Destructive Fire in Owen County

We regret to state that one of the most destructive conflagrations it has ever fallen our lot to record occurred in New-Liberty, Owen County, on Sunday.  The alarm was given about noon, and letters received from there state that in Les than three hours the entire business portion of the town was in ashes.  New-Liberty was very compactly built on Main-street, which comprises all the business houses, principal residences, and public houses, all brick structures but two.  Eighteen families have been rendered houseless, and penniless.  In almost every instance all their worldly possessions were embraced in their houses and contents, and very few saved anything except the clothes on their persons.  They have all been kindly received in the homes of farmers in the immediate vicinity for the present until more substantial relief can be extended to them by a generous public.  The estimated loss is not less than $150,000.  The Female Academy, a superb structure, was entirely destroyed.  But for the timely and indefatigable exertions of the men of Capt. Kelly’s command, Co. I, of the Fortieth Regiment of Kentucky Mounted Infantry, who were camped near the town, the loss would have been much greater.  The following is a list of the sufferers:  C. C. Chowhing, Dr. Layton, C. J. Bradford, Sarah Furnish, J. C. Walden, W. Crawford, Mrs. E. J. Reville, Mrs. Hunt, Jas. Bradney, H. Barker, Dr. Payton, J. Vanpelt, Isaac Foster, Ellis & Orr, J.P. Orr,Sr., Mrs. Catlett, Henry Blanton, Blanton & Tune. 

From the New York Times of April 3, 1864, which noted that it had been taken from the Louisville Journal of March 31.