The Editors of The North Carolina Journal, and Carolina Observer unite in giving to their readers the following account of the awful 
catastrophe of Sunday, 29th ult. The delay in issuing it has been unavoidable.
	About 15 minutes after 12 o'clock, M. on Sunday last, the citizens of Fayetteville were alarmed by the cry of Fire, and the other signals 
usual on such occasions. The roof of a kitchen belonging to Mr. James Kyle, near his elegant brick building lately erected at the N.W. corner 
of Market square, was found to be in a blaze, but to no inconsiderable an extent, that it was believed the efforts made to extinguish it would 
certainly be successful. Deceitful hope! They were all unavailing. In a very few moments the flames extended themselves to the large brick 
building, and to many small wooden buildings in its vicinity. In a few minutes more the roof of the Town House caught, and that building was 
soon enveloped in flames. From thence four large torrents of flames were seen pouring in as many directions, along the four principal streets 
of the town, with a rapidity and force which defied all stay or resistance.  
	In a western direction, the fire extended itself up Hay street, on the right hand a short distance beyoun the point of its intersection 
with Old street, extending backwards in a northern direction to the very edge of the creek, embracing in its devouring sweep the intermediate 
buildings on Old street and Maiden Lane. And on the left as far as Mr. Cannte's wooden building, being the next house below Mr. John McRae's 
long row of wooden buildings at the wagon yard, extending back southwardly to Franklin street. Along Green street the flames progressed north-
wardly, crossing the creek, and consuming in their transit, Mr. Eccles' mill, store, and dwelling house, and the handsome bridge erected a few 
years since by the town, sweeping before them many valuable buildings, including the Episcopal Church, on the right hand side of the street, 
until they reached the private residence of James Seawell, Esq. which was saved by a providential turn of the wind, and the active exertions 
of a very few persons with water and blankets. On the lefthand side of the street, they progressed until they were stopped at the house of 
J.W. Wright, Esq. by blowing it up, and extended back until they reached the house of T.L. Hybart, Esq. which was saved by exertions of great 
activity and perserverance. Along Person street, they destroyed every building on both sides, as far eastwardly as a few doors below Liberty 
point, including the store of Mr. Wm. McIntyre, situate on the opposite point formed by the junction of Person street and Cool Spring Alley, 
extending back northwardly as far as the edge of the creek, consuming the Presbyterian Church and the Catholic Chapel, and all the other build-
ings, (with the exception of the dwelling house, mills, and ware-house of Mr. James H. Hooper, all of which were saved with much exertion,) 
including the buildings on both sides of Bow street. Along Gillespie street, the flames extended as far as the State Bank building, on the right 
hand side, which being nearly fire proof, enables the citizens to contend successfully with the flames at that point, and to save that building. 
On the eastern side of the street, they destroyed every building to a point opposite the State Bank building, and extending eastwardly so as to 
include all but three of the buildings on Dick street, between Person and Mumford streets.
	It is impossible to form any correct estimate of the entire loss in real estate. There probably is no instance in history of so large a 
portion of a town being consumed, where it was not the result of voluntary human agency. The fire continued to rage, with unabated fury, until 
about six'oclock, when, by the blowing up of houses and the other means usual on such occasions, it was suddenly deprived of food for its raging 
appetite.
	The public buildings destroyed, were the Town House, and Cape Fear Bank, the Catholic Chapel, the Presbyterian and Episcopal Churches, the 
Academy, the Lafayette and Mansion Hotels. The building in which the U. States Bank did business, and the office of the Agency of the State Bank, 
were also destroyed, but as they were merely rented for that purpose, they are not put down as public buildings. The private buildings destroyed, 
in number about SIX HUNDRED, would require a large catalogue to enumerate particularly.
	But besides the buildings, immense quantities of books, valuable papers, money, household furniture, goods, wares, merchandize and produce, 
were destroyed. Where the fire first broke out, some persons near the scene would remove such things to what were then supposed places of safety, 
but by time they would get them fairly deposited, they would discover the flames in hot pursuit of them, and would be driven to farther efforts 
for the secutiry of their valuables, until driven from place to place and completely worn down with their exertions, they would at last be compell-
ed to abandon them to the power of the merciless flames:--a very small portion of any of these articles were saved. The amount destroyed it is 
difficult to estimate. We cannot undertake to offer a correct list of the houses, or even point out the principal sufferers. It would be infinitely 
more easy, to make a catalogue of those of our citizens who have not suffered. Language is entirely inadequate to the description of the sublime 
and awfaul scene of Sunday, or to convey an adequate idea of the appearance of ruin and desolation which our town now presents. If  pity was wrung 
from the iron heart of the stern Marius, a disinterested foreigner, amid the ruins of Carthage, what must be the feelings of every warm hearted 
citizen of the United States, and especially of our own State, when he shall look upon the melancholy wreck of our late flourshing village. But 
it is by descending to an inquiry into individual losses and distresses, that our true condition can be best understood. Many who on morning of 
that day were in the full enjoyment of all ordinary blessings of life, have now nothing left them but the single suit of clothes which they then 
wore, not a morsel in store either of bread or of meat, to meet the common demands of nature, destitute even of the shelter of the rudest hovel 
from the inclemency of the climate. Nor is this state of privation confined to man in the full enjoyment of his natural strength and independence, 
but includes all conditions of life,--the widowed mother bending beneath the weight of years and surrounded by her famishing babes,--the helpless 
and unprotected females,the sick, the lame and the aged. Many who were in a state of prosperity, now find themselves entirely denuded of property, 
and burdened with debts of immense magnitude. But we forbear.
	Furnished with the foregoing outline, imagination can from its own resources, fill out this picture of wretchedness, with more truth, than by 
adopting the cold suggestions of any recital. It seems that those who were best able to lose, were most successful in saving. The banks were all 
so fortunate as to secure the whole of their money, books, and valuable papers, although their losses must be great in the destruction of real 
estate, and the entire and partial prostration of so many of their debtors. It is a remarkable circumstance, that some money and many valuable 
papers, left in the vaults of the two banks were taken out after the fire uninjured.	
	It is due to all citizens to say, that their exertions were unremitting while their strength lasted, wherever there was a prospect of effect-
ing anything, and although many were ready to faint under their labors, and some were partially burnt, it is a great alleviation to our sorrows 
to be able to say that no lives were lost.
	The slaves and other colored population, deserve great credit for their conduct on that eventful day; there was nothing like riot or disorder, 
among them, but they all seemed to work with a zeal and intrepidity which manifested a hearty sympathy in the common cause, and that devotion to 
the interests of their masters so remarkable in the African character before a sickly and false humanity had instilled into his bosom the poison 
of discontent and alienated his feelings from those whom God hath appointed him to serve. Acts of heroism and disinterestedness were done by them 
on that day, which may be proper on some future occasion more particularly to mention.
	Many of our fellow citizens from the country, attracted by the smoke and fragments of burning materials, (some of which it is said were carried 
to the distance of twenty six miles) came in during the progress of the fire, and rendered us real hearty and useful aid. But a variety of causes
combined to render all their efforts for a long time unavailing, and the last remnant of strength and resolution was nearly expended before the 
enemy was subdued.
	The day on which it occurred was unproipitious. The citizens had just returned to their houses from the several places of worship, in that 
state of mental calm, and composure, which the day and their late employement, were so well calculated to inspire; and which, however propitious 
to the attainment of spiritual strength, is perhaps not the most favorable state of feeling for suddenly and unexpectedly engaging in any temporal 
strife or labor. Besides this, being at their private residences instead of their places of business, they were further removed from the scene of 
action, and the enemy had gained much strength before they could bring themselves in conflict with it. Contrary to all expectation, the supply of 
water was found to be insufficient from the water works, probably owing to the improvidently taking out some of the upper plugs, and thus in a 
measure cutting it off.-Owing to the pressure of the fire, the sudden confusion, and the anxious solicitude of each one to save his own property, 
it was not found practicable to form a continued line of communication with the creek, and indeed, the engines themselves, so far even as they 
were supplied with water, refused to perform their functions.
	The great heat of the weather was also very unfavorable; the sun's rays had heated the roofs of the houses almost to inflamation, and 
rendered them fit to be ignited by the smallest spark. Added to this, was its relaxing effect upon those engaged in endeavoring to extinguish 
the fire, and thus diminishing their ability nearly one half. A very large proportion of those who were engaged in this service were those who 
had already been worn down with exertion to save their own chattels. But of all the unfavorable circumstances, none contributed so largely to 
the spread of the fire, as the absence of any wind of sufficient force to impel the flames in any one certain course, which would have concen-
trated the exertions of the citizens to one point, and prevented the fire from spreading in other directions.
	We have laid before our readers in very imperfect account of this awful catastrophe. Many particulars, doubtless, have not yet reached 
us, and in the present excited state of feeling it is difficult to trust to anything which we did not ourselves see with our own eyes, and have 
therefore confined ourselves principally, it not entirely to the relation of such things. Amid such total overthrow of their pecuniary prospects, 
we are happy to say, there seems to be a general manifestation of fortitude and manly resignation under this afflictive dispensation of Providence, 
together with a confidence that he who hath visited us will provide us with the means to bear this visitation. The spirit of enterprise is far, 
very far from being crushed.
	We cannot clost this account without stating a fact which may serve as a warning to other towns. In several places where the flames were 
arrested, it was owing entirely to the protection afforded by shade trees.
	
	List of sufferers in Houses, Goods, Furniture, Etc.
John Eccles, John Kelly, Hugh Campbell, H.H. Hooper, James Seawell, Dillon Jordon, Jr., R. Cochran, Simeon Belden, Mrs. Bowen, Judge Strange, 
T.J. Curtis, D. McNeill, Mrs. Wilson Estate, Mrs. Barge, do of Halliday, do of Winslow, P.I. Tillinghast, John Selph, William McIntyre, 
F. Stedman, A. McLaughlin, J. Mullins, K.T. Morgan, Duncan McRae, G.W. McDonald, Mrs. E. McIntyre, E.W. Wilkings, H.L. Jones, L. Blake, Jr., 
Hiram Robinson, Mrs. Shackelford, J.W. Wright, J.D. Eccles, Estate of D. McLeran, do J. McRackan, Do., D. Smith, Lewis Brown, Gurdon Deming, 
Horton and Huiton, G.W. Hutton, H. Erambert, R. McIntyre, Dr. Gilliam, T.L. Hybart, J. Crusoe, J. Van Vagenen, E. Hammonds, John W. Baker, 
A. Lamon, D.L. Evans, J. Sunday, Frizzle & Douglass, W. Cade, C.B. Jones, F. Lain, T. Cochran, D. Shaw, H. McLaurin, J. McLaurin, Jr., 
S.T. Hawley, W. Whitehead, E I & W Winslow, James Cook, W.L. Hawley, P. Dailey, S. Ferguson, J. Howell, Neill Shaw, L. Blake, and Son, 
Arch Mclean, Henry Horn, George McNeill, J.M. Dobbin, James Baker, Nott & Starr, D. McQueen, D. McCall, Joseph Arey, John McArn, Miles Blake,
R. Donaldson, L.D. Henry, James Kyle, Estate of M. Pearce, Bank of Cape Fear, Bank of United States, T. Fuller & C0, A. Graham, A Torrence, 
Mrs. England, O.P. Stark, Mrs. Perry, Mrs. McQueen, J. Carman, J. Dickson, J. Murchinson, A. Bailey, C. McAlister, R.T. Goodwin, H.W. Ayer, 
Mrs. Armstrong, D. Smith, D. Murchinson, C Stewart, J. Burklow, Dr. B. Robinson, D.D. Salmon, Arch. Campbell, Nelson & Rush Steam Boat Company, 
D. McRae, T. Haigh, A. Torrence, Mrs. Gass, Mrs. Barge, Nort & Summer, Z. Burroughs, A. Brown, T. Foster, Dr. Dickson, Dr. Cameron, Joseph Baker, 
A. McLean, Jr., D.A. Ray, Wilkings & Co, Hall & Company, T. Sandford, J. Hadlock, G. Hurlbutt, S.W. Tillinghast, John Campbell, Reuben Hall, 
Amos Kimball, Mrs. McMillan, T. West, School of Industry, ?. Hart, W.F. Strange, D & O Saltmarsh, T.B. Ransom, J. Birdsell, Mrs. F. Saltmarsh,  
E.J. Hale, Hybert & Strange, James M. Wright, Abner Branson, John Crow, and W.S. Latta.
	Besides many others, not yet ascertained, the entire loss is estimated at one million and a half of dollars.

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