New Hampshire Statesman And Concord Register

From the Boston Ev. Transcript

LOSS OF LIVES BY FIRE. On Wednesday [4th inst.] at 11 o'clock in the evening, a building in Broad street, No. 96, owned by the Hon. John Wells, was discovered to be on fire. The lower stories were improved by Mr Lambert Maynard, as a bake-house. The upper chambers were occupied by several Irish families. It is not ascertained how the fire caught: but it is presumed that it must have originated in the bake-house. Its progress was so rapid, that the whole first and second stories were enveloped in flames before a rattle was sprung, a bell struck, or any alarm given. The edifice is entirely destroyed; nothing remains but the tottering walls, and we understand that scarcely an article of property or furniture was saved.

The most melancholy circumstance is the loss of five lives; a man by the name of Murphy, his wife, and their three children. The burnt and mangled remains of four of these unfortunates have been found; the body of one child is still missing.

Every exertion was made to rescue them.— Beds were procured and placed under the windows for them to jump upon, but they were evidently bewildered, had lost all presence of mind, and knowing not how to escape, remained to perish.

An infant child was saved, by wrapping it in its bed, and throwing it into the street, where it was taken up unhurt.

A man and his wife leaped from the third story window of an adjacent building, but though much bruised, no limbs were broken. The man was first discovered at the window, calling for assistance.; he asked for a rope, and was answered that he might yet descend by the stair-way. The poor fellow seeing the flames and smoke issuing in immense volumes, supposed that the fire had already reached his own quarters, and was afraid to descend as directed. Whilst the person who gave the advice, was still speaking, the man leaped from the window, and striking upon the shoulder of the person under it, his fall was broken, and he came to the ground alive. The person upon whom he fell, a noble hearted, generous young Irishman, by the name of Donovan, himself a husband and a father, looking up again to the window, saw a woman in the act of leaping from it; regardless of the safety of his own limbs, he stretched out his arms and caught her as she fell; the force of her falling weight brought him to the ground, but he saved her, and escaped without wound or bruise.

A stranger, name unknown, saved four children by rushing twice through the flames, and rescuing two at each attempt.

Mr Murphy's children were, two boys, one and five years of age, and one girl of ten years. His brother was in the house when the alarm was given, but was unable to render him any assistance. A woman, residing in the same building, and who was very partial to the members of Mr M's. family, after reaching the outer door, remembered them, and was going back to alarm them, when two firemen discovered her enveloped in flames; they caught her, tore her clothes off, and prevented her returning to certain destruction. She was much burnt, and suffers greatly.

The whole number of families residing in the building was seven, who have, by this calamity, lost every thing they possessed.