The Night Portland Burned

The fire has completely swept through the city destroying everything in its track so completely that the lines of the streets can hardly be traced for a space of one and a half miles long by a quarter mile wide. The Custom House being fire-proof, escaped, though greatly damaged. The court records in the upper story are probably destroyed. The splendid city and costly building on Congress street, which was nearly fire-proof and was considered safe, was swept away with all of its contents.

The fire commenced a little below the foot of High street. It next burned Upham's flouring mill, and then Mr. Brown's sugar house, with all their surroundings, then Staples & Sons, and Richardson's foundries, and nothing else of a commercial character of consequence. Then a clean sweep of Cumberland street; and the same was the case with Congress street, and everything else to Free Street, and as far east as India Street. It is almost impossible to tell where the people lived, the ruin and destruction is so complete.