Additional Items and Reflections.

New Zealander, Volume 6, Issue 480, 20 November 1850, Page 1

Additional Items and Reflections.

In consequence of the haste with which our Extra of yesterday went to press, several errors, typographical, and sorae inaccuracies of statement, appeared. One of the latter wjs respecting tbc northwest corner of the Square in which the fire originated. Besides the "Polka," mentioned yesterday, three or four other buildings, were preierved theie, viz: a liuge dwelling house on Pacific, and the "Franco A.inericainc"R' staurant, and "Pernelle & Le Bute's" Watch and Jewellery eslublibhinent on Dupont s'reet. We also omitted to mention in our geueial summary, the misfortune oi our evening contemporary, the Picayune. As they saved most of their material, however, we I/ope soon to welcome their Phoenix lo our table again. In the raidht of bo much logs and disappointment, it is pleaßsnl torcfl ct that the Com t House ivaa saved, although the chances against it, at one ti'ue, wpic at long oJds. Had it been destroyed", it ia impossible to say what the city would have done to replace it. It wa« saved by great efforts on the purt of the various city and county officers and other citizens, who are worthy of all psaise for their coolness and energy. To (hoi.c who had leisure and fa position suitable to ake in a view of the whole lea of flame, and who could divest their feelings of the pain incident to the occasion, it wns a grand and sublime sight. The whole city was lighted up with a fierce glow of light, and the suirounding hills sent bick again i(s reflected brilliancy, accompanied by ten thousand echos of cracking timber*, rushing fhmes, the quick strokes of the engines, rattling of carts and wagons, the wrenching of falling houses, the roar a»d tumult of thousands upon thoU" sandu struggling almost hopelessly against their dread enemy which BW.iyed to and fro in terrible mockery of human effort. The greedy flames shot forth their dry, forked, snake like tongue?, lapping at erery thing within their reach, as if conscious of their malignity and power, licking at the windows and walls and housetops, darting out horizontally through j uvs of black smoke and teeth of sparkling cinders, rushing across alleys and itreets aud vacant lots, twisting and writhing in agony or delight, anon shooting upwards as if bearing to the sturs, those clear eyes that looked down so quietly from their azure thrones, an expression of their delight und mighty vengeance. Anon came the broad light of day, giving a sti'l more strange and gorgeous mantle to the hill sides ciowded wuh bu^y, or gazing, or shocked human beings, acid mingling its heavenly uiys with those that held their revel duico amid uiir halls and household gods, uud wrapped themselves ab,,ur the woiks of labor and genius und toil, like so nruiy scailct mantle;,. Through a st-a of blood the Sun seemed to rise and ga-se upon us, his great Titan eye glowering down upon the devott d city as if red with anger and oli'ended majesty. Yet few saw it. The hi tie things about and near us are with us much gi eater than the great ones far away. When at length our dwellings were in the dust and smoking embers and ashes and cvcabional jets of not yet glutted flame, alone told tlie site of recent homes and busy marts, it was painful to ace ths ejected sufferers, men, women ami chiUien, sad aivl ttjjuful, clinging to the few relics of late foituncaand firesides. The Public Squaiewas l iLei ally crowned with whatever could be sna'ched from the bun^iy iiie. Up to a late hour labt night many pet sous were Mill theie with the icw remn-iuts kit of their (onnci* nioperty aud comforts. Not a few incidents occurred duiing tho fire worthy of notice. In the midst of it, a man bore in Ihb arms loi some distance a keg of gunpowder, so much on fire that one of tlie hoopa wan burned off while it wiis in hi-* hati'ls. lie held to the keg, however uu'.il those about advanced and plucked out the fit e with their fii.g.-is ! Alter the ♦ Kcarny Street Rcstauianl" wns on (he, j s proj'iietois stuck up a caid upon it, givuig notico that they had letnoved, and informing ti.e public vvheic they might Lie found. In two hou s af'ei the Veundah was in full blast again, although it 1 ) eblimitwl dam.>» j whs, (>0 0 dolUu. Thi;, is the bpnit of iSm Viunc facw ami Uiilituiaia. Tin" liuni'ii, and hujlv ,md (add 1 complines wore as Uo'ial cir.y on the giound. U at the lack ol a porfect organuvtnn of tin- (ire di'psi.ment, the sraieily of walL-i , and the fact thnt the hoik and Uddur ompanies iMd no< been recogui cd by the city govemment, und co iSiq'icully d.ned not asjuine mo iL J |)O!i J ibility of teanu" <iow.< buililingj fur winch they w«ald have been held an ounull >, toj-ollidr wiih other causes, p.iventid much the good results llul olheruisc would have attended then be^iiy WNhen, laboi undikill. It is a sad ta k aud anyiiiiii,j but a f;i .itetiii one to -peculute, as t veiy one may 01 muat, u. lo tlio <. Zibets ol ibis last heavy alii ction ol om city, upon i!s into* rests hete uud alj oad. No s,ojner doed cold in unity revive hoin one btuuuiu^ blow aud bet;iu to uisiiimt

something: of its former tone than ilhmay and doubt are •gain triumphant, and, toil and enterprise a'moftget disheartened »t the fearfu ly often re 'm ring disaster* that dimpen so much public energy «nd cofidence. And although the lon in this imiance is comparatively so much lest than on other similar occasion*, itilJ, all »re sufferers and many ruined.