Sat. Aug. 29, 1857, North Carolina Argus August 24, 1857
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE IN WILMINGTON
A very destructive fire occurred in Wilmington, on the morning of Monday
last.
The fire, it is supposed, was the work of an incendiary. The guilty party
or parties, have not yet been arrested.
Some of the merchants of the town have sustained considerable losses.
We give belowe the particulars which we clip from the Wilmington Herald of
the 24th:
"The most destructive fire that has occurred in our town for several years,
took place this morning at an early hour. It originated at about two o'clock
in a warehouse on the wharf in the company of CAPTAIN OWEN BURNS, in the rear
of a clothing store occupied by MESSRS. A. KAUFMAN & CO. These buildings were
soon consumed. They belonged to O. G. PARSKY, ESQ. and were uninsured. KAUFMAN
& CO. say that their loss is from $2,500 to $3,400 and do not know whether
they are insured or not.
The fire next extended to the wooden building, the property of MRS. NOYES,
occupied by MESSRS. WALKER & STEVENSON, as an office, and by W. T. HUGGINS as
a hay store. The loss of MESSRS. WALKER & STEVENSON is trifling; that of MR.
HUGGINS is between $400 and $500, on which there is no insurance.
The clothing store of MESSRS. J. & H. SAMSON, owned by MRS. NOYES, was next
consumed and also a store occupied by them, the property of O. G. PARSKEY, on
the wharf. The MESSRS. SAMSON say that their stock was heavy, and that they
had full insurance. The amount we did not discover. MR. PARSLEY was uninsured.
The stores on the wharf, owner by MR. PARSKEY and MRS. NOYES, occupied by
MR. J. G. BAUMAN, were destroyed. MR. BAUMAN'S loss was between $5,000 and
$6,000, on which there is insurance to the amount of $2,500. MR. PARSKEY had
no insurance.
EVEN BEVAN'S store, owned by MR. O. G. PARSLEY, MR. BEVAN'S LOSS, $1,200 to
$1,500, no insurance. -- W. M. LEWIS had some $200 worth of tools in the store
of MR. BEVAN, which were also destroyed. No insurance.
The fire next attacked the brick store, and above, by MESSRS. E. McPHERSON
& CO. and O. G. PARKLEY & CO., offices. CAPT. BURNS' loss is fully covered by
insurance. The loss of the other occupants of the building is supposed
trifling. No insurance on the house, which was the property of O. G. PARSKEY.
A warehouse on the wharf, occupied by MESSRS. RUSSEL & BRO., and owned by
O. G. PARSKEY was consumed. There was a quantity of goods stored in the
warehouse, and some days must elapse before the true loss can be ascertained;
but we understand, whatever is is, will be covered by insurance.
Some 600 BBLs. Rosin and about 90 casks Spirits Turpentine on the wharf,
the property of GEORGE HARRISS, was lost, partly by burning, partly by being
rolled into the River. A portion of the Spirits has been recovered, and it is
not yet known what will be the loss.
MR. DANIEL L. RUSSEL had some fine Rosin on the wharf, which was destroyed.
Loss about $1,500, no insurance.
Trifling damage was done to the building occupied by MESSRS. J. J. LIPPITT
and A. B. McDUFFIE & CO. These losses are covered by insurance.
MESSRS. ALDERSON & BIZZLE had to move their stock of goods and will lose
considerable. There was considerable loss, no doubt, by persons removing their
goods and furniture into the street.
MRS. NOYES lost three wooden buildings, valued at about $2,500, on which
there is $1,500 insurance. It is a heavy loss to her, for the re
nts of those buildings was her chief source of income.
MR. PARSKEY, it will be observed, lost several buildings, on which there
was no insurance. These buildings, with one exception, were of wood, and not
of any great value, although they paid an annual rent of $1,750.
There can be no doubt that the fire was the work of an incendiary, as
cirmustances concerning which we shall not speak of at this time, go very far
to strengthen this idea.
We trust that a rigid examination may lead to the detection of the villian
or villians who have thus applied the midnight torch."
The Herald of the 25th gives the following particulars:
"In the hurry, we omitted to state yesterday that the kitchen of Rock
Spring Hotel, belong to MR. O. G. PARSKEY, had been consumed. No insurance.
And that a wharf, the property of MR. F. J. LORD, had been damaged. Loss near
$1,500.
P. S. -- We learn from the Commercial of Thurday, that A. KAUFMAN was taken
up on suspicion of having feloniously set fire to the premises consumed on the
24th. It is supposed that he had committed the act to secure himself the
amount of the insurance on his goods.
An examination was held before JUDGE VANN, on Wednesday evening, and A.
KAUFMAN held in $5,000 for his appearance at the next term of the Superior
Court. In default of bail, he was committed to jail.
Back to Miscellaneous Information