The New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

Nov. 28.--It is with much sympathy of soul we have to hand to our readers a tale of distress--a tale which must penetrate every feeling mind with painful sensations.

Thursday morning, about half past two, a fire broke out at a house in Third Street, next door to the Bunch of Grapes Tavern, which had arrived at such a height before it was discovered, either by those within or by the watchmen, that the whole house was involved in a vivid flame; an old man burst from the lower floor and escaped: Elizabeth Preston and her two children presented themselves at the chamber window, with screams of the most piercing sound:

The few inhabitants who had been roused by the cry of fire, attempted to raise a heavy ladder for their relief--but every effort failed. The poor distressed mother (most probably drawn by the heart-felt cries of her children) retreated from the window. Another frantic object with a child then presented themselves; the united shrieks of the poor distressed creatures were heard at the distance of near half a mile. The ladder was at length raised; when an adventurous citizen ascended and at the hazard of his life, rescued the last woman and the child. A thousand fears were quickly excited from the gathering crowd, as the man was thought to have disappeared; but from every information we can collect, this humane adventurer was saved: One poor woman and her two sons perished in the flames, and were found at day-light, devoid of human form, the whole mass being changed into a black cinder. Jacob Brown and his wife, an industrious young couple, escaped at the chamber window,

but remain objects of real distress, having lost their money, cloaths and furniture, and are turned naked into the world.

We are informed some charitable subscriptions have already been made, and we most sincerely wish success to the endeavours of those gentlemen who have undertaken to ask for contributions.

Had it not been for the rain which providentially fell during the fire, there is great reason to believe that a dreadful devastation must have ensued; for the wind blew with such violence as to have occasioned great damage to the shipping and small craft in the harbour; many of which were sunk at their moorings, and will have to undergo a thorough repair before they can proceed on their respective voyages.

On occasions like these, the opulent must rejoice at an opportunity of dispensing their bounty; and those of smaller fortune will, we have no doubt, contribute their mite to stop up the breach of distress.

The remains of the unfortunate widow and her two children were the same day interred in the Friend's burying ground attended by a large concourse of the most respectable and sympathising inhabitants.