Prior to 1985
Fayetteville Fire
Glen Coal Mine
Selma Explosion
Highland Hospital
Mt. Airy School
Winston-Salem Armory Explosion
Fayetteville Fire
The following account is found at: http://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/rowland/rowland.html
This account was written the night of the fire in Fayetteville and a first hand account of the magnitude of the disaster. A second account follows by the same writer and is written to a different national publication. In general, he describes that by all accounts, there was no loss of life but significant numbers of injured and ill, yet no means of providing care for the infirmed. While there is little transfer of the applicability to our current situation, it nevertheless should reinforce the fact that burn and blast related injuries have challenged our medical capabilities since the creation of our nation and our state. Nevertheless, our intent to address the potential for a significant disaster by leveraging our knowledge with our capabilities will place us closer to a real solution for our citizens, in a way that is better than anything we have historically experienced.
APPENDIX
The account which is given of the destruction of Fayetteville, in the following letters and communication, may be interesting to those who wish to retain the remembrance of that event. The first letter was written on the night of the fire, and conveyed the first intelligence of this calamity to many who reside in the northern section of the country. It was my intention to have written a narrative of the principal facts, and appended it to this discourse; but it is presumed more interest will attach itself to those descriptions which were given at the time.
To the Editor of the National Gazette
Fayetteville, NC, May 29, 1831
SIR--FAYETTEVILLE IS NO MORE!--This morning the run rose upon us in its beauty, and with gladdened hearts we flocked to the churches or our God--now we are in RUINS. But two stores of all that this place ace contained are standing. The rest are entirely consumed. Nothing but stacks of tottering chimneys remain to tell what we once were.
Except in the outskirts of the town, and in those streets which are a little off from the centre of our town, not a dwelling house remains. All the churches, with the exception or the Methodist, which is distant from the centre of the town, are destroyed. The academy, the two splendid hotels, our printing offices, the two banks, the old state house, every apothecary's shop, and some of our mills, are in ashes.
The fire communicated, (it is supposed,) from a chimney, precisely in the centre of the town, and spread with inconceivable rapidity through every street. It was just after the congregation had been dismissed, about half past 12 o'clock, when the fire was first discovered, and in less than one hour and a half, our village was literally a "sea of flame." The goods were consumed in the streets, the engines were burnt at their stands. Some who had property removed to a distance in expectation of safety, were disappointed; too soon the devouring element reached them. The churches, though at a distance from each other, were soon in flames. The tall steeple of the Presbyterian church seemed a pyramid of fire; for a while it stood firm, soon the bell descended with a crash--the steeple trembled, tottered and fell. The Episcopal church, which apparently caught at the same time, was soon in ashes.
As I wandered through the outskirts of the place to administer relief, so far as possible, to the distressed, my heart sunk within me. The sick were borne out of their houses, and were lying on pallets in the street. Others, faint and exhausted, were reclining on the beds which had been thrown out. Every moment our ears were stunned with the explosion or powder, to demolish the buildings, which might stay the flames. But although many were thus levelled, there was not strength to pull the timbers from the reach of the conflagration.
It is impossible to paint the heart rending scenes which every where occurred. Parents were inquiring for their children, and children for their parents, and in every countenance reigned despair.
I have been round the fire in every direction, and the above statements are the result of my own observation. From where I now write I can perceive, for the extent of nearly half a mile, the light which flashes up from the smouldering ruins. A very small portion of the property was insured. Most of the people lost their all! Our distress may be partially imagined, but cannot be justly conceived of. Much bodily injury was experienced, but, so far as it is at present known, no lives were lost. What results may be ascertained when our friends are collected, it is impossible to say.
Yours with respect,
HENRY A. ROWLAND, Junr.
To the Editors of the New-York York Journal of Commerce
Fayetteville, NC, May 30, 1831
GENTLEMEN--By this time you must have heard that FAYETTEVILLE IS IN ASHES. But two, or at most three stores, at the foot of Haymount, are all that remain standing; all the rest are entirely consumed. Three churches, the academy, the two banks, the two splendid hotels, the old state house, the printing offices, and as nearly as can be estimated, one hundred and five stores, independently of warehouses, dwelling houses, and out houses of various descriptions, and mills, occupying an area of about half a square mile, are completely burnt up. The fire took yesterday soon after the several congregations were dismissed from worship, about fifteen minutes before one o'clock, and springing from roof to roof, it spread with such amazing rapidity that in one hour and a half the column of smoke and flame seemed to rise from the whole town at once. I have often witnessed conflagrations in our cities, but never before did I behold an universal annihilation. Except the scattering houses in the streets off from our village, the dwelling houses are all destroyed. The goods which were thrown into the streets, or conveyed, as it was supposed, at a safe distance from the flames, except the few that were saved by repeated removals, were all consumed. Every inflammable substance over the whole extent of the field of wind is reduced to ashes. Merciful Heaven! to what destruction hast thou brought us! was the involuntary expression of every heart.
From the commencement of the conflagration every thing that was possible was done to arrest the flames. The light wood pine buildings which were interspersed with the others, and the wooden warehouses, were but tinder. The engines played but for a few minutes, and were then deserted and consumed. Powder seemed our only hope, and on every side was heard the thunder and the shock of buildings which were blown to pieces. This, which was finally the instrument of arresting the fire in several directions, would have sooner been attended with success, had there been force sufficient to have dragged away the shattered timbers; but so exhausted had all become, and so rapid the march of the devouring element, that it became a hopeless attempt. Our only alternative was to retreat before it, and wait a favorable issue to our exertions. In about three hours and a half the fire assuaged; in so short a time was all this ruin accomplished.
The impression made on our hearts is indescribable; despair seems to reign in every countenance. Not a tear is shed; the horror stricken feelings of our poor sufferers have not yielded to tears.
We are now crowded together in the outskirts of the town, and many last night slept in the open air. The sufferings of our people must be immense; some of our most wealthy citizens, are stript of all their property, and have not where to lay their heads. Not even their clothes were saved. Though so far as can be ascertained no lives were lost, yet so exhausted and faint were many that they threw themselves down upon whatever chanced to be near them, and others fell down in the street, and were obliged to be carried home. We learn that numbers are sick; and to complete our misfortunes, all our medicine shops and medicine is destroyed.
But in the multitude of our afflictions we have reason to praise the Lord that our lives were spared. Amidst the confusion, and the explosions which occurred, it would seem that nothing less than the special protection of the Almighty defended us from danger. We have also reason to rejoice that our flight is not in the winter. The season is peculiarly favorable. It is our hope, that by the blessing of Providence, before the season for the fall business shall arrive, such provision may be made by our merchants for the carrying on of business that, our lives may be sustained, so that to the evils of beggary, may not be added those of starvation.
Yours with respect,
HENRY A. ROWLAND, Junr.