Jenks' Portland Gazette

Great Fire at Norfolk!

From New York March 1.

Capt. Seaman, who arrived yesterday in 28 hours from Norfolk, informs, that on Wednesday evening, the 22d inst. a fire broke out in that town, which after raging with inconceivable fury many hours, consumed the richest part of the town, and laid in ashes, three hundred and five houses and stores, a new ship from the eastward, two brigs, a schooner and a sloop. It commenced about eleven o'clock, in a store at the end of Maxfield's wharf, in the occupation of Samuel Dunlap, thence took a direction up market street to the exchange Coffee house, and thence to the river, laying waste all the buildings within that compass. The market was pulled down to prevent its crossing main street, on the west side. Several houses were blown up with a view to stop its progress, and attended with considerable success, but the exertions of the citizens generally were rendered unavailing by the want of engines, buckets, hooks, &c. of which there was a great scarcity.-Eight or ten persons are said to have lost their lives. 10,000 barrels of flour are supposed to be destroyed, and the whole loss estimated at one million five hundred thousand dollars. Among the sufferers were Messrs. Willett and O'Connor, proprietors of the Norfolk Herald, who had their printing office destroyed, but were fortunate enough to save sufficient materials to carry on the paper for the present at the theatre, which had been engaged for that purpose.

Advertisements, and a variety of matter prepared for this day's Gazette, are unavoidably omitted until our next.