| From the Richmond Dispatch |
| |
| May 3, 1864 |
| |
| The fire at Wilmington, North Carolina |
| The estimate of ten millions
as the loss by the fire at Wilmington, N. C., on Friday last, seems to have been somewhat exaggerated. The
damage reaches about $4,800,000. The flames broke out in a shed at the
depot, on the Southern side of the Cape Fear river, and spread with
amazing rapidity until every building on the Western side of the river
south of the depot of the Wilmington
& Manchester Railroad was enveloped
in flames. For a time the whole Southern bank of the river for several
squares was one line of flame, and it was feared that the Railroad
depot, with the workshops of the Company, would also be
destroyed. The destruction of property is very great. We sum it up as
follows: |
| The Confederate Government
lost 800 bales cotton burnt, of which about 200 were Sea
Island
— say $800,000. It lost also in materials and work in progress at
Beerys's Ship Yard about $100,000. T. Andrea lost 2,500 bales of
cotton--300 of it Sea
Island
— say $2,430,000. The Nashville
& Chattanooga R. R. Co., lost 187 bales--say $200,000. In Capt.
Hallett's Sheds there were 850 bales of cotton, 47 of it Sea
Island, belonging to the State of Virginia, and sundry other parties. Also rope and bagging to the amount of
$100,000--all burned. Total loss about $900,000. Rankin and Martin's
Rosin Oil Works, about $70,000. Insurance to the amount of $7,000. B.
Hallet's loss in shed about $25,000. Insurance $3,000. The Southern
Express Company lost two cars with merchandize, also some merchandize
in small warehouse. Loss about $100,000. |
| The chief loss of railroad
property was 25 freight cars 15 of them belonging to the Georgia Central Road
{Central (of Georgia) RR}, 8 to the Wilmington & Manchester Road, and 2 to the Southern
Express Company. Total loss in cars $150,000. |
|