988

CONFLAGRATION' AT PITTSBURGH.

1845.

many a widow and orphan residing beyond the bounds of tho district laid in ashes, depriving them of dividends upon which they relied for support. The amount insured in other cities it was impossible to ascertain.

No sooner had the mails, (for this was before the days of telegraphs,) disseminated the news of the disaster throughout, the country, than they returned laden with the contributions of the people for the relief of the sufferers, while scarce a steamboat came to the wharf but was partly freighted wdth provisions for their sustenance, accompanied wdth expressions of sympathy, and the hope that the energy of her people would prove superior to the blow wdiich temporarily crushed them. While the ruins still smouldered, and men gazed upon the ashes of their wealth, the spontaneous aid of a nation was tendered and received. In giving a statement of the Relief Fund and its distribution, Mr. Foster's pamphlet says:

"It would be manifestly improper to allude in more than general terms to the action of different cities in relation to the matter, and we shall content ourselves, therefore, by giving as full an account of the donations received upon the occasion as it is possible to procure   would that we could record more durably the name of every contributor to that noble fund, wdiich has relieved so large a number whose houses were destroyed, and whose busy workshops were swept away by that flood of tire, which rendered desolate so large a portion of our city. Into it were cast thousands of widows' mites, and the hard earned wages of as many working men   all classes, down even to the child at school, aided us, and a debt of gratitude wra8 incurred which we trust some day to repay.

"But first we may, in justice to our city, mention that the contributions given us from our own citizens, do not include large amounts privately collected and distributed at once, by individuals and charitable societies, and large quantities of produce, clothing, and furniture, furnished by individuals to sufferers, when in greatest need."

These contributions, (including fifty thousand dollars from the State treasury,) amounted to more than two hundred thousand dollars   which was distributed by the councils of the city, in a manner which alleviated much of the prevailing distress.

The limitsof this work will not admit of saying more of this calamity. Within three months after it occurred, eight hundred buildings were contracted for in the Burnt District   aud long ere this that portion of the Iron City of the Union has recovered from the blow,