Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

BOSTON, April 23.

It is with inexpressible sorrow, we relate, that about sunset last evening, a fire broke out, in a Malt-House, belonging to Mr. William Patten, near the Liberty-Pole, at the south-end of this town, and was attended with a destruction, similar to which the inhabitants of this town have not experienced, since the year 1760. The wind at N. E. blowing hard, carried the flakes of fire to a great height and distance, by which, the houses being very dry, were set on fire in so many places, as rendered it impossible to direct the exertions of the inhabitants to any point. The spire of the Rev. Mr. Wight's meeting house, situated at the distance of near 50 rods from the place where the devastation first began, was observed to be on fire, at the ball just below the vane, in less than 15 minutes—as this could not be extinguished by reason of its height, the fire falling therefrom, and from the houses then in flames in a short time demolished that large edifice. In the direction of the wind for the space of 20 rods wide, the fire carried havock as far as the buildings extended, crossing the Main Street, and destroying the buildings on one side from Mr. Knapp's to Mr. Bradford's; and on the other from Mrs. Inches, to Mr. Osborne's.

The following is as accurate a list of the persons burnt out last evening, as we could obtain, viz.

Mrs. Inches. Joshua Henshaw, Esq. Mrs. Amory, the Miss Johnnotts, Mr. Josiah Knapp. Dea. Daniel Bates, Mrs. Searles, Mr. John Fenno. Mrs. Warren. Mr. Fairfervice, Mr. Field. Mr. Hopkins. Mrs. Wales, Capt. Harton. Mr. Phillips, Mr. Shepard, Mrs. Swift. Mr. Pope. Mr. Lovering, Mr. H. Foster, Mr. Ensley, Mr. Joseph Sprague, Mr. Wheeler. Mr. Lehr. Dea. Gridley. Mr. Gould, Mr. Patten, Mr. Gouch, Mr. Heley, Mr. Segar. Mr. Shepard, Mr. Bradford, Mr. Osborne (shop.) Mr. Stowell. Capt. Gardner. Capt. Jackson. Mr. Johnnot. Mr. Joseph Pope, Mr. Wm. Penniman. Mr. Bates. Mr. Clark [Swan tavern] Mr. May, Mr. Larnsf ord. Mr. Stimson Mr. Samuel Philips. Mr. Spencer Vose, Capt. Bosworth, Mr. Em mons. There were several houses empty, which, with the meeting house, shops, barns, and out-houses may be computed at 100 buildings, upwards 50 of which were dwelling houses.—Providentially no lives were lost.

Much praise is due to the inhabitants of Charlestown, Roxbury, Dorchester, Milton, Cambridge and Medford, for their very spirited and cheerful assistance with their engines, on this occasion.

The light given by the fire was so great, that at Watertown, a person's countenance could be very plainly distinguished thereby, at a considerable distance.