Richmond Enquirer

DOMESTIC.

WASHINGTON, April 10.—We have had, for the 30 or 40 hours, commencing at 5 o'clock yesterday, a gale of wind from the North West of unusual violence as well as duration. It therefore our city has been providentially exempted from the casualty of Fire. Alarms of that description have, however, within a few days, been so frequent, as to warn us to greater vigilance and caution.

We have already noticed the fire on I street north, in which three or four small houses were destroyed, between 5 and 6 o'clock on Wednesday evening. These houses belonged to widows McKelden and Kedgelie, and others. On Thursday afternoon, about the same hour, the alarm of fire was given from the eastern part of the city, and three or four small brick and frame houses, the property of Mr. Law, Mr. Taylor, and others, on New Jersey avenue, about a square above the sugar house, were burnt. Owing to the violence of the wind, the flames carried embers a great distance, and two or three houses, comparatively remote from the fire, would have shared the fate of the smaller houses which were burnt, but for the alacrity of the citizens, who promptly assembled.

Between 10 and 11 o'clock yesterday, when the wind blew almost a hurricane, we had another cry of fire and the citizens promptly turned out: the fire, near George town, though menacing at first, was extinguished without doing much damage.

By the time the engines were fairly housed, the cry of fire was heard from the Navy Yard quarter; and, on repairing there, it was found to be on the premises belonging to Mr. Griffith Coombe and others, on the river, occupied by Mr. George Ball. The large three story house, and the out houses, were entirely destroyed; and it was considered fortunate, that the fire was prevented from extending to the adjacent houses and board yards, which were put in jeopardy, though some distance, by the flying fire.

Just as the citizens began to retire from the scene, the alarm of fire was given from F street, two squares east of the Treasury Office, and two miles distant from the last mentioned. It was of course some time before the citizens and engines could be recalled. They arrived, however, in 15 or 20 minutes, but not in time to save the block of houses on fire. The large three story houses belonging to Mr. Walker, the tavern house belonging to Mr. John A. Wilson, at the corner of F and 14th streets, that of Mr. George Miller, and one or two other houses, were burnt down. Great as has been the loss on this occasion, it is small compared to the destruction which was at first feared, and would certainly have ensued, had not the wind subsided after the fire began to rage. Had it blown as violently as in the morning, there is no knowing where the ravages would have stopped. As it was, several distant houses caught fire on the roof, from flying sparks, which were happily discovered in time to extinguish them.

Besides these serious fires, there were in the course of yesterday, several other alarms during the day, from chimneys on fire, &c. and one or two false alarms. Some think these fires to have been the effect of design. It is certainly a very suspicious circumstance, that the three most serious fires originated in stables. Some horses have been burnt, and much furniture, &c. destroyed.

The citizens displayed their usual alacrity at all these fires. It is evident, however, that time and labor could be economised, and efficiently imparted to the physical force of our population, by a general organization of the Fire Companies, &c. under one head, possessing, by the law, competent authority to enforce its orders on all by-standers as well as its own members.

This morning, since the above was written, we have had another alarm of fire. It was at Mr. Lambel's stable, near the Navy Yard: and was extinguished without doing much injury. [Nat. Int.