Great Albany Fire On Aug. 17, 1848 Kills 10 And Burns Fleet Of Schooners And Canal Boats

Editor's note: The following text is from an article printed in the New York Daily Herald issue of August 19, 1848. Thank you to Contributing Scholar Carl Mayer for finding, cataloging and transcribing this article. The language, spelling and grammar of the article reflects the time period when it was written.

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AWFUL CONFLAGRATION IN ALBANY.  SEVERAL LIVES LOST. 
Several Millions of Dollars' Worth of Property Destroyed. 
SIX HUNDRED BUILDINGS BURNT. 
The Albany papers are filled with accounts of the disastrous conflagration which took place in that city on the 17th inst. We are indebted to Capt. Gorham of the steamboat Hendrik Hudson, for Albany papers, delivered at an early hour on Friday afternoon. The Albany Express gives the following account of the disaster: We scarcely know how to describe the fearful calamity that has befallen our doomed city. I’s is beyond adequate description  - beyond, at the time we write, intelligible detail. Soon after a fire was checked that broke out in Quackenbush street, just before noon, the alarm was again sounded, and fire broke out in a small stable adjoining the Albion House, between Broadway and the Pier, on Herkimer street, and occupied by John G White. Of its origin we know nothing; but it burst forth at a most unlucky moment. The Fire Department was weary, scattered, and disorganized. Some of the machines were disabled, and, in consequence of a shameful fight, one of them - No. 9, we believe - was lodged in the City Hall yard, and unmanned, in the moment of danger. The heat was intense, the mercury ranging at 91 in the shade the city dry as tinder, in consequence of the drought, and a gate of wind blowing from the south. Everything conspired against us; and the destroying element immediately getting the upper hand, raged awfully and unchecked for hours, sweeping away full six hundred buildings, many of them new, and of great value, destroying about two millions of dollars worth of property, and rendering hundreds of families houseless and homeless.

Truly, this calamity is an awful one - but God be praised that it is no worse! At one time it seemed as if the destruction of our fair city was inevitable. The wind blew fiercely, the flames spread on all sides, the devouring element advanced from block to block and from street to street, buildings were taking fire in several parts of the city - all was terror, confusion, and dismay, and the efforts of man seemed utterly powerless. At this fearful moment the wind lulled, heavy clouds rose in the north-west, and a deluge of rain - grateful, needed, God sent rain - poured from the surcharged clouds, and checked the progress of the conflagration.

Amid the roar, darkness, lightning and thunder of the storm, glared the red flames and rolled the vast columns of smoke; while occasionally the shock of a building blown up with gunpowder, added to the terror and sublimity of the indescribable scene. The fury and speed of the flames exceeded anything ever seen. The fire ran, leaped, flew, from building to with the speed of the hurricane that bore it on in its course of destruction. And as it advanced,and grew more and more threatening, the bells re-sounded the alarm, and the people looked on with terror and with despair. There were many narrow escapes from death, and some serious personal injuries; among the latter, Wm. Johnson, his wife and daughter, were badly burnt while escaping from their dwelling, 53 Liberty street.

Albany has never before, in her 200 year's history, suffered so dreadful a local calamity as this. 
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The first block burnt was bounded by Herkimer st., Broadway, Bleecker st. and the dock. The fire then went up the Dock and the east side of Broadway nearly to Hudson St., and up the west side of Broadway quite to Hudson st. It passed up Hudson st. to the Park, burnt both sides of Liberty and Church sts. down to Lydius st., went up Lydius to Union st., and up the east side of Union back to Hudson st. Park. Over this large district every building is consumed, except Hagaman & Cowell's four story brick, corner of Broadway and the new steamboat landing; Bortle's new three story brink grocery store, west side of Broadway, and adjoining the district burnt in June; J. K. Wing's four story brick store, corner of Dock and new steamboat landing; Cagger's new three story brick building, running from the Dock to Broadway, and occupied in part by Tweddle & Darlington. All the rest are down, including the Fort Orange Hotel, Cowell's eating house. Quinn's tavern and boarding-house, the United States House, the Eagle tavern, a German boarding house, the Townsend House, the Odeon, many small boarding houses, &c., and an immense number of stores. The fire crossed and burnt the Hamilton street bridge, and set on fire Dow's Western Motel - the first building on the Pier. From this point, every building on the Pier, up to and across State st., and thence to the cut at the foot of Maiden lane, was destroyed, including emigrant hotels, forwarding houses, groceries, steamboat, canal boat, and freighting line offices, and all the floating craft in the Basin, including 30 to 60 canal and lake boats, 15 to 20 large tow boats, some sail vessels, and the steamboat William Seymour.

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Burning vessels floated against the Columbia street bridge and set it on fire. Thence the fire was communicated to the Columbia street Market, which was burned, together with a number of dwellings in the vicinity. The exact bounds of the district burnt in this quarter we have not been able to obtain.

Vessels of all kinds on the outside of the pier floated out of harm's way.
The loss of household goods of all kinds is immense. Great quantities that were strewed in the streets were ruined by the rain. 

Carts, wagons, drays - everything on wheels - were in constant requisition, but could not accomplish a tenth part of the work required. Five, ten and twenty dollars were offered for carrying a single load. 

There was nothing like organization of effort. The authorities, the fire department, and the citizens were scattered, isolated, and acted too much without concert. Still, much was done. Almost superhuman personal efforts were put forth, and thousands of citizens worked with all their might. 

Our firemen, under the circumstances, did all they could. We received timely and invaluable aid from East and West Troy, Greenbush, and Schenectady. Numbers of persons were rendered powerless by heat, fatigue and cold water. Buildings, sheds, &c., took fire repeatedly, as far north as Wilson and Lumber streets. The whole city was in danger. 
M. J. Smith's Free Sail Banner office, and James Duffy's job printing office, were burnt.

At one time the offices of the Atlas, Knickerbocker, and Express, as well as Van Benthuysen's and Munsell's extensive printing establishments, were threatened with destruction. 

Thousands of citizens packed up their goods, &c., and the stores were everywhere closed. A number of buildings were blown up, under the direction of the authorities, in the vicinity of Hudson street.

It is impossible, at the time we write, to get at any correct estimate of the loss sustained, or the condition of the insurance companies. Our Albany companies have suffered terribly. 
Individual losses must be very great, and there will be much distress and suffering. It will be a long time before Albany will recover from this awful calamity. 

Seventeen whole blocks, the pier, the Columbia street market, two bridges, and near one hundred boats, are destroyed. Most of the boats were heavily laden. 

We regret to learn that several lives have been lost. Two men were drowned in the Basin, near the foot of Maiden lane. They were floating on a raft, and in the midst of conflagration, fell off and sunk. The owner of the steamboat William Seymour, Benjamin Wakeman, is missing. A man named Hardely, an Irishman, died from over exertion. A man named Johnson, and several others, are missing. 

Some 8,000 or 10,000 barrels of flour, were burnt on the pier. The loss of property in the Basin was immense. The loss is roughly estimated at two millions of dollars. We fear our local insurance companies are overwhelmed. The property on the pier was insured abroad. The Swiftsure and Eckford Towboat lines lose tremendously. Hundreds of our business men are utterly ruined. Four buildings were blown up with powder. 

At midnight the fire was burning in forty places, but it is completely under control. There is no wind, and the rain has ceased. 

The Argus says: - No estimate of the value of property is yet attainable. We hear of two forwarding lines that estimate property under their charge to the amount of $90,000, all consumed. Another line suffers to an amount of from $60,600 to $80,000. The loss of flour afloat and in store, is not less than 10,000 barrels. 

The area of the fire embraces many acres, perhaps fifty or sixty, of the most compact and valuable part of the city. It includes at least twenty squares. Amidst the ruins which every where meet the eye, it is difficult to trace the outlines of the former state of things; but those familiar with the city will perceive the extent of this most calamitous visitation, by a few generalities.

Broadway, from the intersection of Herkimer, to the south corner of Hudson street, on the west side and to Van Schaack's variety store, on the east side, nearly half a mile, is, with all its structures and stores, including the Eagle Tavern, the Townsend House, and the United States Hotel, level with the earth. 

From Broadway to the river, including the ranges of lofty stores on Quay street, throughout nearly the entire space above mentioned, all is a heap of ruins. 

All the cross streets entering Broadway, Herkimer, Bleecker, Lydius, Hamilton, Division and Hudson, west as far as Union and Dallius streets, are swept away. Amazing effort preserved Goold's great carriage and coach establishment; every thing on the surrounding streets being demolished. 

North, the flying cinders, with which the air was filled, caught the Columbia street market, and of that large structure nothing remains. The adjacent buildings were saved by the prompt efforts of the two Schenectady fire companies. But the scene of the most striking and absolute desolation is the pier. Scarcely a vestige of it remains. Throughout its entire length, from Hamilton street to the cut opposite the Boston depot, it is utterly consumed, including the wharves, warehouses, nearly all the shipping in the Basin and outside the pier, tow boats, barges, canal boats, huge floating ware house arks, with all their valuable and vast contents of goods and products, the three bridges at Columbia, State and Hamilton streets, lumber yards, flour stores, in short, every thing that floated or teemed with life and value in that great mart yesterday morning. 

The scene in State street beggars all description. Thousands, flying from the conflagration pressed every conceivable vehicle into their service, depositing goods, furniture, families, children, every thing animate and inanimate. Every point in that wide street - at the Exchange, at the City Bank, at the corners of all the intersecting streets, in front of St Peter's Church, all along the parks, and finally at the State Hall and City Hall -  were crowded with bales, boxes, furniture, goods, of every description, &c. No point was deemed too remote from the devouring element. The stores every where were closed, or were only opened to the flying citizens and their effects. 

Two buildings were blown up, in the hope of arresting the progress of the fire - one belonging to Mr. J. I. Boyd, in Broadway, and the other to Mr. John Knower, corner of Hudson and Liberty streets, but with little effect.

All the insurance companies suffer largely, if not ruinously. 

Among the shipping destroyed, was the schr. Cotuit, of Boston, arrived yesterday morning and the schr. Eliza Matilda, also of Boston, seriously damaged. Some twenty vessels, below the Basin, were hastily drawn out in the river and preserved. The Isaac Newton and Rip Van Winkle steamers were also rescued, with much difficulty. 

The conflagration of the Pier, so utterly sweeping, was as rapid as it was unexpected.  It was supposed to be safe, owing to the intervening Basin. Its only danger was from the flying cinders; and every store had its look-out and its buckets. When all danger was supposed to have passed, a spark caught under a clap-board on the east or river side of the Pier, and in a few moments the flames were beyond all control; and throughout the entire length of the Pier, such was the rush of the flames that many of the merchants, cut off from escape from the Basin side, abandoning all hope of saving property, hastily threw their books and valuable papers into boats, and put out into the river. The roofs everywhere, throughout the city, were thronged with occupants, anxiously guarding their property from the falling cinders. 

Nearly the entire Troy and West Troy fire departments were on the ground. Their aid was promptly and most efficiently rendered. Last evening they tendered, through the telegraph, the aid of three additional companies, which came down and served as a relief guard.

One or our oldest residents, familiar with our fire department, estimates the loss by fire here since March last, as exceeding the entire loss for the previous forty-one years. This conflagration - in broad day - altogether  surpasses, in every form of loss, any with which the city has ever been visited.

Stanwix Hall and City Hotel were several times on fire. The suffering among the inhabitants is severe, and many demand the sympathy, commiseration, and charity of those who are so fortunate as not to have been among the immediate sufferers. Many, in affluent circumstances yesterday, are ruined. Thousands are houseless. Destitute families and numerous children, without shelter or bread, are all around us. Aid cannot be too promptly afforded. 

The Union Mutual Insurance Company will not lose one cent by the Albany fire.

Albany, August 18 - 9 P. M. 
The losses in the various streets were as follows: -  On the pier, 33 buildings; the principal losers are Lay & Craft, Reed & Rawls, E. A. Durant & Co., Wadhams & Co., Godard & Co. In the Basin - 2 Boston schooners; 5 towboats belonging to Swiftsure line, and float; 2 lake boats, 2 barges, belonging to Eagle towboat line; and several canal boats. Quay street, 38 buildings- most of them three and four story brick stores. Broad- way, 139 stores and dwellings, including Eagle Tavern and Townsend House, United States Hotel, Columbia Hotel, &c. Church street, 44 buildings. Diagonal Street, 2 buildings. Union street, 34 houses, Hamilton street, 24 houses. Division street, 15 houses. Hudson street, 4 houses. Elizabeth street, 52 houses, Denniston street, 2 houses, Lydius street, 30 houses, Bleecker street, 13 houses, Herkimer street, 3 houses, Dallius street, 6 houses. Total, 439. 

The loss by the different fire insurance companies, as far as can be learned, is as follows Albany, $175,000; Firemen's, Albany, $75,000; Mutual, Albany: $60,000; N. Y. Mutual Safety, $60,000; North American, New York, $25,000; National, do, $15,000; Equitable, do, $14,000; City, do, $4,600; Hartford, $30,000; Ætna and Protection, Hartford, $25,000; North Western, do, $15,000; Camden, N. J., $20,000; Lexington, Ky., $8,000; Columbus, Ohio, $27,000; Protection, N. J. $9,600. Total, $568,200. 
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A city meeting to adopt measures of relief, is to be held this evening.

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