i r 1 0 IV i if. JACOBf, rubllsher. Troth and Rigbt Cod and oar Country. '$2 50 In Advance, per Annas. VOLUME 16. BLOOMSBURG. COLUMBIA COUNTY, PA.. WEDNESDAY, APRIL 26, 1865. NUMBER 27. J" T ENORT 14 r THE STAR OF THE NORTH II PUBLISH KD EVERY W SDK ESD.tY BT ;rj. . J a co by, fflee 09 Main St., Sd Square below Market. XEU'ttS : Two Dollar and Fifty Coi ia sdvante. tf not paid till the end .of the year. Three Dollar wilt be chared. . No subscriptions takeo for a 'period less than six months ; no discontinuance permit 8d until all arrearjges are paid unlet. at tbe option of the editor One square, eight line one time, Every subsequent insertion, . . .'. One square, three months, ...... One year, '. . . 31 00 . 25 4 50 10 00 CLEAR THE WAY. j 'Men cf tLeoaht. be op and stirring, ' ' ' Night antl day l ' . . SawMbe seed, withdraw the curtain, ' Clear the way 1 Men of action,' aid aud.cheer them Aa we may ! . There's a foant.abouito stream; Theie's a rightabout to beamk'; There'a a warmth about to glow ; . There's a flower about io blow; There's a midnight blackness Changing Into gray. . Men of thought and men of a6tioo; Clear the war ! Ouce ibe welcome light has brokea, ' - - Who shall say . What the unimagined glories Of (he day 1 What the evil but shall perish In i s ray 1 Aid the dawning tongue and pen; Aid ii, hopes of honest men ; Aid t. paper, aid it.. type ; 1 Aid it, tor the hour is ripe ; And oar earnest must not slacken Into play. Men of thought and men of action, Clear the way 1 te ! a cloud's about to vanish From life day ; L ! the right's about to conqner v Clear ihe way ! Aod a brazen wrong to crumble Into Cay. ; vYi'h that risht shall many more Enter smiling atthe door ; ' With the gun! wrong shall (all Man? others, great ard small, . 1 hat for age long hare held os For tbeif prey. M?n of thought and men of action, Clear the way ! Sketch of John ffiikei Booth. John Wilkes Booth, who has heretofore - been familiarly and favorably known to the theatrical public, and whose name has been suddenly and onespectedly brought so prominently before the entire world in con bectioi with tbe terribly tragic assassina tion of P'Sideiil Lincoln . is the youngest en of the la'e eminent tragedian, Lucius Jjnios Booth,- who was the only successful - rival of the elder Kan John Wilkes Booth ha three' brother, Ricbarl, the eldest, an , accomplished lingnist, now in Europe ; Junius Brutus, an actor,, lately of San Fran -ce. California, but now in the west, and who was about to commence i si)2:e. merit at PikeV Opera t!oae in Cincinnati, ' end Edwin, the distil gnished tragedian, a resident of New York City, Out who, the past week, has been fulfilling a successful engagement at the Boston Theatre. There is also a sister. Agnes, who is the wife of tbe welt koown comedian, Mr. John S. Clark, of Philadelphia. Mrs. Booth, the widow of the treat tragedian,- is now quiet ly residing in Nineteenth street in this city, where her declining years have been ten tiered comfortable and happy by ihe kind MentioVis of her children, bat principally through tbe fond and' constant care of Ed win, whose hoase'she has made her home. John Wilkes, tbe subject of this sketch, was . ao named by bis father ia honor of tbe fa mous English actor of that name, he is now bat in the twenty sixth year of his age, hav- "ing been bora in Harford County, near Bl Air, in the State of Maryland, . in the year . 1A39. He baa been well and carefully rear ed and educated, receiving part oi his tui tion at St. Timoihy'a Hall, in Catohsville, boot six miles from Baltimore, which in motion, be left ia ' 1854, a"d finished bis education at the Newton Unierbity, on Lexington street, near Caber! street, in Baltimore City, in 1857. He ia a young lion of which, for bis owh reputatiou.be f0ow me whicbr he did, trembling as ' mas of remarkable personal attractions, be- w indifferent. ! he went along, fearing ha was to undergo ing five feel and between eight and nine i . Wilkes Booth was in this city some eight ' fome part nf the discipline in making a Inches in bight, with a fine, manly, musco-! dys ago, and met many ol his iriend-, and Mason of which he had heard soch a lerri lar form, standing erect, with a qoick, elas- vThtn be left, it was sopposed he was go- tie report She leJ him in'o ihe street and tie step: a bead of good size and shape, well paised; prominent, regular features ofclas sic mold; a full, bright, jet black eye, ani mated by kindness and intelligence; a bUck, well trimmed mustache, and a wealth of; soft, dark, corly hair. He dresses with! punctilious neatness, and would attract at tention anywhere. When at school be v abowed 00 particular fondness for the his trionic art, seldom, if ever.' giving a recita tion, bat was qai'a partial to making stamp tpeeches to the boys, in wbicb he display ed considerable eloquence, originality and fewer. His voice, boweverr was mach gainst bim, which annoyed him exceed ingly. He seemed to suffer from a natural bron chial affection, wbicb gave his toaes, at times, a peculiarly painful baskiness, and wbicb, no doubt, many will remember Ire qsently characterizes Edwin Booth's voice. John Wilkes Booth was not only respected by bis friends and companions, bat was elncerely te'oved by them. He was frank cod brave, and always geatle and winning In bis manners, and disposition, bat firm and determined in bis purposes. He was net remarkable in bis studies, but was con idersd a fair scholar be, however, excelled (rt a;hlet;c spers, being strong A body and i;h of I mb, and ws splendidly fitted for v!gorasi vxn?i. tnl he hv.l fsw rivl amwng his companions who could surpass him in running-, wrestling and horserack riding. He is sn accomplished swordsman and a splendid shot alsoin fact being an adept in all ihe manly sports in which be always took" great delight. When he grew to manhood he had no particular employ meni, and finding fiat his brothers Junius and Edw-tfi bad succeeded in the theatrical profession, and believing that his name woold secure him recognition and success, without any great stn.y or preparation, he decifed to make hisdebut on the stage. He appeared in Phtlidelphia. first playing subordinate parts, and in 1859 arjd 1860 performed qnite a successful engagement in Montgomery, AUbama. and since then he has playsd at tne principal theatres in the country. He, however, has been re garded by the best critics as a careless ac tor, professing, nevertheless, histrionic genius-natural, of course and with every prospect of excelling in his art by the prop er application and study. The advice the critics gave him he has apparently disre garded and if seems he determined some time since to abandon the profession. Hi first appearance in New York was at Wal laces old theatre under the management of Miss Msry Provost He appeared in his father's greiit role of Richard the Third, but he met wiib a failure; his engagement ter minated suddenly and he d;d not appear again in ihit- city until the twenty third ot lat Novemfer when the brilliant Both combination benefit was given at the Win f ter Garden to the Central Park Shakespeare I Monument Fund, on which occasion he as eumed the role of Marc Antony in the great bard's Roman tragedy of Julius Cec-ar E twin performing Brutus, and Junius that ot Cassios. John Wilkes' associations have principally been with the South, and the current ot bin sympathies have run that way, thougb. he was not ran re demonstra live in giving expresiona to them than other of iin associates, - and having hosts of warm friends in the North when in their society never offended ibeir feeling by un necessary or bitter reflections, thongh there were occasions when arguments would ar ie. and he would take a decided eland in favor of his sympathies. He has never had a commission in the Confederal army, nor doring the rebellion has he been further South than his native S.ate. This is poi- lively assened by those who have constant- I) been wiih him. Some months since he loaned a joang fnend of his a sunt ol mo-i- ey, who owned some oil lard in Per.nsyl- vania. and to secure ihe- loan, his friend passed to him a tract of land which ia Icea- J teJr it is said near Oil' City, and being wonderfully rich in oil deposit, ha yielded him over S10O 000. For momhs past he ' has devoted his whole attention to the oil ; business, hiving entirely abandoned the' stage. He tippeared. however, in the latter; part of January, at Ford's theatre, in Wash- j ington,fr the benefit of Miss Avania Jonea, having prior to that lime pliycd ai ihe Bjs ton M use tun, and then declared that it shonM be hi last appearance on the stage. On tbe occasion ot the benefit of Miss J nes the honse wa crowded in every part, even the ais'es teing fi led so that egress was almost impossible. He proposed to persona'e Borneo, and those who had seen the vigor and energy of his portraiture of the Duke of Glo-ier at the broad way Thea ter could not fail to police ihe tam and spiritless representation of Juliet's lover. He was by far more feminine in his utter ance than ihe pride of the Capulets. In person he appeared very slender, and bis suit of sky blue, relieved wi h white satin, made him indeed, a man of wax. His reading was imperfect, aod be frequently faltered and stumbled in the text, although he was sell-possessed. It was easy for a stranger to believe that some female had assumed the part, and those who had hopes that he would rise to eminence from the crude promise ol his New York perform ances were inclined to think t hat he could never achieve any great histrionic distinc tion Everjthingin bis acing of Romeo betrayed a sell-impot-ed tank, to the execa 102 to Oil Cirv. or some other locality in Pennsylvania. A gentleman -who knows bim well, ar..d who has been in Washing ton, says thiit be had not seen him there, and hence when the announcement was made that he was the supposed assassin, I bis friend were s-ized with sorpise and 1 consternation. Although at times he would indulge too freely in the intoxicating cup, ( and set somewhat eccentric, be eccentric, be never . seemed wickedly disposed or particularly quarrelsome.. He was rather known for bis convivial qualities, and was always con sidered a hail fellow well meet, .and quite incapable of doing: any one a deliberate injury. Tbii horrible tragedy, which finds no parallel is biatory, bas not only plunged the country i 3 a gloom it has never before experienced, bnt the report that J. Wilkes Booth is connected wiih it, has cast a terri ble pall over tbe - hearts of bis friends and ! family. Time alone will test his gnili or innocence, and -to tbe justice of that Oiviu ity which shapes oar ends, rough bew them as we may, 111 leave bis fate. New York Daily Keas. A doctor op- town, recently gave the fol lowing prescription for a lady: 'A new bonnet, a Caibmere shawl and a new pair ef gaiter boon." 'Tbe lady, it is now used' less io ssy, his sntirely rseovtred. flow the Chinene dig Coal. It is always enrious to kntw bow they do thing In the Celestial empire, the land ol pig tails, li'ile feet and almond eyes They are not a slow people; bat ingenious, foxy, patient, enduri-ng and . industrious ; they achieve wonders for an oriental nation, and a race hampered by iron conventionalities. The manner of their coal mining is well tiescribed in the appended article from an Anglo Chinese paper: The old coal mines in China of which we have an account are located about five mites north of Koh shaukan, and not far from the cit of Pekin. The editor of the .'Chinese Mail' recently visited these mines, and makes tlie following report,' which will be irterefting, as showing the manner in which the Chinese carry en mining opera tions at home: There are but fiueen shafts open, each of their entrances being enlarg ed into a room, where the colliers eat and sleep at times, though more comfortable dwellings have been built for overseers and contractors. We engaged a miner to show us down the Urge shaft, which measured on the average 4 feet high by five ft wide; it is cased wiih willow weeds in a secure manner, and tbe roof is partirotarly well guarded. The bottom is lined with the same to form a ladder, op and down which the miners travel in their daily labor. The shafi is about 150 feet deep, and ihe ladder down to tbe diggings is, perhaps, 600 feet long. The coal is secured on small wooden s'edges, and drawn as the miner slowly crawls op along the narrow and slippery steps by a sirap passing over his forehead, each load weighing eighty cattle. One workman brings op six loads as his day's work. The sides of this shaft showed the width of tbe veina of coal, bat -the lop and bottom were not dug nut. The whole was very dry owing probably to its elevation op the hill; but some shafts had been aban doned from wet and bad air, and their months closed. The laborers are hired oat by the contractors, who sell the coal to the deera from Pekin and elsewhere; it is all carried away on the barks of camels or moles, and it ia a painful sight to see ihe unwieldy camels coming down the rocky, uneven roads bringing their loads of coal. " delivered at Pekin M about three p.cuU for dollar, and a large part of the price is I ,or carriage. The coal is h-rd, but such examination as the lime afforded, diclosrd j n siige of a stomp or leaf to compare ! w'11 ,h foit of other regions; more care- ful re.earch will doubtless bring to light some indications of this kind, enabling scientific men to compare the numerous deposits of so It and hard coal in this part of China with the European coal measures. Seereti of Icsonry. At an inn in the west of England, several persons were sitting around the fire in a large kitchen, throngh which was a passage to ihe other apartments of the honse. and amongst whom was a female traveler and a tailor. At this inn a Lodge of Free and Acc,pj Ma-sons was held, it being night several of their members paed th'e com pany in the way to the meeting room This circoms'ance introduced observations on the occnlt signs by which Masons could be known to each o-her; when Ihe female ob served, that there was not so much mystery in maonry as imagined, and that sh her self could how any pprson a Mason's sign.' "What," said the tailor, "that of a Free and Accepted Mon1" "Yes" she replied, ''and I'll bet yoa a half crown bol of punch, to be decided by any of the mem bers you may please to appoint thar I per form ray promise " "Why," says the tail or, "a woman was never admitted, then how i is possible yoa can procore the se cret V No matter for that," says hef I will readily forleit the money I lay if do not prove the fact." The company ur ged the tailor to accept the challenge, and the amount of the bet was deposi'ed The woman immediately started op and took the tailor by the coTar. 'Tome ' says she, pointing 10 the sign of the Lion and Larnb, askmg him whose sign that was. The tail or answered, ' Mr. Lodge,' as the name of the inn keeper. "Is he a Free Mason? ' Yes" said the taihr. "Then I have ,hown yoa the sign of a Free and Accepted Mason." The laugh was so much against lae tailor, that it"was with rrocb difficulty ne could be prevailed opon 10 take some of tns liquor which was forthwith produced at bis expense. One More Rkbcl In bis speech at Washington on Monday, Bethel Fisher Bat ler said : In the future the danger to our liberties can come only from the arabitoos of lboe in the army, who may conspire against the life of the nation." Doe Ben But er reler to himsell ? He is the only officer in oar army guilty of insubordina- Uo Dd hd belonged to any other army, he would have been coori-rcarnaied and shot for his runfmous harangue at Lowell N. Y. Herald, Pbofits or the Oil Trade. The aggre gate yield of oil per day in all the oil re gions of tbe United States, is 6 000 barrels. On rbis, in its crude state, the average pro fit is about five dollars perbarrel, so that the net profit on all tbe erode petroleum produced, is $30,000 par day, or nearly $11 000,000 yearly.PirYjImrg Diyatck. The Great Calamity. It is as if a pall overhang Ihe land, and in the shado ol it dwelled a chilled and awe struck people. A brotherhood of sorrow sorrow so poignant that it makes strong men weep and veteran soldiers shndder, has brought all classes and all parties to the drear level of comrsnions in misfortune. Our city looks like a vast burial ground, whose monuments ure hung wiih the symbols ot wo and along whose avenues a million mourners pace silently in the solemn con sciousness of bereavement. It is not only the flags flapping at half masi in the driz zling rain, or ibe gloomy vistas of craped facades that leave ihsMmpression of univer sarmourning, for in' Ihe somber lioks and thoughtful fadness of our citizsns, their downcast eves, their subdued tones, we find the most impressive tokens of the popular distress. And, indeed, it has really happened that a peeple h e been viiiel with a ich a cause for lamentation Had it pleaed God, by disease or accident, to take from ns our Cnief Magistrate, the shock would have been less. But to see bim stricken down by the brutal rage ol an assassin, murdered at the very gates oi peace he was about to open, abru ptly hurled from bis sphere of usefulness at the crifcis of ihe Repuolic's fate, in such a misfortune all that is hornb'e. and pitiable, ar.d caUmitous has been con centrated into one fatal moment to over whelm tbe country with affliction For tbe first lime in our history assassination has thrown its dagser imo the political scale Oh ! the disgrace of it, ibe shame of it, the peril, if ever that crime should be identified with ihe American characier ! Let ns not believe, for the honor of the American name, that it was . promp ed by partisan malev olence. Let it not be a.sociated with the record of civil atrife, further lhaq the act of a murder whoe criminalitygoea not be yond his own individuality. We will not insult any section of our country by pleading for its people, or their leaders, exculpation from complicity in thi fiendish deed ; for, in behalf of Americanism, we asen that ihey will loathe and denounce i. For sol diers have no sympathy with assassins. Be their cause right or wrng, Ihey strike for it on Ihe embattled ptain. against an armed and rea.lv foe. The full extent of the mifonune involved in Mr. Lincoln's dsath cainoi yet be meas ured. It depends upon whether his succes sor will take np the policy of consideration that we know the late Presi lent had de termined to porsue. Mr. Lincoln, of those in power, was the best friend 10 the Sonih. In his kindheartedness, he wi ihsiooJ and baffled th6 vindictiveneis and fanaticism of Ihe radicals of his party. It is known that he had prepared and was about to publish a proclamation of general amnes y, so con ciliatory in its tone and so honorable in its conditions, that it would have been accept able to a large portion of the South as well as to tbe conservative people of the North. What of that proclamation ? Will it be ig nored now that its author lies cold in death ? we trust not. It is among the legacies he leaves ibe Republic. Those who have pow er cannot pay a better tribute to his mem ory than to folfill his wishes. His voice will be no more heard in the Cabinet, but in the hearts ol those that echoing the words nf peace and forgiveness, that he nttered so brief a while before he pmsed into eternaty. The living do honor to the dead in completing the unfinished labor of love, fin fitter requiem to Abranam Lin coln than the song of peace s-e!lijr from tie greatful hearts ot his countrymen. He atks on hecatombs let his grave be nnpolated by the blood of .Americans slaughtered for revenge. Let the law deal with the murderer ; but, for atMesmanship and lor the influence ol popular opinion, the mission of the hour is peace. Shall the deed of a single min," prompted by his own onnaturil instincts, affect the policy of a s:rong Government, and blast the hopes that have so recently dawned npon the land? Shall the legitimate sorrow of the peo ple for the loss of one who they trusted and honored degenerated into a savage v'mdic liveness towards a race guiltle-, and, at this day, unconscious of the crime thai bas teen perpetrated ? It would be a slander to our enlightenment to believe it. No ; let our statesmen and our people resume ihe con ciliatory temper that prevailed before the-e dreadful tidings came 10 check the current of popular opinion. Let it be said that the germ of peace was planted by the band of Abraham Lincoln. Lei it live and flourish and became a monument to bis fame. Alabaster from the Mammoth Cave 'The Louisville Journal says thai large qn un titles of pure white alabaster, of the finest quality, are being taken from tbe Mammoth Cave, and manufactured into ornaments" ot various kinds, such aa necklaces, breast pins, ear-rings, crosses, charrns, fee. Thi subbtance is susceptible of the highest pol ish, and the ornaments into which it is con verted are greatly admired ' for their bril liancy and beauty. - I S - I ' The "colored people" of Rhode Island have nominated. Edward Harris, of Woon socket, as their" can did ate for Governor Hope be may be elected. Adah was food of his jokes and when be saw bis sons and daughters marrying one another, be drily remarked to Eve, that if there bad been no apple, there would have been no pairing. A sister of Gen. Grant ' died at the resi dence of bar father in Covisgton, Ky., last week, - Details of the Capture of Richmond. j ; A correspondent of Jhe World, writing from Spots wood Hotel, Rrchmond, 6ih int., gives many imereMing facts. Beginning with an account ol the last battle at Peters- ; burg, he says : ' j "The various devices, inventions, and la bors which could economize men had all been tried Earthworks, forts, abatis cAe twtix defrise, mine, canals and so on, bad all been applied on our tide, and to these the rebels added torpedoes for the purpose of relieving as many men as p.issible for the decisive struggle, whenever it should , take place. j Thus began' the con'est. The bad roads prevemed much fighting beyond heavy t skirmishing on Wednesday and Thursday. Sheridan was confronted by the whole of. Wade Hirmpton (cavalry,) and a division 1 nriJer Mahone (infantry.) The result was thst on Fricfay, Sheridan, after some oppo ! i;ion, had col his way to the railroad and the Appomat ox. On Thursday night, during a storm and' intense darkness, the rebel pickets, urged, no doubt, by the immi nence of a struggle, ran into their forts re porting an attack, which, spreading along the line, soon extended along both lines j around Petersburg. Ihe cannonading was j torious, and seen in the rflif of the black storm, was one of the tst awfjlly grand scenes imaginab'e. The fire was kept op from the forts for some hours, when I oth sides, finding that the imaginary foe made no impression, concluding iheir enemy re- spectively rrpnlse-1. No very great injury or loss was sustained ; but it gave rife to an impression in Richmond, and also in i New York, we judge, that there had been ' a great battle with terrible slaughter. On Saturday morning the lires having j been closed up, the preparations for a ganeral bombardment and storming having been made, ihe Second, Fifth Sixth. Ninth and Twenty fourth corps were held in rea- j diness to force their way throngb any por- ' tion of their lines which might 'develop a ! promising weakness. The attack was or- j dered and gal'antly met, and af'er varying 1 fortunes, our success seemed to be doubtful on the left, until Sheridan's cavalry, climb ing over three successive lines of newly thrown up intrenenmenf, were enabled to 1 surround a divi-ion or more of the ene- j my, and lha- enable tbe troops in the vi- j cinity of Hatcher's Run to bag abcut two thousand prisoners, who surrendered with- I out unusual resistance. 1 Petersburg presents a wretched appear- ! anre The wri'er followed into the city a few bonrs alter its oi-eupaticn, to find al mo! every house closed, many of them shot through by shells, many others in ru- J ins. The stores were empty and c'osed. j The s reets were crowded with the inhab itants and our soldiers, now streaming in at all points. The inhabitants consisted prin cipally of negroes, of whom there were . vast numbers a few able bodied blacks and a great many decrepit and aged. The works around Petersburg are very strong, and show a beaver-like industry, combined with great skill and daring On the west and sooth of the town the yellow sand has a colossal worm ea rn appearance. 1 Each tort has very commodious bomb ' proofs, and little caves for the gunners. The space intervening between the two lines, which in some places is not more j than two hundred feet, is doited with lutle circular pits with a curtain of ear'.h, in 1 which the pickets on either side kept op a Constant fusilade. The chevaux de fiue of the rebels is of the old s- rt a pine log ' twenty or thirty feet long, into which at right angles sharpened stakes about eight ' feet long, which, when in tittle or double rows, are a terrible obstruction to a charge. In the city t here are caves also, it) imitation of those in Vicksburg. In tny judgment tf.e defenses ot Petersburg are not as strong as those o! Vicksburg, but of course ihey have been defended by a tar larger army. We captured about thirty heavy guns, un billed, in the forts, many of them rifled and of great calibre. A great many ol the Confederate wound- ed are still in tne houses and hospitals of: Petersburg, and but tew surgeons to attend them. The railroad which had been torn op for a few miles was immediately put in repair and oy Thursday it was expecied to be running into the city. The few small : schooners and boats which were at the; docks were all scuttled. In fart, it was; very evident that the rebels had carried off j t or destroyed everything which could be of ! any value to os. Tbe enemy had blown up ibe famous i Virginia at Drury's Bluff, and her iron sides are now visible. The Fredericksburg lies near her and ihe new iron clad, the Chick ahominy, is above. A new ram on the stocks below Richmond was also fired, and is burning to this hour. The rebels had a powertul stone blockade at Fort Darling, in front ot which are numbers ot torpedoes, some ot them already filled np, containing 1,900 pounds of powder. We captured also tne David Currier, Wm. Allison, Banner, and another smail transport. Thus perishes the last of Ihe formidable iron dads which the Confederates have built, but which have had singular fatality of ill luck. - With this, of course, followed the aban donment of the Howletl House battery (also strong) and tbe line of works between the Appomattox. . BTCHMONS. The three tremendous explosions before dajljght. on Monday morning, bad prepared every one for the evacuation of Richmond. Some of Kaotz's cavalry first entered the city, being moonted; and were met by a deputation of citizens with Mayor Mayo, who begged that the city might be honnra bly surrendered, as the retreating rebels were more to be feared than the open foe. The guidons of Ihe cavalry were placed on the Capitol about 8 o'clock. Aboot half past 6 o'clock the last train of tbe re- t ..K.i- .1 . u . rt :i 1 - 1 road bridge as our troops were sighting the citj from the bills. John C. Breckinridge, who had remained behind to superintend the work of destruction, was among the last to leave. His assistants in this work were General Ewell and Major Dick Turner, of Libby prison notoriety. Governor Smith left an hour earlier on a canal boat, tbe transportation borse vehicles having been exhausted. The labratory and the freight depot of the Danville road were fired about six o'clock several of the citizens protesting at Ihe time thai it would cause immense loss to private individuals. An appeal was made to Breckinridge, by the suggestion of Ewell, who ordered the torch to be applied and then left. The rattle of the locomotive could be heard on the bridge as our troops entered the heart of the ciljv. iWfCL CONFLlCRATIOIf. The firemen and soldiers (negroes) who were prompted and urged by the few white officers made ineffectual endeavors lo check ihe fire, but their efforts seemed as impotent as if directed against Vesuvius. Th-i large ml! of Haxall & Crenshaw went as well as all the warehouses on and near the canal Main sireet was reached, and for a time it seemed as if the Spoils wood would go. People were afraid to en ter it, but its proprietor by strenuous efforts caved it. Down Main street, and up the west side of tbe Capitol square, it caught ihe War Department buildings and Qjar ermaster's offices, though it is supposed this may have been, fired independently, as loads on loads of papers ware hauled out into the street and bsrned on Sunday The Treasury building strangely enough es caped, being a stone structure with metallic roof, though on the three sides of it for blocks, is a vast mass of black reins. The fire bwept down six blocks on Main street from the Capitol square. On the river Muk everything was burned for a full mile. In fact, tbe fire died out for the want of con tiguous fuel. The sight on Monday night from the heights above was terrific and glowing. The falling ot walls' and crack Itn of flames gave every hour fresh impe las to the burning mats. On Tuesday and Wednesday evenings the view from Gamble's Hill, looking over the river, we could see nearly a square mile of black and smoking ruins. The three bridges across the Jumes, one of them a costly and magnificent structure, tbe Pe tersburg bridge said to have cost over a million of dollars, were burned. Two or three large mills in Manchester, opposite the navy yard, and the navy yard, and the whole of the heart of the city was destroy ed. The loss most amount to thirty-millions of dollars in gold. The Ballard House and Exchange Hotel were saved The most ol the banks and one church were cousumed, though there was probably little specie ir. the vao!ts. It is compated thai one thousand five hundred building were destroyed and forty blocks. SCFKKS OF TUMULT.' In the spread of the fire there was mnch pillaging The poorer classes, including women. who had long telt tbe pangs of fam ine, now found their opportunity of wreak ing a suppressed vengeance against ihe speculators and extorioners. The negroes caught the infection, and stores were bro ken into, and for a few hours the wildest scenes of disorder prevailed. It shou'd be mentioned that on Sunday evening a com mittee of citizens, headed by 'he civil au thorities, seeing the la e before them, vety wisely concluded to destroy all the liqnor before the entry of our troops. Accordingly, all the depositaries were visited aud the liquors were emptied into the goiters. THE FLIGHT OF JRTT DAVIS. The despatch ent by Lee en Sunday from Petersburg, and wh'ch reached Presi dent Davis while in church on Sunday, was the signal for a grand exodus. His wife led on Wednesday previous, it is said, for Galvesion. He sent over to Dr. Huge, whose sermon he had been listening to, a small note by the black sexton. The latter on receiving it changed the coarse of his remarks, and said ii was probably the last time he should address ihem.and hastily concluded the services. Tbe rest ot the day be spent with his secretaries in pack ing op his papers. His house was left otherwise in the usual order, a white housekeeper being found in charge by our people. He took the train at half past six in the evening. Governor Smith (Extra Billy) left his wife (a very excellent lady, by the way) behind. Mrs. Gen. Lee bas been an invalid for some time, and occupied a very modest mansion beyond that of the Vice President. A giard was immediately plactrd at the house for her protection, and she was treated with becoming courtesy. Stephens occupied a house oc tbe opposite corner from Davis, but has not been living in it lor some lime. Edward A . Pollard, whom General Butler says is nol exchanged, was at the Spottiwood Honse on Wednesday evening. The only two foreign ftags which we saw exibited- were the French Iri color and the Spanish. Mr Edmund A. Paul, the French Consul, took occasion to call upon Gen. Weitfsl early to expreis bis bone that protection woold be extended to bis person and property. Judge Campbell, once of the United States Supreme bench, and mora recently of the peace commissioners,' was one of the most important personages 'left behind. A nnmber of the more prominent and wealthy citizens have left for Europe, including Judge Bledsoe and J. K- Thomp son. " ' ' Next (Wednesday) morning Jodge Camp bell paid a visit to Gen. Weitzel while we were present. After some conversation be expressed a desire to see President Lincoln to ask him if some way could not be found, in the present alidade of affair, to conclude a peace. Gen. Weitzel promptly waited 03 ihe President with hinrf. . The result is cot officially made known; bull express its substance when I say that the President re ceived him kindly, and informed bim that he had no objection lo allowing him to go to Davis, so soon as it was safe lo do so ; but that he had no message to send on the subject nntil he received one from Davis or Lee. The judge returned, and it is said among the citizens that he will endeavor to reach Davis when the intermediate . let ritory is safe to travel through. ' i THE WCWSPAFXas. Of ihe five newspapers of Richmonl ihree have been destroyed by the fire. The Whig and Sentinel alone remain.' The latter haa been confiscated by the government. and the Whig is issued as an evenins Danar! by the former proprietor, William Ira Smith,' who announces in bia salutatory of Toes day that it will be devoted to the cause (1 the Union, and will bring te its coatrol ozc of Virginia's noblest sous, by which W oppose John Miner Botts is meant. Tht Whi was the last paper to succumb te ths er A a linn f n p. rm .ml ftf C-.:iL .l '..I j iJ . , DM-i uti u . ii 1 1 n iijsjii seia rather than continue its pabheatioa. RICHMOND AFTER ITS CASTORS. Spottwood HoCbE. Richmond. VirefaU Thursday. A nnl K Th mnr I .. ) J - - ' . ft ivu ItfHBfl here, the more I am satisfied that the Con! federac is finally and effectually burst op. Both tbe news from the front and tbe ee tiges left behind here bear indicatient lha the blow which has iist fallec bas bee expecied to come for some time, bat cam at last in a way more sodden . and embar raesing than anr dreamed of. A irreat man " j circumMances come to light which show' that both tbe government officials an shrew t parties outside have been convert mg property and conveying effects to saf distances for a longtime. Manv of th most wealthy people of Richmond aa irgtnia bave been going to Europe. The government archives ha h shipped sooth, and are now scattered anc hid in various places lhrooghout Georgia North Carolina, Sou h Carolina, and Vir ginia. Two months ago, the Sentinel, lb, official organ of the government, had re moved its back files and spare material t South Carolina, where we believe part ol i was captured by Sherman. The Treasury' recorns have beeo sent for a month back Further, it appears that tbe policy of lb government in permitting trade through on lines waa very strict, but within two month haa been suddenly changed. In a sing day, 2d February, I th'.nk, fresh orders war issued tc accept all offers and sell all cotto belonging lo the government for tbe coin o sterling exchange. The law passed b Congress to raise supplies for the army b coin, was also made tbe; means of g sit in large advances from the State banks. Dais' family has been sent off, aai though it is spreid about thai his boose an effects are left in usual order, it is only s to the eye of the casual observer. The ut most scrutiny fails lo find any of those val uable papers, records and souvenirs, whict must naturally belong to such a place, and! which are portable in their nature. PianosJ statuettes, carpets, mirrors, furniture, are there, of course, but nothing of much valas which could have been taken off. A'ex. H. Stephens stripped his honse tw months since, and left for the far Sooth Governor B.lly Smi:h is about the on! prominent official who has beea left in the' dark, and he hail time to carry off or hide his most valuable goods. I may add that certain ill natarei eeess sionists are questioning tbe taste and ih propriety of the expected visit ot Mrs. Lin coin, Mrs General Grant ar.d Mrs. Genera Weitzel, in hastening to occupy the execa tive mansion, as some thing too petty foi the representative of a great nation sop' pressing an insurrection. There is a grant rush of dignitaries from tbe North anc conspicooas anions tbem are many ladies Our soldiers particularly appreciate and del light in these junketing parties, who oomejic at the heels of a great slaughter as partial of pleasure.'7 . Eg Blown Oct. No less than sixer ei;a4- fornace "stacks" have been "blown oet'S-! at the different furnaces between MaacL Chonk and Easton ; the managers no doofc being -earful, since the late decline in role! that iron woold decline in soch an exten that it would be unprofitable to manufss tore it. Carbon Democrat. Baptists in Pennsylvania. There ar seventeen Baptist Associations in this State embracing 391 churches, with an aggregate membership of 39.326. Of English Bapislj noi connected with association in iVis State there are eleven churches with a member ship of 313 ; of Welsh, eighteen chsrehec j with 966 members ; of German, fiv i churches, with 235 members ; making I ! iM.I il .Ik U . . r.t. in nil ' total tf 424 charcbas, with 49,946 mete bers. J