NP, CO 1/16/1865

From the Carolina Observer
 
January 16, 1865
 
Terrible Conflagration -- About Ten Millions of Dollars worth of Property Destroyed
    On Saturday morning last, a most destructive fire occurred in this town at the depots of the N. C. & C. & S. C. Railroads {North Carolina and Charlotte & South Carolina RRs}. About 1 1/2 o'clock fire broke out in a small building a few yards from the large Passenger Shed, and near the Quartermaster's buildings. The wind blowing very heavy at the time, it spread with great rapidity, and in a few minutes the Shed and the two Quartermaster Ware-houses were in flames. From these it caught to the building formerly used as a ticket office by the C. & S. C. R. R., thence to the piles of Cotton on the platforms around the main Depot buildings, and then to the N. C. Depot. The Warehouses, sheds, and one-half of the N. C. Depot building were consumed, destroying vast quantities of corn, flour, cotton, sugar, &c.
   The loss to the Confederate Government is severe. We learn that there were stored under the shed and in the warehouses over 23,000 sacks corn and oats, 1900 sacks flour, 160 hogsheads sugar, besides blankets, soldiers' clothing, leather, and various other articles. One of the warehouses was about 400 feet long, the other 200 feet, both filled with Government stores. A few hogsheads of the sugar were saved before the fire reached it, and some has since been gathered up from beneath the burning corn. About 3000 sacks of corn were taken from the ruins on Saturday in a damaged condition, besides a small quantity of cloth, flannel, &c. Maj Echols, the Quartermaster, lost a portion of his books and papers. The iron safe belonging to the office remained in the burning building, and we learn that the money, &c., which was in it is not damaged. The loss to the Government is estimated at from five to six millions of dollars, at least. 
   Around the Depot buildings about 200 bales Cotton were burned. The portion of the N. C. Depot which was consumed was used by the C. & S. C. Railroad as a store room, in which large quantities of freight belonging to individuals, which was totally destroyed. Next to the Government, the C. & S. C. Railroad is the heaviest loser -- the loss, probably, amounting to one or two millions. The loss of cotton is sustained mostly by individuals and the Columbia & Hamburg {South Carolina} Railroad Co. The total loss by this fire is thought to be over ten millions of dollars. Had it not been for the rain which fell in the early part of the night and for a day or two previous, the destruction of property would have been much greater.
   The fire is supposed to have originated from a defective stove pipe, but various opinions are expressed on the subject -- some attributing it to negligence.
Charlotte Democrat

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