From the New York Evening Gazette.


TERRIFIC FIRE
AWFUL EXPLOSION! IN THE CITY
NEW YORK.
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THREE HUNDRED HOUSES BURNED Il!
The most terrible and destructive fire which
has visited our city since "The Great Fire." has
been raging since about 2 o'clock A. NJ, and is
now advancing with undminshed force. As in
1885, every circumstance has happened to favor
its progress. The intense heat of the weather
has rendered every thing as dry and combustible
as touch paper; the flames are not delayed by even
the time it usually takes to heat the buildings they
approach, but whatever they touch flashes instant
y into blaze.


they must 2ye hen sy TBS
between o'clock last evening, and ! O'Clock this
morning. First, to extinguish the fire at No. 34S
Pearl street occupied by Mr.. S. Phillips, fur and
wool warehouse, which was not got under until
an immense quantity Of valuable furs, hats, caps
wool, &c. were totally destroyed.


Again about nine O'Clock last night the Hall
bell rang an alarm of fire in the third district,
second avenue, which we understand proceeded
from some straw which was burning in the streets.
As soon as the alarm was sounded, as matter Of
course, the different fire companies were on their
way there.


After most fatguing race and exciting row,
they returned, but scarcely had they arrived at
their engine houses when the bell again sounded
in the Sd district, and to work they went with as
much composure as fthey had not been out before.
The fire proceeded from the attic story of the New
York Dspensary, Centre street, (which is occupied
as an organ and piano factory. The burst OF
flames was very violent and unexpected, but by
promptness and energy of the fremen, nearly all
the property in the building was saved, and the
fire subdued, but only after the most violent ex
ertions for more than an hour.


L. sho ctar o'p
sprung up which is now laying waste all the lower
part Of our city.


1t commenced in the upper part Of the four sto.
ry brick building, No. "a New street, occupied by
j. L. Vandoren as an oil store. That building
with its contents was in very short time entire.
" destroyed, as was large brick building ad.
Joining, occupied as a carpenter shop.


1t continued TO burn, increasing in volume and
intensity, from the nature of the goods stored in
the buildings,-large quantities Of wine, spirits,
lumber, cotton and oil-and at ten minutes before
four, 1--WE have the time from gentleman who
looked at his watch Instantly one of the most,
perhaps the most tremendous explosions which
has ever been known in this city. There are va
rious accounts as to the cause OF the explosion,
some ascribing it TO a large quanty of salt petrc
stored in Croker g. Warrens store in New street,
some to the spirits in one of the large wine import.
ing establishments in the vicinity. some to powder,
though we do not see how such quantity could
have been stored within the fire limits; but we
are inclined TO think that the first report is most
likely to be true; that is, that it was the gas res.
ervoir in New street. This building many may
recooct as presenting wide brick front to New
street, unbroken by any window or door. and hav-
ing semcircular projection into the side walk.
There were two distinct detonations, sudden and
violent, which inclines US to believe that it could
no, have been salt.pe.re. We think that the fol.
lowing from the Courier and Enquirer will sus-
tain our supposition, although that paper supposes
the catastrophe to have been caused by sa!-Petre.
"The workmen in the composing room in the fifth
story found the stcae on which the form was max
inc up rise several inches from its resting place;
The cas-, all ,cent out Instantly, and during the
arkpess that followed, the sceno was, to say the
least of il, an exciting oao." or course in the
present confusion nothing definite on this point
can be ascertained. Be that as it may, the