Further of the Fire Last Night.- …Never in the history of conflagrations in New Orleans, is to be found a calamity like this; never was so much daring displayed by firemen, and such an outburst of sorrow as these deaths and injuries have occasioned.
The red glare of the fire illuminated the city. The flames spreading quickly, in consequence of the combustible materials which filled the buildings, shed a bright light on the tops such distant buildings as the St. Charles hotel and Masonic Hall, and indeed, so great was the reflection that an immense crowd was immediately attracted to the scene of the disaster.
Speedily the news spread that some fifteen or twenty persons were caught under a fallen wall, and the crowd increased so that the burning mass was black with people. Bodies were dragged out blackened and hot, mutilated; some dead, some wounded, the latter calling for help deep among the piles of brick. Then came the sad task of identification, and then the rescuers and searchers after other bodies worked still more vigorously, in hope of finding those who were last seen in perilous places.
We left the scene at 1 o’clock this morning to witness a scene of destruction in another part of the city. The crowd of anxious spectators were still there, and the digging still continued…
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Another Destructive Fire.- Twenty Dwellings Destroyed.- Loss about $50,000.- When the destruction of property was certain this morning, and when the destruction of life was most uncertain, and when the firemen were using their last exertions in endeavors to extricate one or more from the ruins of the conflagration, the alarm was given from fire district No. 3, station 9- No. 9’s engine-house. Absorbed in the terrible results of the fire, to the extinguishment of which most of the companies were giving their attention, it was some time before our gallant fire department could realize the existence of another fire. We were about at the time, and were loth to think that fire fiend- the fiend of destruction, in the most horrible sense of the word- was abroad, while its dreadful effects close by were in course of completion or development.
Of the destruction that occurred time permits us only to give a brief account in this evenings edition.
Extending from the corner of Carondelet and Euterpe there were six new one-story dwellings, built and just being finished for Madame Viosca; the contractor for the buildings being Mr. Gustave Weber, who had not a cent of insurance on the premises, and who will thereby be a loser to the amount of $16,000, or thereabouts.
Next, there were the two neat, two-story houses of Capt. J. C. McConnell, one of which was occupied by his family and the other by Mr. Thos. McWhan. These were destroyed. He was insured.
…The crimson reddening of the sky, however, forced the truth upon us, that another disaster, perhaps direful to human life was well as homestead, was being enacted in another part of the city.
We hurried there, even while men were walking amid fierce and blinding smoke and but little removed from fierce flame. …The firemen worked like trogans at this fire, and did all that men could do to save property.
This fire was undoubtedly the work of an incendiary. It was first discovered in one of the new unoccupied houses, where fire could not then be produced, except by maliciousness.
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Another Fire.- As we write, 12 M., a fire is burning out on Poycras street. It is in the neighborhood of O’Brien & Coster’s (late Freret’s) cotton press.
We learn that the Southern cotton press is on fire.
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A Fiend In Human Shape.- Says the Mobile Tribune of yesterday: Yesterday evening, as the freight train No. 2 went up the road, when some few miles above Whistler, they came in contact with a “trap” which was evidently set for the Mississippi passenger train. It was a log placed on the track in such a position as to throw the down train off. Fortunately the up freight train No.2 struck it first and no damage was done, except the breaking of a water pipe. The train then returned to Whistler. The passenger train from Mississippi came in at the regular time.
Can it be believed that there exist a man so base as to endanger the lives of innocent children, women and men, simply because they may, perhaps, have a little animosity towards some employee of the company? If such a man could be caught he should be hanged higher than “Gilderoy hung his bacon.”
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Another Terrible Accident.- Five Persons Killed- 20 or 30 Wounded.- [occurred on the 15th inst., on the Racine (Wis.) and Mississippi road…A passenger train, while taking on wood and water, was rear-ended by a friend train following…
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Mississippi Intelligence.- Excitement.- There was no little excitement in Oxford on Sunday last, owing to a rumored insurrection among the negroes. The Intelligencer says:
On Saturday night last our people were greatly excited by the news that there was much excitement in Holly Springs, and that the police up there thought they had discovered an insurrectionary plot among the negroes. Guns and ammunition were in great demand, and even axes and shovels became weapons for a time. Fortunately there was no call for shooting or axing.
Destructive Fire.- Quite a destructive conflagration occurred in Yazoo county last Monday night. The Brandon Herald of the 19th says:
We learn that our townsman, Mr. E. Richardson, had his steam mill, to which his gin was attached, situated on his Valley Plantation in Yazoo county, burnt down on last Monday, together with a large lot of lumber and some twenty-five or thirty bales of cotton. The fire originated form friction while the gin was running. There was no insurance. Last spring, Mr. Richardson had a valuable dwelling-house, kitchen and smoke-house burnt down on his Hill place, adjoining his Valley place.
A fire also broke out in Carrollton that night, which at one time threatened to prove very destructive, but was subdued with little loss.
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Killed.- We find the following in the Lexington Advertiser of yesterday: We learn that McCauley, late overseer on Mr. Tanner’s place, was killed, a few days since, at Sidon, by Samuel Pate. It appears that Mr. Pate had been hunting, and while on horseback, leaving Sidon, a small fierce dog belonging to McCauley followed the pack of hounds of Mr. Pate. McCauley who was somewhat intoxicated, became enraged, and mounting his horse, rode after Mr. Pate, and presenting a pistol, seized him by the hair and compelled him to return to town, uttering at the same time many abusive epithets. Mr. Pate, who had his gun across his saddle waited his opportunity to get McCauley within range of the muzzle. When this occurred, he fired, killing McCauley instantly. The citizens of the place declared it to be a justifiable homicide, and Mr. Pate, departed unmolested.
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A Midnight Encounter- Mysterious Affair.- In the last issue of the Chickasahay (Miss.) Advertiser we read: The overseer on a plantation about three miles from Flower’s place in Smith County, a few nights ago, was interrupted by the barking of his dogs. Several times during the earlier part of the night he went out to ascertain the cause of their disturbance; at last he went out with his gun, and discovered a man gliding off through the darkness. He called to the man to stop, who made no reply but still went on; the overseer then threatened to shoot him unless he stopped, and he raised his gun for that purpose, which was at that instant seized by a man who sprang from under a fence, near which he was standing. A scuffle then ensued between the overseer and this man for the gun, during which the other man ran back and commenced cutting the overseer with a knife. At this time one of the barrels of the gun was accidently discharged, when both the men hearing the negroes, coming to the overseer’s assistance, ran off, leaving the overseer partly thrown to the ground, who, upon rising, discharged the other barrel of his gun after them. The overseer then went to one of the neighbors who had negro dogs, and put them on their tracks. The dogs followed them l they came to the place wher they had taken horses, after which no traces could be found of them. Upon returning, the pursuers found a piece of a coat sleeve which was besmeared with blood. There was no clue to their names or whereabouts, and no words, were spoken by either, except when they escaped, when one of them said to the other: “Let us run.” They were both strangers to the overseer.
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Fight Between A Party of Cherokees.- We learn by a dispatch from Fort Smith (Ark.) that a savage fight took place there on the evening of the 18th, between a party of Cherokees. The encounter was savage and bloody; knives and pistols were used with murderous energy on both sides. Two men were killed, and two others mortally wounded. The affray grew out of a family feud, which nothing but blood could reconcile.
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Alabama and Florida Railroad.- The Florida end of this road is progressing rapidly. The Pensacola Observer says:
Seven miles are now completed and in running order, and we understand sufficient fore will be employed to place in running trim three and a half or four miles per month, which will close up the gap in double quick time. The train which left Tuesday morning last was heavily freighted with merchandise of every description, for consignees along the road and at points beyond the line, in Alabama. We have been advised that much larger shipments of merchandise, destined for the southern counties of Alabama, would have been made to this point this fall, if arrangements for storage could have been made in our city. This difficulty will doubtless be removed in time for the reception of spring stocks.
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David Upton