Cumberland County NcArchives News.....Fire October 1792
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Fayetteville Gazette, October 30, 1792 October 1792
Fire
On Tuesday evening last between 7 and eight o'clock, there was an alarm of fire
- every person ran - when the roof of the large house occupied by Col Dekeyser
was in a blaze, and flames bursting out of the garret at every aperture; in a
very short time the fire engine began to play briskly upon it, and continued for
some time with very little effect, until a large store, occupied by Mr
Donaldson, situate only 8 feet from the other appeared to be wrapt in flames: --
This house was about an hundred feet long, and 30 feet wide, and filled with
goods to the third story, and, with the other, was the property of Col James
Porterfield: -- Upon which the engine was then turned, that a longer time for
removing the property might be had before it caught fire - but with no
expectations of saving the house, which by the exertions that were used was
prevented from burning for nearly an hour, notwithstanding the other house, with
its appendages, nearly the same size was in flames from end to end, and
connected with it by a covered way: -- The adjoining houses were immediately
blown up, - but the burning of these large buildings produced so great a heat,
although there was but little wind, every effort to prevent its spreading proved
ineffectual; 'till every building on that square, and several others were
consumed. About 40 tenantable dwelling houses and stores were burned, and 28
houses of other descriptions, amounting in the whole to 68 buildings. It was
only by very great exertions that Messrs MacAuslan and Howat's store and the row
of houses from that corner to the state house square were preserved; although
the street is 100 feet wide, so great was the heat, it was impossible for a
person to stand a moment in it - some of those houses caught several times, and
the turpentine from the weatherboards ran down in streams - they were saved by
the engine, which constantly played upon them, until the opposite side of the
street fell, when the heat abated. The fire had now spread across the street
next to Cochran's Mill, and Mr Perry's store was burning furiously - the engine
was then turned upon the mill, and My Perry's store blown up, and by almost
unparalleled exertions, the mill was saved, although separated from Mr Perry's
store by a narrow lane only wide enough for a waggon to pass. Had the mill, or
Messrs MacAuslan and Howat's store have burned, the whole of the street from the
bridge, eastward, as far as the top of the hill, and all the square eastward of
the state house, containing upwards of an hundred houses, must have gone. Before
the engine could be spared from the mill, the fire had raged entirely round that
square, and every house fallen; and the house of Mr William Cochran, occupied by
Mr Branton, and the one on the opposite corner, occupied by Mr Debrutz, were on
fire, and burning rapidly, Mr Cochran's house was blown up, and the engine
brought to play upon Messrs Buffy and Smith's store, and by removing some small
adjacent houses, its progress was there stopped.
It is difficult to make any accurate estimate of the loss in the present
confused state of the town. Col Porterfield is the greatest sufferer in
buildings, his houses that were burned were entirely new and very valuable -
they rented at £480 per annum, and cost him about £6000. It is thought that
£30,000 would cover the whole loss in buildings. No estimate can be made at
present of the loss of goods, many were lost, but more saved than could have
been expected; we hope it will prove inconsiderable compared with that of
buildings.
The exertions and activity of some gentlemen who exposed themselves on this
melancholy occasion to the greatest dangers, cannot be reflected on but with the
highest degree of gratitude: they are too numerous to mention, particularly,
were they not, Mr William Norris, Mr David M'Niel, and Mr Barry Stokes, would
not escape unnoticed. Thanks are due to the President and the Fire Company in
general.
The most probable account of the cause of this unfortunate accident that can be
ascertained is that a small negro girl of Col Dekeyser's went into the upper
garret above the collar beams, with a candle, after a broom-straw bed matt,
which she had rolled up, and accidentally sat on fire with the candle, she burnt
her hands in attempting to extinguish it, and the blaze sat a number more of the
same kind of matts on fire; the girl frightened, did not alarm the house as soon
as she might have done. Before the gentlemen could reach the garret, it was
filled with fire and smoke.
This is a severe stroke to Fayetteville, which can only be said to be in its
infancy: But it is with much satisfaction observed, that the sufferers, in
general, are in good spirits, and many of them already making preparations to
build again - and, we hope in a few months to have the pleasure of announcing to
the public, that, that part of the town is completely rebuilt.

A Card
A number of the sufferers in the late fire, take this public method of
presenting their sincere acknowledgements of the Ladies - who, actuated by the
general distress then predominate, so liberally tendered their assistance in
removing and guarding their property, they assure them that the most lively
remembrance of their humane exertions will ever exist while gratitude remains a
virtue.
Fayetteville, October 30


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