Buffalo, New York, USA
1850 - TREMENDOUS FIRE ! - OVER $100,000 OF PROPERTY DESTROYED !

From the Buffalo Daily Courier.

It becomes out painful duty to record the most disastrous conflagration, which has ever visited our city. The American Hotel, the Park Church, and numerous stores and dwellings contiguous to both are now in ruins. The blow has been a heavy one, and will awaken our citizens to the necessity of some measures being taken for their better protection from fire. Had there been a supply of water, sufficient to keep the engines in constant play, without the necessity of ceasing in order to change, from one resevoir [sic] to another, the fire might have been extinguished in the building where it took.

The fire broke out, at about half-past two, on yesterday morning, in the building next above the AMERICAN HOTEL, occupied by L. B. SHEARS, as a restaurant, and for six hours its course of destruction was unstayed. A heavy gale was blowing from the south-west, and fears were entertained, not alone by the faint-hearted of our citizens, that the devastation would prove much greater. But thanks to the untiring efforts of our firemen, than whom no organized body of men ever worked with more assiduity, the ravages of the element have been confined within bounds less extensive than was feared, and the loss, though great, can be looked upon as not irreparable.

The fire commenced in SHEAR'S ARCADE in the basement kitchen, it is supposed from a cooking stove, and destroyed the whole interior of that building, before communicating to any other. The loss in this building is divided as follows: L. B. SHEARS, REFECTORY, all destroyed. Loss $1,000 – Insured $500. DARLING & KENYON, second story, Bowling Saloon - Insured $800. E. A. DARLING, third story, Billiard Rooms – Insured $1,000, which will cover the loss. In the second story, across the hall from the Bowling Saloon, was the Barber shop, of ? SMITH.

The upper story was occupied by several gentlemen for private lodging rooms.

The fire then communicated to the north-east corner of the AMERICAN HOTEL roof and in a few moments that structure was in flames. While the energies of the firemen were all directed to saving this splendid building, it was discoved [sic] that the Layfeatte [sic] Street Church, (REV. MR. HEACOCK'S) situated on the corner of Layfayette [sic] place and Washington street, about forty rods from the original fire, had taken fire from sparks carried by the wind. In less than half an hour, the whole interior of this building was destroyed. From the Church the fire extended to the dwelling house of G. P. STEVENSON, corner Washington and Lafayette streets, and to the stables of GEO. METZGER and the lumber yard of DODGE & BALDWIN, all of which were burned. The losses were as follows. Presbyterian Church, Insured $4,000, G. P. STEVENSON'S dwelling, furniture mostly saved. Loss $3,500 to $4,000; no insurance. PHOENIX HOTEL stables, owned by PHEBE SMITH and her heirs; insured to full amount. GEO. METZGER'S livery stable. Loss $200, covered by insurance in Genesee Mutual. PHOENIX HOTEL, E. T. CROSS. Furniture damaged by removal. Insured in Saratoga Mutual to the full amount. The Hotel itself was saved by tearing down the building between it and the stables. The AMERICAN HOTEL was entirely destroyed. Much of the furniture was removed, but was damaged to a great amount. MR. HODGES was insured for $8,000, which will fall short of covering his loss. The building was owned by JOS. E. THAYER & BROTHER, of Boston, and we learn was insured in Hartford offices for $10,000.

J. T. ADAMS, Confectioner, American Hotel Building. Loss $500. No Insurance.

BLOOMER HALL - This establishment embraced the rear and basement of two stories; occupied in front and the upper stories, by SAND'S BARBER SHOP; WM. MANG'S BOOT and SHOE shop and FRANCIS'S Patent medicine Depot. SAND'S stock is nearly all destroyed. Loss $250. - No Insurance. MANG and FRANCIS are heavy sufferers, but their loss we are unable to assertain.

T. T. BLOOMER, Refectory, Dancing Hall and Ordinary. Loss $3,500. Insured $1,500 in Union Mutual, New York. In the Second story were the suite of rooms occupied by W. CARY, M.D. As a private residence. Considerable of his furniture was saved. Insured $1,000 in the Union Mutual, New York, which will probably cover his loss.

Next below the store occupied by FRANCIS, was the Paris store, a Fancy Dry Good Establishment. The firemen were about tearing this down, when the walls of the building next North, fell upon and completely crushed it. Loss not ascertained. At this point, the fire on the West side of Main street was arrested.

On the Eastern side of Main street was a row of wooden buildings, extending from the corner of Clinton street to HERSEE & TIMMERMAN'S brick building, occupied by the proprietors as an extensive Furniture Manufactory and Ware House. The fire communicated to the Park House, on the corner of Clinton and Main streets, and burned through to Washington, destroying all North of HERSEE & TIMMERMAN. In the alley running out of Clinton street, was a two story wooden dwelling occupied by two or three families. All destroyed.

On Washington street were two or three dwelling houses of wood occupied by negro families. These were all burned.

The streets in the neighborhood of the disaster present a woful [sic] spectacle. Eagle, Clinton and Pearl are filled with furniture, and here and there are seen the females and children of a family, weeping, as they turn over the rescued fragments of what lately composed their household goods. The sight is painful enough, and unaccustomed as we are, in Buffalo, to kindred ones, it strikes us with an appalling distinctness. God forbid it should be often repeated.

The Erie Observer
Pennsylvania
March 16, 1850

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