Destructive Fire

Richmond, Va., Aug. 9

We stop the press to announce the complete destruction of our state penitentiary by fire!

A few minutes before twelve last night, the alarm of fire was sounded; and a broad glare of light to the west indicated the fire to be in that direction. Our prophetic fears were realized; and the extensive range of buildings constituting the state penitentiary rapidly exhibited a tremendous sheet of flames. The efforts to save the buildings were idle.

The fire engines were hurried to the spot, and a crowd of citizens were collected; but their exertions were confined to save the convicts, some of the Public property in the front centre building, and a few wagons, and ploughs under the shed without. Few of the goods in the centre building, comparatively, were saved.

As far as we have ascertained, all the convicts were saved. The turnkeys, who slept under the buildings, were able to unlock the upper rooms and those who slept in them rushed through the front gatee. A few of the tower cells had not been unlocked; and by the most laudable and vigorous exertions on the part of our fellow citizens, through the outer wall, or by cutting the grating out of the windows, four wretched beings were dragged as it were from the tomb into life.

Captain Bolling’s company of the public guard repaired with alacrity to the spot; and assisted by the citizens grouped the convicts together, to prevent their escape. They were marched off to the capitol, and confined in its ample portico under a guard. Not one of them seems to have made any attempt to escape; and throughout the whole scene they behaved remarkably well.

The whole of the buildings were consumed. No part of the brick work fell. The penitentiary was in the form of a semicircle, the two ends of the semicircle connected by a range of wall with a large house for the keeper, in the line of the range. In the interior, was a large central building for workshops, next to the east side of the semicircular building.

It is suspected that the fire commenced in the shoemaker’s shop, where sometimes 20 to 25 worked at once. A strong suspicion is entertained that The fire was the effect of design; and that possibly some of the workmen may have contrived to smother up some fire. According to this supposition, it must have been more than three hours before it burst out; but all conjecture is baffled for the present.

The loss to the commonwealth is severe; scarcely less at a very rough guess than 200,000 dollars.

There were 247 convicts in the building; of these, 11 or 12 were women. We have this moment learned that 245 have been counted; 2 sick supposed to be in the vicinity of the prison; no one of them missing!

The sight was awful and grand beyond description. No words can do justice to the feelings which the whole scene produced. The penitentiary was to the west of the city; and isolated some distance from any other building. The fire, therefore, communicated to no other. The wind was light. It is long time since we sustained any serious alarm or loss by fire; but this blow compensates for our exemptions. How many interesting events have been crowded into the short space of three hours!