CO.'S, and from thence Back to Beatty's Block. The dwellings of JAMES LYTLE and WILLIAM BEATTY back of RINDERNECHT & JUSTICE'S, on Fifth street, were saved by dint of extraordinary effort, though badly damaged.

The block in itself was not particularly valuable, composed as it was, for the most part, of wooden structures, and a portion of it in a dilapidated condition; but being occupied by stores and offices of various kinds, the consequent loss is very considerable. In indicating the extent of this loss we must necessarily depend, somewhat, upon mere hearsay; and if out detail seems wanting in system and particularity it must be attributed to the embarrassing circumstances by which we are surrounded this (Wednesday) morning.

RINDERNECHT & JUSTICE, who kept a Grocery and Provision Store in the lower corner, have sustained a loss of about $3,700, which, we are happy to say, is fully covered by insurance.

KENDIG & JUSTICE, what had a similar establishment one door above, most of whose effects, were destroyed, were also very nearly, if not fully, protected by insurance. Their insurance is $1,600 – loss about the same.

The next room was occupied by MR. GOEBEL as a Tailoring Shop. Loss small --- some insurance.

T. W. MOORE'S Grocery, one door above, was totally destroyed --- even the books were not saved. Insurance $1,000 --- loss $3,800. The building, owned by MR. JOHN MOORE, was insured $500.

JOSEPH, JOHNSTON & BROTHER, in the same business one door above, were still more unfortunate. Their Groceries and Provisions were not only consumed, chiefly, but all the household furniture of MR. J., who occupied the upper apartment as a family residence. The fact that they had no insurance whatever, renders the misfortune in their case peculiarly painful. They estimate their loss at from $6,000 to $7,000. --- The building, belonging to MR. GUY LOOMIS, who was insured for $1,000, which covers his loss.

MR. CHARLES MILLER occupied the next room as a Boot and Shoe Shop. He saved a considerable portion of his stock, and therefore, we presume, sustained no serious loss, having $1,000 insurance.

The Jewelry and other articles in MR. T. M. AUSTIN'S Store, immediately adjoining, were principally carried out before the flames reached it.. Loses about $300 --- no insurance.

J. C. SCRIPTURE, Daguerrean Artist, in the room directly over MR. AUSTIN'S, was less fortunate; he last all his apparatus --- in short, everything. Loss $800 --- no insurance.

TANNER & KERN, one door above, were also peculiarly unfortunate --- losing a large portion of their stock and almost all their tools. Loss $1,500 --- no insurance.

CLARK & METCALF, Exchange Brokers in the adjoining room, sustained no loss of any consequence. C. B. WRIGHT & CO., in the corner, also saved all their valuable effects. We regret to say that the Dispatch office, above, was principally destroyed. MR. YOUNG estimates his loss at $2,000 --- no insurance. MR. ROZENSWAIG, owner of this building and those next to it up as JAMES LYTLE'S Clothing Store, was insured $3,000 --- sufficient, we suppose, to cover his loss.

Next to the Dispatch office were the law office of MURRAY WHALLON and CARSON GRAHAM, and the office of JOHN SWENEY, ESQ., neither of whom we are informed, sustained much loss. G. W. GOODRICH, who occupying the room underneath MR. SWENEEY'S office as a Variety Store and Bakery, also escaped without serious loss.

Most of the articles in CLIFFORD'S Barber Shop, ATKINS Paint Shop, LYTLE'S Clothing Store, and LAW'S Saddler Shop were saved. The materials of the True American newspaper above LAW'S Saddler Shop, were also saved, in a somewhat damaged condition. The paper of this week, which was ready for press, will of course de [sic] delayed several days. The proprietors of the American and Dispatch, with the whole body of sufferers, have our sincere sympathies in their misfortune.

The building occupied by MR. LYTLE was owned by MR. CHARLES MILLER, on which he had $600 insurance. The adjoining one, occupied by MR. LAW and the publisher of the True American, and belonging to MR. N. MURPHY, was not insured.

We have neither time nor space for comment on this serious calamity. The attending circumstances convey a lesson which we should all take to heart and endeavor to proffit [sic] by . We are reminded by it of the emminent [sic] peril to which many of our business citizens are exposed, without adequate means of protection. Too many of our buildings have been erected without reference to their security against the ravages of the devouring element, while we are lamentably deficient on the score of water and other needful appliances. We want in the first place, a more substantial character of business edifices; in the second place, a better supply of water; in the third place, a thorough revision and re-organization of the Fire Department. In this last remark, we mean to cast no reflections upon our Firemen, because on Wednesday morning they did all they possibly could do with the facilities at their command; but simply to say that their organization has become defective, and is consequently susceptible of improvement.

Great alarm prevailed during the progress of the fire, lest it might (in accordance with the direction of the wind,) extend across the way to BROWN'S HOTEL, and the REED HOUSE Row, in which event most of the business portion of the City would have been consumed, but the fireproof nature of the Hotel, added to energetic and well directed effort, prevented the apprehended catastrophe.

Strong praise is bestowed upon MR. SAMUEL Z. SMITH and MR. WILLIAM SHERWOOD for their liberality in supplying the firemen with bread, coffee, etc. Doubtless others manifested the same generous spirit, and thereby entitled themselves to the lasting regard of the whole community. --- Gazette.

The Erie Observer 1857-02-28

Submitted & transcribed by Stu Beitler  Thank you, Stu!

Transcribed by Bekky Tatar-Kinsey.  Thanks, Bekky!

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