From the Richmond Dispatch, 4/16/1866, p. 1, c. 4

FROM THE SUBURBS.
THE EAST.
Fire on Chimborazo – Appearance of Church Hill – Flowers, Milk, and Butter.

SATURDAY, April 14.

The Eastern Suburbs were excited last night by an alarm of fire. A great light appeared on Chimborazo. The citizens of that village were in fear for a little while, but the wind bore the flames away from the settlement – the fire being on the western edge, in a building detached from the main settlement. A kind Providence surmounted the carelessness of men, or whatever cause may have originated a conflagration in such close proximity to so large an area of very combustible and inflammable buildings. It is to be hoped that no similar spark may again fall among the tinder in this part of Central Africa.

The scene at the end of Broad street during the illumination was very interesting – a great crowd of negroes and white folks, and the steam engine puffing and blowing, and every now and then whistling. Such a whistle never visited these parts before. The steam engine just stood there and looked at the fire, and whistled at it, and it went down just like it was afraid. If the steam engine could have gotten water, I suppose the fire would have gone out sooner. There were some reels, too; and one or two of them went “raring” over the ravine, and witnessed the surrender.

It is a mystery how people can be so quick. The men were sweating, and the horses hitched to the engine were blowing. I was afraid they would be sick. They are so fat, and take so little exercise, it is a wonder these hard runs don’t hurt them.

This part of the town is looking very pretty now, and improving in appearance every day. The grass is growing, the trees are putting on leaves, and the gardens are clothing themselves in green peas and other buds of promise. The flowers will soon appear, and the cows give plenty of milk, so that people will make their own butter, and not have to pay seventy-five cents for it. Please excuse the incongruity of the foregoing sentence, but the fire last night kept me up very late.

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