Alexandria Gazette & Daily Advertiser

THE LATE FIRE AT BOSTON.

Several additional particulars relative to this calamity, appear in the Boston papers. The following extracts are copied from the Palladium of Friday morning, which comprise most of the incidents which occurred on this truly melancholy event.

The rapidity of the fire, under such peculiar circumstances, has never perhaps been equalled by any conflagration except that at the Richmond theatre.

It is said that during the fire, the front wall, from heat, had become so warped, that a part of the top projected towards Congress street, a foot beyond the base; but the whole, in cooling, resumed its upright position.

Mr. Barnum, the industrious, intelligent and gentlemanly master of the house, whose system and manners had given general satisfaction, and whose prospects of a permanent lucrative establishment had assumed a most cheering character, has had all his expectations blasted in a moment, and is a most extreme sufferer by this calamity.

We understand that Mr. B. had 16,000 dollars worth of furniture; and has lost 5000 dollars worth of bottled wines.

The honorable Mr. Clay had just entered his room, on his return from Salem, when the alarm of fire was given. He carried a small trunk to a neighboring house, and then took a station to hand water. The latter part of the night he lodged at the house of Mr. Blake.

The St. John's Masonic Lodge was sitting in the hall at the north west corner, when the fire began; and 70 or 80 members and visitors were present: but the most direct communication between that part and where the fire was, had been closed for some time. Property of the particular lodges in town to the amount of about 3000 dollars is supposed to have been destroyed—but most of their common property was saved.

This large estate was the corporate property of a number of respectable citizens, whose liberality in improving the institution has prevented their making any dividends of consequence.

The building was superior to any other in the United States devoted to the same public purposes, and its accommodations we understand in some respects surpassed those of any similar institution in the world.

To its other distinguishing advantages, the spirited proprietors had recently added a large number of bathing rooms—and a considerable additional real estate was, a short time since purchased to form a more convenient yard, and make a commodious avenue for the southern entrance.

This establishment had become interesting from its central situation, and its apartments and attendance. Many eminent characters have been accommodated to their satisfaction in this costly hotel. It was here that the president of the United States, in his late visit to this metropolis was entertained. And there is scarcely a populous town in the union, but some of the inhabitants of it have been occasionally lodgers at this coffee house—and many distinguished foreigners have occupied rooms in it.

The burning coals spread with the wind to a great distance, and much endangered buildings and other property which were at first considered as not requiring attention.

A four story building belonging to James Prince, Esq. and adjoining the exchange coffee house at the n. w. corner, was destroyed by the fire.

Among the tenants of places for business in the exchange building, were Messrs. Handy & Gibbs, (insurance office,) Messrs. Leverett, Whiting, Whitmarsh, Huntington, Otis and Pritchard; and the two industrious colored men, Sampson and Brown.

On Wednesday a boy 10 or 12 years of age, slipped into a barrel of beer which was standing open among the burning ruins of the coffee house, and was so scalded as to cause his death

Much of the furniture of the exchange coffee house, and many of the trunks, &c. belonging to travellers who had put up at that building, are missing.

The light proceeding from these fires, was distinctly observed by a number of persons in the town of Newburyport.