The Virginia Gazette

BRIDGETOWN (Barbados) Dec. 29.

On Saturday evening last, between the hours of 9 and 10 o'clock, a fire broke out in a store situated to the windward of the dwelling-house of Mr. Paul Bedford and Company. The flames communicated themselves to the said dwelling-house, from thence to the buildings of Gedney Clarke, Esq; and took their course all the way to the Stepping Stones wharf. On the other hand (notwithstanding the wind was very high, and blew from the north east) it took its course up one side of the Green, carrying before it every building from that of John Hall, Esq; to that of Mr. Duncan, near the church, including, in the destruction, the house tenanted by Irenæus Moe, Esquire. To mention the exact number of buildings destroyed by this fire, is impossible at present; but, according to computation, upwards of forty principal dwelling houses, besides stores, have fallen a sacrifice to the flames. To what means this unhappy accident was owing, is very uncertain; but such is now our miserable situation that those very stores which providentially escaped the late dreadful conflagration, and whose humane owners contributed so much to the relief of the poor sufferers thereby, are now destroyed, and with them almost every lumber yard in town. In short, words can but faintly convey an idea of the distresses of the inhabitants, whose lamentations pierced the air, and must have drawn forth pity from the most obdurate heart.