Phenix Gazette

Herald Office, Norfolk,
Friday, March 9—6 A. M.

MOST AWFUL CONFLAGRATION!

It has become our painful task to record another most destructive visitation of our unfortunate town by fire, which broke out this morning at half past one o'clock in a small shell of a building south side of Main-street, a few paces East of Church-street, occupied as a wheel-wright shop by Mr. E. Ballance. The building was in a blaze before it was discovered, and the tenants of the large frame house belonging to the heirs of David Patterson, forming the S. E. corner of Main and Church-streets, were not apprized of their danger until the flames had communicated to it, such was the rapidity of their progress, owing to the dryness of the weather, and a strong South Easterly wind.

The buildings on the North side of Main st. immediately opposite the fire, were also very combustible; the exertions of the Fire Companies, succeeded in preserving them.—But it is beyond the power of our pen to describe the scene which presented itself, when the flames had risen to their height in the second building. The wind which seemed to have increased in violence, whirled the sparks and flakes of fire to an immense distance, descended like drifting snow, which literally covering the shingled roofs of the houses to leeward, seemed to defy all human power to save them from conflagration. Several times were some of the most combustible of them on fire, but as often extinguished by the active exertions of our hardy fire-men. At length it was perceived that a flake had lodged on the ample & elevated roof of Christ Church (about 250 yards to leeward of the fire,) and kindled into a blaze. The hose of one of the Fire Companies was immediately sent to extinguish it, but, alas! too late. The fire had penetrated into the vacancy between the vaulted ceiling and the ridge pole, and there was no means of ascent within the church -the stream of water could not reach it from without, and before a ladder of sufficient length could be obtained, the fire had spread the whole length of the roof, and burst forth in terrific grandeur.

The buildings between Main street and the church within the parallels of Church and Fen Church sts. were now considered out of danger; but those beyond the church within the same parallel, it appeared to be beyond all human power to save. The elegant mansion of Walter Herron, Esq half a mile at least from the original seat of the fire, had caught about the same time and in the same manner as the Church; believing his premises in no danger, Mr. Herron had gone to render assistance to those who were immediately needed, as had Herron; and we are informed that there was not a male person on the lot: we regret to add that his house was burnt to the ground, and but very little of its valuable furniture saved The dwelling house and office belonging to B. Pollard, Esq. on the N. side of the Church were in a few minutes enveloped in flames, which heightened by the violence of the wind, mocked every exertion to check their progress. The next buildings which caught fire were the new Lancasterian School house in the rear (fronting on Fen Church street,) and Mrs. Bramble's dwelling (an elevated wooden house) on the N. and beyond these, the fire swept every building to the large brick house, at the corner of Mariner's street, on the East side of Church-street, and to the northern extremity of Fen Church-street, West side, including all those on Mariner's-street.

The sight was awful and heart-rending beyond description. It was not a regular progressive fire—if it had been, our Fire Companies would soon have checked its progress; but houses remote from the body of the fire, as well as those near, were ignited by the falling flakes and brands, and as many as 12 or 15 in detached situations were on fire at the same moment.

We have not time to give any thing like a probable estimate of the amount of property destroyed, or the names of the individual sufferers. Between forty and fifty families have been rendered houseless, and the loss cannot be much short of 80,000 dollars. The Church, (including its elegant organ) was insured for $15,000 in the Mutual Assurance Office, and we understand that most of the houses of any considerable value were also insured. The fire might have been accidental, but there is too much cause to apprehend that it was the work of the lurking incendiary.