As we know through previous information, the Charleston fire was a calamity of mass proportions. Hearing from many different sides that the fire itself spread quickly and then spread over much of downtown Charleston. What is crucial to understanding the real disaster is exactly where the fire struck. The following short excerpt from the South Carolina Gazette tells us a few key bits of information.
First and foremost, the words written by a Charleston Fire Marshal tell us exactly where in the town the fire had “consumed” houses. It explains in short that this was the most valuable part of the town by means of both buildings and trade. This meant that the wealthier individuals in the town were now out of their homes. Along with many others who were now struggling to put pieces back together and recover any belongings they could.
More importantly though was the fact that this section of town was where we found key aspects of Charleston trade. This explains a few things. First, it explains the idea that England came to Charleston’s rescue by the means of the 20,000 pounds sterling given to Charleston to aid the disaster relief. What we can grasp from this is that truly the troubles with aspects of the community–trade, primarily–were the true driving motivations and factors in England’s stepping in. Charleston was and still is a major port city on the east coast of the United States. Without crucial trade from the South East, England would take a personal economic hit.
It is also interesting that this was written by one of few Fire Marshal’s in the city. There was no fire department and it is interesting to see that even the Marshals were helpless.
Letters, Gazette articles and memoirs from the days just after the fire are brief. The community had many more things to worry about before focusing on truly recounting the horrible tragedy.
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S.C. Gazette
Nov. 20, 1740
Fire xxx consumed the
Houses from Broad Street
and Church Street down
to granvile Bastion
Which was the most
valuable part of the
Town on account of
the Buildings and
Trade) [illegible] likewise
consumed all the
houses on west Side
of Church Street from
Broad to Tradd opposite
To Col. Braunstone1