The Daily Gazette City of Davenport Tuesday Morning July 22, 1862 Local Matters. Dead Soldier.-Corp. James R. Russell, Co. I, 6th Iowa Regiment, died at Keokuk hospital on the 18th inst. Drafting.-While we should much prefer to see Iowa's quota of troops raised without having to resort to drafting, yet if such course become necessary, there will be some things in its favor. Those blatant treason-shriekers, men who refuse to give a dollar to help the cause and denounce those engaged in preserving their country, will some of them become conscripts and be forced to fight for the flag they have traduced. There are men in this city, whom it would rejoice the loyal heart to see pressed into service; not one of them but who would return a better man and better qualified for all the duties of citizenship. Disastrous Fire. Burrows Mill and Block Destroyed About 8 o'clock yesterday afternoon, the most destructive fire that has ever visited our city broke out in the east end of Burrows mill, near the corner of Perry and Front streets. The fire had hardly been discovered before dense black smoke was coming form nearly every window in the upper part of the building, and soon the entire mill was beyond chance of saving. The wind, which at first blew rather from the west, shifted to the southeast, and the fire spread to Burrows' block, adjoining, which soon caught, and the buildings occupied by R. M. Prettyman and Mr. Burrows as storage and grain commission warehouses were destroyed, nothing but the walls being left standing, while the adjoining stores occupied by J. M. Dalzell and Haupt & Heinz, also for grain warehouses were considerably damaged in the roof and upper lofts. The firemen, aided by citizens, only with the most strenuous exertions, succeeded in arresting the fire at this point. Great fears were entertained that it w! ould cross Front street, in which case there was no estimating the amount of damage it would have done. The catastrophe, however, was fortunately prevented. The firemen worked heroically, rushing fearlessly into the midst of danger caused by threatening and crumbling walls and crashing floors. The Rock Island companies were early on hand, and deserve high praise for the invaluable services they rendered, being among the foremost wherever there was work to be done. The origin of the fire is unknown; some think it the work of an incendiary; others that it caught from a candle left burning by the millwrights; other causes are also assigned for the calamity. Some of the roofs on the opposite side of Front street were slightly damaged. The ticket office of Jo. Robinson, agent of the Kate Cassel and other boats, was demolished by the falling of the side wall of Burrows' block. The mill was mostly built in 1855; a portion of it was several years older. The cost of the building and machinery is put at $60,000. The insurance on the mill is 20,000; and on Burrows block the same; all in New York companies, none of which are represented in this city. Mr. Burrows' loss is about $2,000, entirely uninsured. Mr. Prettyman was insured for $1,000, in the Home, of New York, which will probably cover his loss. Stephen Lindley, a farmer, had nearly 1,200 bushels of wheat, and Mr. Burrows about 400 bushels, in Mr. Prettyman's store, none of which was insured. Messrs. Dalzell and Haupt & Heinz also suffered considerable damage from water, the latter being uninsured. During the fire, Mr. Elisha Burrows jumped from the second story of the mill to the ground, and in alighting one hand was burned by striking a live coal, and the other severely cut by some glass. A boy, while standing on the porch in the rear of burrows' block, was struck in the head by a falling timber, causing the blood to run freely but doing no serious injury. This fire is the most terribly disastrous which has ever occurred in this city, not only in the pecuniary loss to the he immediate sufferers and the city, but in the damage done to the farming interests of the county. It is very doubtful whether the mill will be rebuilt, certainly not for some time. Mr. Burrows, probably the heaviest sufferer by this calamity, has the warmest sympathy of all the people of our city, to the prosperity of which his industry and energy have contributed in no small degree; and we hope it will not be long before he will be again actively engaged in business. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ The following is an extract of a letter found in the postoffice at Jacksonville, N. C., upon the occupation of that place by the U. S. forces. It establishes beyond doubt the truth of statements heretofore made, as to the atrocities committed by the rebels on the dead bodies of our soldiers: Camp Presses, Manassas, Junct., Dec. 2d, 1862 My Dear Sister: I have seen more since I have been in this war than I ever expected to see in my life. I went to the the battle field one day where the great battle was fought, and I saw more than I ever want to see again. I saw soldiers form Georgia grabble up Yankees that had bee buried. I saw them pull of their heads and scrape the meat and hair off, and take the skull boen with them to send home of their folks to see. Your dear brother, Hyman Caton, Co. J. 4th reg't N. C. State Troops ~~~~~~*~~~~~~ Elaine Rathmann List Adm: *IA-CIVIL-WAR ACC Scott Co, IAGenWeb Project