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Alexandria Gazette
Alexandria, Alexandria County, District Of Columbia
What is this article about?
Major fire devastates Nantucket's business district, destroying 300-400 buildings including stores, oil factories, and shops, leaving hundreds homeless. No lives lost, 2-3 injured. Property damage estimated at $900,000-$1M with limited insurance. Public appeal for relief and thanks to U.S. schooner crews.
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It is impossible at the present moment to form a correct estimate of the amount of property destroyed. We have heard it variously estimated at from $900,000 to a million of dollars, on which there is a small amount of insurance.
It is estimated that between three and four hundred buildings have been destroyed.
It is very remarkable that no lives were lost; two or three were injured more or less severely.
About 30 kegs of powder were used in blowing up about as many buildings, and proved very efficient.
A detachment of the crews of U. S schooners Gallatin and Wave, headed by their officers, performed ample service, and are entitled to the warmest thanks of our citizens.
An Appeal To The Public—Our community have been visited with an awful calamity. A large part of the business portion of our town has been laid waste by fire. A section embracing nearly all our provision, groceries and dry goods stores, seven oil factories, a large number of mechanics' shops, and hundreds of other buildings, by which hundreds of families are rendered homeless at a very short notice. Many must be extremely destitute and all of us very likely to be seriously incommoded by a scarcity of provisions which must shortly follow. Should you find it a reasonable duty to forward to a suffering community somewhat of your bounty, you may be assured that the distribution of such favors shall be promptly and cheerfully attended to. (Signed) By the Selectmen of Nantucket.
One of the New Bedford papers says:—“The amount of property destroyed, insured at the office of the Bristol Mutual Insurance Company in this town, we understand, as estimated by the directors, will probably require an assessment upon its members of about ten per cent.”
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Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Nantucket
Key Persons
Outcome
no lives lost; two or three injured more or less severely. between three and four hundred buildings destroyed, including nearly all provision, groceries and dry goods stores, seven oil factories, a large number of mechanics' shops, and hundreds of other buildings. property loss estimated at $900,000 to a million dollars, with a small amount of insurance. about 30 kegs of powder used to blow up buildings to stop the fire.
Event Details
A large part of the business portion of Nantucket was destroyed by fire, rendering hundreds of families homeless. Efforts to contain the fire included blowing up about 30 buildings with powder. Detachment from U.S. schooners Gallatin and Wave provided assistance. Appeal issued by Selectmen for public bounty to aid the destitute community facing scarcity of provisions. Insurance assessment estimated at ten per cent by Bristol Mutual Insurance Company.