The New York Herald Newspaper, December 25, 1872, Page 3

Y BURNING OF BARNUM’S Destruction of the Circus Building, Grace Chapel and the Adjoining Eaifices in Fourteenth Street. Wholesale Roasting of Wild Animals. A Corrugated lron Cage in Flames. Another Fireproof Building Burns Like Tinder. The Church and Circus in a Common Ruin. DANGERS OF THE FIREMEN. The Lawrence Man- sion Destroyed. An Old Landmark of Forty Years Gone. Narrow Escape of the , Academy of Music. A Scene of Devastation in Four- teenth Street. 1088 OVER ONE MILLION DOLLARS, Shortly after four o'clock yesterday morning fire ‘was discovered on the ground floor of the Hippo- theatron building in Fourteenth street, known of late as Barnum'’s Museum. There are several accounts of the manner in which the fire was first seen, but there is no doubt that the first who diacovered it was eorge Nelson, the night ‘watchman, whose duty it was to patrol the build- ing at night. He was walking past the immense cage in which the four giraffes were confined and Roticed smoke, He goon found that it was coming up through thé chinks of a trapdoor directly beside the cage. His first impulse was to rush to the ‘water buckets, which stood full near by, and was assisted by several other men who were IN THE BUILDING atthe time, It was very soon seen that water in Buch small quantities was insufficient to quencn Whatever fire there was, and Nelson ran to the Btreet to give the alarmi, while the others threw ‘water on the Noor where the smoke was ascending every moment in denser masses, The alarm was speedily given and in a few moments several engines came rushing to the spot, Yet these few moments sufliced to make a serious calamity of What bad at first been supposed a matter of hardly ‘any consequence. The specd of the fre was sich Mnat the men who WOFS PFesont have dificulty in ‘betleving 60 short @ time had elapsed between the first breaking out and that when they were obliged to rnsh from the building before the growing dames. BELOW THE SPOT at which the smoke kad been noticed ascending ‘was o large furnace of a new patent, and an inch or two from the flues which proceeded from this ‘were woodwork attachments, The fire, as usual, had been kept alive in the large furnace, and,being allowed to burn at will, had heated the flues to g@uch an extent that they had gradually carbonized the adjacent woodwork until it caught fire. It was, DO doubt, when this had happened that the watch- man firat noticed the smoke. But beneath the flooring the entire theatre was nothing but a mass of board and wood, which when once set on fre there was hardly any means of stopping; for when the engines got in readiness to play upon the build- ing the Mawes had already consumed the floor of the theatre and were shooting up on all sides of the building, Then a curious phenomenon took place. ‘The walls of the building are of thin corrugated Aron, which from the fierce fire at their base heated tapidiy, and, instead of opposing A RESISTANCE TO THE FLAMES, enly helped them to spread with greater rapidity, ‘and, acting like the sides of a stove, engendered an dnsupportable heat, which made all efforts by the Gremen to enter the building perfectly futile. In the meantime some ninety or a hundred ani- mals were caged in the building, and they already snuffed the smoke and showed signs of apprehen- eion. As the noise of the fire and the heat grew gradually their excitement increased. The bears and the tigers showed most fear; but it was a fear im which rage was strongly developed, Evidently understanding the position of things, they lashed their fanks with fury and sprung with terrific force against the sides of their cages, as if in an endea- vor to break them open. Unfortunately, the cages had been constructed for the express purpose of avoiding such a possibility and the efforts of the ‘wild brutes were impotent, The elephants were Peculiar in their manner of taking things. There were two full-grown female elephants and one Daby elephant, The mother and the cub drew up closely together, while the old one put her trunk around the young one’s body and every now and ‘then snuffed the air. THE THIRD ELEPMANT grew more excited, and turned about as if seek- ing s way out of the building. Finally it lay down on its knecs. This was when the bulid- fing had not succumbed to the fames, Several men rushed in to see what might be saved, and made an opening in the cages where the elephants were confined. The mother and little one were led out together, and obeyed the keepers with docility, though the old elephant still wound its trunk Closely around the body of the baby. It was not so with the third elephant, however. This one, which had been imported from Europe only a few days Since, continued to lay obstinately on the ground, and, though every means were employed, even to burning, 1t wourd not stir an inch from the place, and after futile attempts to make it move it was abandoned. It was already too late to save the giraffes, the most valuable animal property in the Museum, The fire had already interposed between the keepers and these beasts and they could not be reached in any manner. f TUE CAM were ten in number. They also showed signs of athe greatest uneasiness as the fire increased and gave vent tolow moans, as if suffering morally more than physically. There was et a chance to gave these and the keepers rushed for them. But they, like the elephant, were lyivg down on their knees, as they are so familiarly represented in pic- tures ofthe desert, with the exception of one, which seemed to be all excitement and unable to maintain the quiet philosophical attitude of the last, ‘ais one a keeper seized by its bridie and led out Of the buliding, while the others could not be made ‘to stir an inch and also were left as they were id. ‘The two polar bears were meanwhile in an Bs oir of terror. bag gos succeeded in getting 1) ie through the burs and with their im- ae force were endeavoring to dislodge them, 80 pan cpening to get out. But the bars ‘ed, aud though the huge paws worked con- uisively to pull Wem asunder it seemed to be to ft td As the fre grew nearer and nearer ‘ THE PLAMES Grew m and hotter, even those anim whch had shown the Jeast concern begaw to manifest the strongest symptoms of fear. The Monkeys, particularly, which had quietly sat on their haunches looking on, 40 evident surprise at the aceng Sround them, be- WEw YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1872—WITH SUPPLEMENT: to hop about, chattering jabbering and ease Bethe bars ot their every moment. Tn eat ostriches stretched email wings far flew round their large Gens. convuisively in looked piteously at the were sttil waning. to rescue , and very unfo! , hone of keys of the cages, else there is no large number o! the animals would it was the keepers seized hammers and endeavored to smash gates which held the animals in. ‘DO purpose, and the animals were kept still closely confined, and were evident doomed to roast alive in their cages. But at len; it grew too hot for the keepers, and when flames roge up from the floor and darted out saue fully from ite crannies in the side of the building and curied around posts and pillars, and all saw THERE WAS XO HOPR for Barnum’s Museum, then, as if the d_ani- mals had become conscious of this at the same moment, where there had been nothing but tne roaring of the flames @ moment betore there was suddenly set uy % Vast, thrjl tremendous acreau) o1 kien, ab ats ok thousand human throats. The great roaring of the a lions, the ra, the sharp, spiteful snarl of the leopards; the bellowing o! the elephant, the chattering of the monkeys, the screaming of the deer and giratfes, the grunting of the hogs, and the thousand other sounds which animals 88 to give vent to their rage ot despair, all united in one great chorus, in which no one sound, however loud, could be distinguished, It was not so terrible, however, asit was sad to know that, helpless a8 they were, this was the last cry of the hen aid One co still hear every now and then the mighty efforts of the caged beasts as they still, in an agony of terror, threw themseives against their cages in a last eifort to break them open and escape into the free air. But THE FIREMEN are now playing with multitudinous hose, coming froma dozen engines, upon the doomed building. The first alarm had been repeated and two and three had been given one after another, causing en- gines and hose carts tocome on from other dis- tricts, These were'stationed all along Fourteenth street, front Phird to Fourth avenue, and up and down Fourth, and also for some distance up Irving place, The people who might not have been dis- turbed by the fre were quickly awakened by tae pufting and blowing of the engines and the shouts of the firemen, as they rushed hither and thither in frantic efforts to do their duty, And as the fire progressed the people, attracted by the wonderful scene, left their beds, dressed and clustered around the burning punsink ‘The night was bit- terly cold, the thermometer being close upon zero, and still they stood still and passed comments upon the fire as it proceeded. It was along time before the flames which were raging within made their appearance outside the building, ‘There was @ glare above and around, but it proceeded from the roof and the windows on each side of the building. As the flames grew higher and higher the noise and THE SCREAMS WITHIN grew fainter and fainter, until they ceased alto- gether. It is said that the roar of the lion, brave to the last, was still heard when all others had ceased, and it became a fact that all the animals, rie the exception of three, had been roasted alive. It was 9 fortunate circumstance that all the valu- able horses belonging to the circus proper were saved. They were not stabled in the circus and museum, but three blocks away, in Eleventh street, Each night, when they had done their service for the day, they are taken away and stabled. In this manner not one of the horses was lost, though the animals whieh did suffer were far more valuable than the horses. One moment later and the flames hitherto kept within burst forth from the top of the building, and shortly after the roof, or what there was of it, fellin with a crash, At this moment the report was started in the crowd that one of THE LIONS HAD BSCAPED, and on the moment there was @ gencral rush of the people looking on to the two ends ot the street. It was a general skedaddie with but one object—to et as far from the burning, building as possibie. it Was said that the police had started the report, with the intention of getting the masses of the crowd away, 80 as to draw @ cordon more widely around the burning structure. Many seemed to be of this opinion a few moments later, and came back to abtain the same favorable positions as beiore. But this was impossible. The police had already established @ line about two hundred feet from the building, and prevented any but those privileged from going through. Yet in spite ot all and the cold also the crowd would bare ere, oye oa every few anit sade ve bes y er fa i and an attem brea! ie cordon of the police; bie hep held Abour an hour and a half after the first alarm the fire was everywhere around the building and was burning flercely in spite of the numerouse page streams of water which were being poured upon it. Indeed the water seemed not to have the sligntest effect upon the flames and only seemed to feea them more fiercely. This was due to no small ex- tent to the manner in which the corrugated iron which composed the building had been heated. In some places pera st Ten ss, oo Yr was Rep Hot, rear {ind the water which Cropped Wpon it in huge masses only sputtered and fell without the htest efect. ‘This continued for some time, but ngth it was perceptible that some effect was being made. But it was too late. Already the flames/had caught on each side of the thin siructure. But it had not done burning yet. It was as combus- tible as @ tinder box, yet had go much of in- flammable material im its enciosure tat the Names, unsubdued, still went lapping around every new piece of woodwork: or material, and left only burned ashes behind it. ‘'wo hours after the fire had first broken out not. a vestige of what had been the New York Circus or barnum’s Museum remained, except a pile of smoking and smoulder- ing embers. Not even a vestige of the walls re- mained. All was as FLAT AS A PANCAKE, andallthat noted the former existence of the place was an occasional little mound whereon the Names were playing about like will-o'the-wisps in city cemeteries, an¢ isappearing every moment as some jet ol water was thrown upon them, But the fire did not satiate itself with the circus. It had too good a headway on, and was determined upon @ rioting time for its Christmas eve. THE GROTE BUILDING. Next to the Hippotheatron, on the west side, stood the four story brick front manufactory of Grote & Co., workers in ivory. It was stored with valuable material and musical instruments, the property of C. Rierwarth. The flames penetrated Anco this establishment early in their career. The materiul was so inflammable that they leaped along the Moors and walls from story to story, al most without impediment from the floodgates thi the firemen at once opened upon them. The se- curity of the rest of the block toward Fourth ave- nue, whereon is the new stone. bullding—the Ger- man Savings Bank—was threaten and the sparks from the tinder-like substance fell far and wide, threatening pisces distant by several blocks from the immediate scene. In less than an hour the Grote puilding was gone, only a wreck of the front walls remaining, with @ half burned si; and a thick mass icleles dangling over the blackened doorway. GRACE CHAPEL, Adjoining the circus, on the east, stood Grace chapei, or the Protestant —, beautiful edifice, in the Gothic style, a branch stitution of rch, and built in modest imi. tation of tha: growling of the ; v- ishly bestowed in the secret places, waiting for the surprise that was to come to-day. On this fair object the ly flames fixed their fangs, while the circus should have yet been enough to satisfy their hunger. They lea) through the hign windows just above the roof of the Hippotheatron, and thence rioted on mave, column, arch, gallery and organ loft. In an hour the roof fell in, leaving only @ portion of the front walls standing, present- ing @ very picturesque ruin with its delicate arches and slender columns, ornamented und draped as it soon was with long icicles, From the church the flames spread to THE OLD LAWRENCE MANSION, @ landmark of the city that for forfy years has been the residence of the old fai ‘of Lawrences, of whom Abraham R, Lawrence is one, and which when first built was considered one of the finest country mansions in New York State. too of the city limits owner felt secure against the encroachments of city business, and certainly could never have foreseen that sts PF Pe to a circus and a church in a crowded part of the town would be the final cause of its destruction. The flames gutted this fine old relic and left only the walls standing. Thence they threatened the carriage factory of Messrs, Miner & Stevens and the vaiuabdle buildings on Thirteenth street, bat at this point were stayed by the desperate EFFORTS OF THE FIREMEN, who, coated with ice and freezing with the cold, fought the flames with a skill and determination to which alone is due New York's exemption from a Chicago disaster. Chjef Perley was present, aiding and advising with all hie skilland knowledge, but he felt doubtful more than once during the fire of the success of the utmost efforts of his department. In their gallant battle with the flames the firemen ran great risks, and five of them at one time were cut off im the Lawrence Museum by the burning of the staircase, but they were rescued by fire lad- ders. Most of them had been to fires vefore during the night and were thoroughly exhausted. ALL TUROUGH THE DAY an inquisitive crowd thronged about the neighbor- hood of the fire, from Fourth aveaue to Third and along Irving place, looking the thick-esmoking ruins, A strong detail of police was present to pd the peeee back from @ dangerous proximity to the tall front walls of Grace chapel, whieh rose like a dismantied tower among the burning débris, and from the overhanging signs and cornices of what remained of Grote’s ivory factory. Groups of firemen stood upom the yet warm brick and turned streams upon the smoking pile, while icicles two-and three feet long depended from every cool spot in the burning ruins. The chorch, that had 80 suggestively suifered with the circus, was hardly less # ruin than the latter. The altar, stained windows, pews, chancel and organ loft were levelled by this indiscriminatin, ire, along with the wild animals, the gay auditorium and the py tote Properties of the menagerie. Clown and churchman suffered in common, The chapel and far out the circus were blent together in their ruin by the impartial leveller, svcd ThovanTs Ae these obtruded themselves very generally on the curious Weather, gat! there wasa cold ee. Somgite the intensely fate following the unfortunate others thought malign fate could not hurt him, There was general lation over the ty Of ‘ane. bud. Lee Retawt Than Mins “Menten eee h Steinway Hall, the La gg ail stooa apparently untouched, hough na | had in reality suffer: damage, and were ine per! direc- tion of the wind fer not being coun’ “ destroyed.” The disast was gencrally conceded to be especially malorcemnta, Junk at thie season, when the employ¢s need work most and = the Leos A - are at hand. of the in the crowd expressed sorrow over the loss of the circus, because the! were going to take their children there on mas, When they read the opinion of the Fire Mar- shal, rendered a month ago, on the unsafe condl- tion of the bi it is ange Probable they will experien oy - Rely that they are debarred m8 a Jpattnden, phe tn i ite sai BY ELEVEN O'CLOCK in the morning the tired fremen were reheved and sent home to thaw out, while the idle crowa coutinued to come and go, meditating, joking or speculating, as lestruction of the old circus, the old country man- sion and the graceful church im one common ruin. THE LOSSES OF THE MUSEUM—THE ANIMALS. On entering, on the right of the building, the animals were presented to view. First cage contained two lions, valued at Same 0! Second cane contained two Ben; a) bei of $15,000, aa ge! ‘hird cage contained -a leopard, valued at $2,000, Fourth nae contained Rocky Mountain sheep, valued at $: Filth cage contained an Albino deer, valued at Sixth cage contained an African wart hi valued at $250. én Seventh contained a llama, valued at $250, Righth cage contained a lak, valued at $400. Ninth cage contained an clan, valued at $200. Tenth contained an ostrich, valued at $1,600, eran cage contained five snakes, valued at 1 . ‘Twellth cage contained four giraffes, valued at $20,000 each, or $80,000 in all, = ‘Thirteenth cage’ contained a happy family, of which it is impossible to state the value. Fourteenth cage contained a large Asiastic mon- ey, Valued at : 'wo small cages were under these, containing, one a porcupine and the other a re Fitteenth cage contained a fine specimen of the “lion slayer” monkey, valued at $300. On the leit of-the entrance as one went in the First cage contained two sea lions, valued at Second cage contained two Polar bears, valued at $2,000, aula cage contained a horned horse, valued at Fourth cage contained four horned deer, valued At $600. Fifth cage contained two seals, valued at $100, A little iurther on was a la: ostrich in a cage, valued at $2,000, three elephants in another cage, valued at at , and ten camels, valued at $2,000, only one of which was saved. Besides the living animals there were one Polar bear and one black leopard Lait jal quan- tity of statuary, wax figures, mechani: Singing birds, Mute players, organ players, mechan monkeys and other musical automatons, making, in all, some thirty groups, valued at from $2,000 to $8,000 each. In addition to these there were the apparatus of the Bohemian glass blowers, a large number of oil paintings, ten large é¢xaggerating mirrors and many other articles of curiosities, &0. All the performers lost their wardrobes, without exception—the Albino Family losing articles valued at $1,000, and Admiral Jot and Family losing all their paraphernalia, Charley White’s trained dogs were also burned to death. They were very valuable animals, The Giaut lost his wardrobe, and all the dresses which had been made for “Blue Beard’? were also lost; and all the performers (some one hundred and thirty in number) have lost all their wardrobes. A reporter of the HkRALD called on Mr. Hurd yesterday, who said he could not give a list of in- surances, as all the insurance policies were in the safe of the establishment, which lies at present at the bottom of the ruins, Mr. Hurd is Barnum mi er Wate he himself is away in New “Orleau ‘with another portion of his company. FIRE MARSIAL’S REPORT OF LOSSES, Circus building—P. 1, Barnum. stock and build- ing, $300,000; insurance, $80,000. 114 Kast Fourteenth’ street—Four story ware- house, F. Grote, Building and stock, $300,000; in- surance, $140,000, 134 Kast Fourteenth .street—Mra, Lawrence. Loss $12,000, SKETCH OF BARNUM’S BUILDING, The building lately occupied by P. T. Barnum as @ menazerie Was built during the war vy James Lk. Cooke, an English equestrian, and was first named the New York Hippotheatron. It failed to pay, however, and after a couple of seasons was sol 4 a oy mi bition, Abate Dbiiee Fe tntiiad LAS Shah Yarrous hands and su‘lered various tnisfortunes pu faken ny Mr. L. B. Lent, who hated it thé New York Circus, and gave a regular equestrian performance there unig the winter months. In these hands it contin years, and finally, during the past suminer, was bought by Mr. P. T. Barnum, who transiormed it into @ menagerie and circus, also exhibiting numerous curiosities, It had only been open some four weeks under its present Management when the fire occurred. On Monday evening, a few hours before the fre, the fairy spectacie ot “Blue Beard’ had been produced for e fret time. A BENEFIT PROPORED. Several circus apd theatrical pany were yesterday At Fourteenth street and Fourth avenue, and resolved to take measures to give a benetit to the employés of the Jate Barnum’s Museum. Already several prominent actors and actresses have volunteered. More defimte action will be taken to-day, san § The Fire Marshal's Investigation. Robert Tilson testified—I hve at No. 340 East Twenty-sixth street and am engineer and gasman at Barnum’s Museum; I have no certificate or license as engineer; I have been employed there about five or six weeks; I applied for a license last week; we use Baker, Smith & Company's heaters; they are low pressure and carry three to five pounds of steam; the inspector said that he did not think it necessary to re an engineer for one of their heaters; Baker & Smith’s men did the steam fitting; we had no fire in the place except under this Baker & Smith’s boiler; I was on duty from eight A. M. until eleven P. M.; I always shut off the gas at three meters before leaving the building at night; one meter, supplying the burners in the me- negerie, was kept on, and two or three lights were kept burning ail -nigtt; I banked my fire always before leaving; the top of the boiler was covered with several layers of brick, and the distance between the top of the brick and the floor beams above is eighteen inches; 1 should think the size of the boiler room ‘Was about nine feet by fifteen feet, and the, boiler took up.a space Of about five feet by five and a hair feet, including the brick, the only wood being the floor and beams above; I leit last night about eleven o'clock; I left EVERYTHING IN THE USUAL CONDITION; the boiler supplied steam to heat the entire build- ing; Lleft fire enough to keep up steam all night; the watc.men used to put on coal about six in the morning to keep the steam up until I came; I was present when Officer Mooney examined the place and pronounced it unsafe; he spoke particularly of the pipe buiiding from tlie boiler and on the floor above the boiler room, and about twelve feet from the boiler; this pipe was two and a half inches in diameter and was laid along the side of the stan- chion beams; it touched it fora distance of eight or ten inches; this beam las since becn CUT AWAY 8o that thi 6 between it and the pipe was three andone Inches ; and a piece of two and one-half inch pipe was placed between the steam pipe and the beam open at both ends so as to allow the air to 5 wad through; this was done by the direction of an inguri surveyor; we never had steam on in these pipes which touched the upholstery aud ran under the reste; it was warm enough then when the gas was lighted; the seats in the dress circle where the pipe came from the top floor down and passed through the seats were ail cut away from @n open space of from two and one-hal! to three inches; where the pipes touched the beains in the gallery we cut out wood work behind them and put on tron hooks to SUPPORT THE PIPR3; and put a piece of tin on the beam; there was not & place in tue building to my knowiedge where the ipes were nearer than an inch and three-quarters rom the woodwork; there is a watchman on a in the watlee | at night; his name is Nelson; he bas been with Barnum’s company for tlrce years; they consider hima very careful and trustworthy man; there were other men in the building at night; I don’t know how many stayed there to take care of the animals; there were thirty or forty buckets of water standing on top of the cage, and three hydrant attachments in the place with such hose attached, I think about twenty fee to inch hy- drant; there were no other facilities for ex- tinguishing fre; 1 have talked with some of the Persons who were in the building at the time of the Gre; they aay it STARTED IN THR BACK PART of the building; they couldn’t tell exactly where, because the ged was so full of smoke; the boiler ‘was located the back part of the building; we use no oilin the building to my knowledge; the gasiitting was done bya man named Jumes Wat- son, corner of Crosby and Grand streets; it was about seven o'clock this morning when i talked with the men who were in the place at the time of the fre; Ihave not seen them since; don’t know where they are, TESTIMONY OF ALPHONSO COBANKS, Alphonso L. Cobanks stated—I am watchman for Frederick K. Grete, 114 East Fourteenth street; I smelled fre and smoke while goiwg through the main he entire butiding, 1 fre hme an SAW SMOKE coming into the shop toroagh & window on the east rity just above the roof of the Museum; this Window was quite a distance above the feor, and was reached by @ ladder; I aacended the ladder and through crack in the iron shutter I saw gene ip | the roof of the Museum in the gicelty where the heating apparatus was located; I then went to the front door and cried “Fire; an officer came there at once from the di- rection of Fourth avenue, and another came down Irving place; I am sure that 1 gave Lag none of wanna SPS awa: te loyés o! useum ; Loors were ail fastened and the oficers broke thea open; there were at least ten men sleeping in the vutiding at the time ; Isaw the fire through the win- dow shutter Bbears, the animals ut! fearful yells, ought hpeard the voices of men also NDREW ENLEON. Tlodge at the corner of Fifteenth street and Third avenue; Iam night watchman at Barnury's Museum; I have been in Barnum’s employ sitice he started this last time, a year ago last Spring; I on duty from six to six and a half and rel until about eight A. M.; I take entire charge of the lace after the show 1s over; all the lignts are ex- Tingushea except two or three, which are kept burning low in the animal department; there were eight persons who slept in the building, six white men and two negroes; they slept in blankets, some upon the floor and some upon the si where the curiosities were kept; the boiler room at the rear tof the bi and is reached by @ step ladder; I think there as often as once every fifteen minutes dur- bes night to see that he fire ing i all rigt place all safe from fire: My rounds; wae in the utes of the time I disco’ from it and everything was safe then; 1 did noi smell anything burning then; at the time I dis- covered the smoke I was within ten feet of the trap- door opening. into the boiler room and was going towards it; smoke was nm Upset cracks in the floor over the boiler room a little to the right of the ladder as you pass down, and also coming up tothe trapdoor, which I always left open; I ran down into the boiler room and found fire burn- ing under the floor boards and beams above the boiler and a little distance in front of it; there was but a little blaze when I went down; the fire seemed to be running along the beams and carry a lant boiler room within ten min- the smoke comi cracks of the flooring; the-smoke was pretty thick, and I could not stay; 1 was afraid of being suffo- cated; I found a of water there, which I threw on the fire and then came up stairs and gave the alarm to the men; they came to my assistance at once, and began to throw water on the fire; after *throwing three pails of water on the fire 1 saw the flames were spreading, and ran out of the building and gave the alarm; 1 put a couple of shovels of coal on the Ire about twenty minutes I the smoke; had juently about fire, and told to in the boiler room and else- hree or four gallon buckets of water standing about on top of the cages for use in cage of fire; there were no other facilities tor that purpose; I cannot account ior the fire; no smoking is wed in the Rise , and none of the men but myself go into the ler room; the walls and floor of the boiler room are of brick; the beams and flooring overhead are unprotected, TESTIMONY OF ARNOLD WURSTER, I am connected with Barnum’s museum and Menagerie ; slept in the building and worked at the properties; went to bed between twelve and one O'clock this morning ; was waked up by some one hallooing: when I got up I could hear voices, and I saw that the place was full of smoke; I wagon the Third nue side, and tried to get over to the gi- Taffe’s cage, on the other side, but could not on ac- count of the smoke, and I was alraid of the floor burning under me, 80 I tried to save what animals I could on my side of the house; I cut five camels loose, got out one camel, and an elephant followed me out; don’t know how the fire occurred; I swept out the lower part of the dressing rooms; was care- | Were again issued to make the necessar, ful not to let any waste paper get around the steam pipes; all the managing men of the concern have ed eat! cautioned me to be careful about fire. fhe investigation will be continued to-day. OTHER FIRES. In Duane Street. A fire broke out at four o'clock yesterday morn- ing in the five story brown stone building 197 Duane street, owned by Mr. Knox. Damage to bullding, $1,000; insured for $10,000. The fire started on the first floor, occupied by J. Sperling, dealer in clothing. Damage, $20,000. Insured f $27,000—in the Reliance, $4,500; Londén Reatranes Corporation, $2,500; Liverpool, London and Globe, 5,000; Queen’s, $5,009; Adriatic, $2,500; Phoenix, 5,000; Mechanics and Traders’, $2,500. Fire Mar- sha McSpedon will hold an investigation to-day. trem Jn Ninth Avenue, A fire broke out yesterday morning at one o’clock in the two story frame building No. 234 Ninth avenue, occupied by Mary Cosgrove as a grocery sture,that caused a damage to the build- ing of $3,000; insured for $2,000 in the St. Nicho- las. Damage to stock, $1,000; insured for $3,000, in the ional, Greenwich and Safeguard Com- poe fire oceurred on the first floor, and Fire Marsal McSpedon will hold an invesugation in the cause to-day. In East Forty-eighth Strect. A fire occurred inthe four story brick building No. 8 East Forty-eightn street, at half-past two o'clock yesterday morning, that caused a damage of $300. ‘Ihe basement was occupied by Eldridge Gerry, and tne fire took place there. Alleged Incendiary Fires in Paterson. Mr. William Collier, proprietor of Collier's Rolhng Mill, in Paterson, was yesterday afternoon released on $12,500 bail, Messrs. Samuel Smith and Joseph Todd going his security. Fifteen thousand dollars ‘was at first set down as the amount of bail re- wired, but Judge Bedle yesterday afternoon re- juced it to the figure mentioned. It will be remem- bered he was arrested on suspicion of setting the place on fire himselt. The furniture store of Henry L. Muhs, 96 Broad- way, was discovered on fre about three o'clock yesterday morning, but was extinguished hefore over one hundred dollars’ damage had been done. Covered by insurance in the Continental. The pro- prietor was arrested on suspicion of being the in- cendiary, but a rigid investigation failing to sub- soe Eg the charge, he was subsequently re- jeased, AN ALLEGED INCENDIARY ARRESTED. on the 6th of July, 1869, the match factory of John Locher, 427 West Fifty-second street, was burnea down under circumstances which Jed to the belief that it had been set fire to by an _ incendiary. Suspicion pointed strong to one Adoiph Kibel, who, immediately after the fire, hastily took his depar- ture for parts unknown to the authorities, A few days ago, however, he jain = made his in this city, end as soon whereabouts became known Fire Marshal McSpedon directed his arrest, which was effected yesterday afternoon by Officer Katchel, of the Twenty-second precinct. The prisoner was taken to the Central oflice where he will be held to await examination. EXTRACT FROM FIRE MARSHAL M’SPEDON’S BEPORT FOR MONTH OF NOVEMBER, 1872, We have also commenced a thorough examina- tion of all the various places of amusement in the city, and the only piace thus far found to beina dangerous condition, as regards fire, is Barnum’s | Museum and Menagerie on Fourteenth street. An examination of this place was made on the 24th November; the danger was pointed out and orders given to make it safe, On the 30th November the premises were re-examined and found to be in the game condition as before, and the manager ex- presssed his belief that the place was saie. po altera- tions, In its present condition I deem it unsate for the public and dangervus to the surrounding property. THE KINGS COUNTY LEVY. AuBany, N. Y., Dec. 24, 1872, The Board of Supervisors of Kings county having refused to levy the $3,500,000 deficiency tax for the current year, Comptroller Hopkins made application to the Court for a peremptory mandamus compelling them to make such levy; and the case was argued before Judge Tappan. A despatch received to-day by the Attorney General states that Judge Tappan has rendered his decision sustaining the opinion of the Comptroller, and directing @ peremptory mandamus to issue. PENNSYLVANIA COAL REGIONS. Porrsvittg, Pa., Dec, 24, 1872. The reported suspension of mining operations in thia region is without foundation. The Working. men’s Benevolent Association have submitted a proposition to the Anthracite Boara of Trade, made December 11, for the present basis of $2 60 at Port Carbon, sliding up and down indefinitely, The result of the voting in the various districts | will not be known until Saturday next, but as far as ascertained they have voted against the propo- sition of the operators. There are no immediate apprehensions of a general strike, because those wesw who want to work the mines will con- tinue to pay the present basis ior several wecks, until @ new basis is settled. The collieries in the Schuylkill region are generaliy working. There may be a stoppage of a week or two, which is gen- pare the case at this season of the year, for re- ri "@ colored church, CONFLAGRATION IN CENTRE STREET Supposed Burning of Four Women. THE LOSS #.100,000. Exciting Scenes and Incidents in the Vicinity of the Fire. TROUBLE IN THE TOMBS Another Glaring Case of Negligence and Shirking of Duty. At twenty-five minutes past five o’clock last evening a fire broke out on the third floor of the six story brick building Nos, 81, 83 and 85 Centre street that caused a damage of about $875,000. The building stood in the centre of the block bounded by Centre, Leonard, Worth and Elm streets, and was known as the Claxton Building. It had formerly been and was one of the most dangerous structures in the locality. The fire was first discovered by Mr. Hopkins, foreman for the firm of Anderson, Archer & Co., bookbinders, who occupied the fourth, fifth and sixtn floors. He noticed the lames dashing through the front win- dows, and immediately warned all the people in the building of the accident, A rush was made for the staircase, but this was cut off, and the only means of deliverance left was by the fire escapes on the rear and at the north side, The first Noor being vacant | THE FLAMES‘ had plenty of room to play, and in an incredibly short space of time the whole front of the building seemed enveloped in & mass of fame. The material in the house being of a very inflammable nature the flames were abundantly fea, and gathered strength in a short time very unuéual in conflagra- tions in large buildings, The heat was so intense atone time across the several streets in the vi, cinity of the burning house that great fear was entertained for many of the fime build- ings close at hand. The ground upon which the burned property stood belongs to the Ludlow estate, and the building itself is owned by Mr. Craighead. The ground floor fronting on Centre street was fitted up for stores, but they were fortunately vacant. The first foor was also vacant. On the second floor the New York Newspaper Association had their estab- lishment. They suffered.a loss of about $20,000, and were insured for $15,000, The third floor waa occupied by Dunn, Barlow & Co., who sustained A LOS8 OF $60,000, insured for more than that amount, The fourth, fifth and sixth foors were occupied by Anderson, Archer & Co., bookbinders, who sustained a loss of $30,000, Insurea, This firm employed about sixty women and the same number of men, all of whom were caught in the building by the fire. From there the fire spread to No. 87 Centre street, a tao story brick building, occupied by James Gallagher, brass gong and bell manufacturer, whose stock was damaged to the extent of $2,000. The building was injured to the extent of $1,500. No, 89 Centre street,a two story brick, occupied in the basement by Willian Bohn, lager beer saloon; damage, $500. The first floor was held by George Middleton as a wine room. His loss will amount to $2,000, The second floor, occupied by Messrs. Howe & Hummell, lawyers, was injured to the extent of $3,500. Damage to building, $1,800, No. 79 Centre street—a two story prick, forming an L with the junction of Worth street, occupied by E, B, Cunion—Was damaged to the ex- tent of $4,000 and the stock $1,500. No, 77 Centre street, occupied by H. Williams as A LAGER BEER saloon, was damaged tothe amount of $3,000, on stock $1,000, The two and a half story brick pulid- ing 130 Leonard street, occupied by G L. Albrick a8 @ grocery store, was injured to the extent of $800, stock $300. Tene- ment house 132 Leonard street was damaged to the extent of $1,000 by water, and several per- sons in the house lost personal property. No. 127 Worth street, occupied by Maher & Miller as a planing mill, was damaged to the extent of $4,000 on the upper floor and $2,000 to potisings Mr. E. Price lost a quantity of valuable law books that he valued at about three thousand dollars. The cause of the fire is supposed to be an explosion of kero- sene. Some of the men in the employ of Dunn & Barlow had used it to clean e rol. lers and in some way the stuf ignited in their hands. These same men had been cautioned against using kerosene several bdo ad notwithstanding that they again re- sorted Yesterday when the walls of the building fell the fire followed them, and the entire vicinity of the building soon became a mass of seething flame, WHEN THE FIRE FIRST BROKE OUT one of the most exciting and thrilling incidents ever witnessed at a similar scene in New York was resented to the surrounding crowd, On the fourth Hes of the building, occupied by Anderson & Archer, bookbinders, there were about sixty girls employed as folders and sewers, The time at which they were accustomed to quit work was half-past five, and it wanted but a few moments to that time yesterday when the fire broke out. The giris, as it was Christmas, were eagerly longing for the half hour to strike, wen saddeuly some of the rinters from ti rooms below rushed 4; ‘o the girls’ apartment with the intelli gence that the building was on fire. » A id confusion immediately ensued. ‘The only mode of egress from the upper floors was by means of a narrow stairway and A DEPRCTIVE FIRB ESCA and vo these two points an indiscriminate rash was made when the alarm was first given, In the direction of the stairway, with such terrible one had the fre spread, a dense smoke was beginni ne to rise, and the panic was further incurred by the supposition tlat the connection by way of the stairs was cutoff, The giris, in the wild terror of the moment, lost all control of them- selves, and their screams could be heard for blocks away. Some ran +0 the windows of the rooms in which they worked and sonre to the doors, and in the hurry they knocked and trampled each other down. The few men who worked on the same floor and the two upper ones were almost as much frightened as the girls, and completely lost their presence of mind, The excitement on the strect was intense. Sixty human lives were imperilied and their salvation was depending almost entirely on thelr own efforts. There were BRAVE MEN AND TRUB in the crowd, firemen and policemen, who were willing to risk every danger if they could be of ser- vice; but until those who were within had made some effort those without could render littie or no assfatande, Some of the girls, more courageous than the others, determined to try the stairway, and as the communication with the lower part of the building was fortunately not cut off, they succeeded, after penetrating through the smoke, im reaching the street, In the meantime higher and higher leaped the flames, Stone and iron offered but a feeble resistance to tne dread element, and in a few minutes after the iris were | frat alarmed by the cry of “Fire!” it had reached almost to their rooms. As stated before, the fire- escape was defective, and it was not without ex- treme difficulty that the apparatus was got in working order, At length it was attached the window and & number of girls rushed on to it. William Dean, ®& policeman of the Sixth precinct, mounted to the top and rendered valuable assistance to the girls, and by this agency a number of the girls were rescued. George Middleton, who occupies a saloon on the corner of Centre and Worth streets, and De- tective Dolan also exerted themselves, and did good and valuabie work. What rendered the task of RESCUING THE GIRLS 80 dificult was the fact that the escapes were pro- vided with no jadders, and had it not been for the exertions of Captain Kennedy and his men, who burried themaeives in providing ladders, the task would have been @ more difficult one. As the girls one by one were taken out the multitude cheered, and when they reached the pave- ment they were tenderly cared for, and those who were injured were taken to the station house. In their hurry the girls had neglected to secure their effects, and most of them lost their gloves, mufls and their better wearing apparel, which they were in the custom of changing for rougher suits each morning before they commenced to work. Severe ax was this loss to them they aid not grumble, and were extremely thankful that they had es- caped with their lives. One girl, Emma ncis, of Jersey City, @ pretty, brown-haired, brown-eyed ‘irl, who worked in the room, had got on to the re escape and was nearly down the ground when, fearing the escape Was about to give Way, SHE DROPPED TO THE GROUND and sprained her ankle, but not severely. She was taken lo Whe station house, and ip @ short time a was well none to go home with her father te Jersey Cit, lary Hopkins, a young girl of bine- teen, livil rt n First avenue, also fell from the frees escape, ‘was wounded in the cheek. She was tak- enhome, The girls told their story to the HERALD reporter in the station afterwards, and they were as cheerful as could be expeoted under the circum- ces, It is greatly feared that some: of the girls are missing, a8 there were two or three who had not been heard from up to eight o'clock. One girl ed Mi Donovan was for a time repot turned up afterward all right, to t joy of her relatives, who were anxiously searching for her. Jennie Stuart is yet missing, and ata late hour last evening her brother and sister, who could not succed in finding No trace of her, run about frantic in the station house. An old man, who worked on the same floor with the girls, told the reporter that he had grave fears ‘t at least three of them had Perished, as he considered it impossible that al) could have escay in the ic and terror that succeeded the alarm, Had the fire escapes beep good all would have been well, but THEIR WANT OF LADDERS and loose construction might, and probably h: caused serious loss of life. The spectators breath more freely when the imminent danger in whi the poor girls were in wag averted, and sincere admiration was expressed for the heroism and ous with which the policemen and firemep Scarcely had the employés of the establishment been rescued when another striking incident took place. Standing on the top of the brick building Occupied by George Middleton and Howe & Hum- mel were five firemen, who had @ stream of Water in operation upon the wall on the Worth street side of the burning building. It soon became apparent that they could not be of much service, but they bravely held until suddenly the wall fell with ‘terrific crash, sending up a millton of blazing sparks and enveloping everything around in a dense smoke. A cry of terror went up from the spectators, “The firemen are lost!" ‘They are lost!”” shonted baby | one. my were not lost, however. The middie part of thé wall slowly commenced to ye way first, and the firemen, perceiving this, had time to get down from the roof in time to save themselves. The wall fell upon the offices of Howe & Hummel and Edward Price, and completely DEMOLISHED THE ROOF, the bricks falling through to the apartment ip wulch so many secrets have been unfoided. The excitement in the tenement houses in Elm and Leonard streets waa Intense, and the occu- pants, who were all, of course, of the class, made all efforts in their power to removo their effects. They succeeded in getting some of the miserable traps into the streets, but the greater portion had to be abandoned to the fury of the flames, Some of the women, who small chil- dren, had extreme dificulty to get them to a place of safety in time, The old women mingled “ay curses with their lamentations, and bewailed tz cruel necessity which drove them from their habita- Hons poor as they were, on such a bitterly cold ‘ne tenement houses were partially destroyed be- fore the fire was got under; but the inmates, or moat of them, succeeded in getting shelter for the e telegraph wires were pulled down for @ block, and 80 cold was the evening that, with ald the heat that was und, the water that wag poured upon the building no sooner struck the Tuins than IT WAS THOROUGHLY FROZEN. The water on the coats of the policemen and firemen was also frozen, and, the eas being saturated with wet, it was almost impossible to move, so slippery did it become. Crave fears wero at one time entertained that the Clipper Building, on the opposite side of Centre street, would catch, and a number of firemen were detailed to keep the Walls and interior cool, which they succeeded, with some little trouble, in doing. George Middieton, who occupies the saloon cor- ner of Centre strect, immediately opposite the Tombs, lived up stairs with his family. They were taken from the building at an early stage of the fire and by the direction of Captain Kennedy they were furnished with quarters iu the station house, the Captuin generously surrendering nis own room to their use, When Mr. Middleton first commenced business. on this corner the same building that was burned out last night was destroyed the same week, this being the second time in which the block has been devastated, ~ Various were the speculations as to what the re- sult would be should the fire once penetrate to the Tombs, Similes were drawn by those learned in historical lore with the Bastile under similar cir- cumstances, and the opiuton was expressed, how easy {t would be for the disorderly portion of the population to make an attempt UPON THE GLOOMY STRUCTURE, to rescue their friends, The Tombs, however, | loomed as stern and silent as usual, notwithstand- ing all the noise around. The Warden and his deputies were on the alert to keep everythin; working smoothiy, and a close watch all roun was kept upon the prisoners, ‘The prisoners were greatly excited, as would = natur- ally be supposed they would, the lurid light in the heavens, the showers of sparks and thé suffocating smoke, suggesting to them the hear approach of danger. Iminediately atter the fire broke out the premises were entered by In- spector Philips, wno has charge of the jails of the city, and who wanted by @ personal in- ‘spection to assure himself that all was right. He re- mained around for some time, uutil the danger had in a great measure passed. Standing like a burning monument—it was a sql stone structure, shooting up six or seven stories high—the fumes leaped up from window to window, and from story to story, until they had reached the top, when they burst out in @ flery volume, sending the blazing débris, the sparks ang the smoke HIGH INTO TOE AIR. The fire swept clear down to Leonard street and licked up Seen, on ita way. ic gas pipes with which the building abounded shot out their | flery liquid, and all the efforts of the firemen could not extinguish the Mames until the gas they contained was exhausted. Had it not been for the exertions of the Fire Department might easily have become general, asa high wind revailing athe time was sweeping everything Betore it. The firemen were in cha of Engineer Eolecker, who was assisted by Engineers Monroe, nes Orr and Giguel, There were fourteen en; upon the ground and six hook and ladder true! ite last night the fire and it is still smouldering. The pl Scarcely a particie of wall is standing, and noth- ing can be seen but heaps of dismantied meaeanty, broken printing presses and ruined furniture. (3 will be days before the debris can be cleared away. The police of the Sixth precinct, under the com- mand of Captain Kennedy and Sergeant Dou; did good service. Captain Clinchy and Sergean' Bucklu, of the Fourteenth precinct, with a squad ef men on hand, did valuable work. Fire Marshal McSpedon will commence an inves- tigation into the origin of the fire. THE MEXIOO AND VERA ORUZ RAILROAD, A despatch from Havana eays:—‘The Havana press has accepted the invitation of the Mexican preag to be present at the inauguration of the Mex- icoand Vera Cruz Railroad. A committee of news- per men will sali from Havana on the City of Kenic to represent the Havana press. SANTANA AND BIG TREE, Sr. Louis, Mo., Dec. 24, 1872, Santana and Big Tree, the Kiowa chiefs who have been confined in jail here for three months past, left last night for the Texan Penitentiary at Huns- ville, in charge of a deputy United States marshal. GOVERNOR HOFFMAN DEOLINES 10 BB DINED. ALbany, N, Y., Dec. 24, 1872, A large number of citizens, irrespective of politics, have invited Governor Hoffman to a public dinner, which, however, he declines, owing to Pressure of official and private duties, THE PHILADELPHIA COMMON COUNCIL IN- DICTED, PHILADELPHIA, Pa., Dec. 24, 1872, ‘This afternoon the Grand Jury returned a true bill of indictment against all the members of the Common Council, crptaiog ae with maintaining @ nuisance in permifting the Girard avenue bridge to be opened for travel in its present condition. THE BOSTON ELECTIONS. Boston, Dec, 24, 1872, The full report of the committee for recounting the votes of the recent municipal election confirms the election of Henry L. Pierce, Mayor, by seventy- rity, and the election of Newton Talbot, Bircet Comutasioncr, by 1,213 plurality, and the choice of Thomas Garfield, Alderman, by 178 votes over Roland Worthiogton, SUICIDE OF ME. EASTMAN IN CHICAGO. Cacao, Dec. 24, 1872, Itis ascertained that the suicide of G. Eastman was committed while he was laboring under de- pression of spirits caused by ill health, he being in- curably {1 of consumption. He was appointed Consul eenstown by President Lincoln and subsequel occupied the same position at Giag- gow. A TEMPERANCE LECTURE, MiLwavker, Wis., Dec, 24, 1872 A woman naméd Nash was found this morning on River street frozen todeath. She is supposed to have fallen down in a fit of intoxication, AID FOR THE FOUNDLING ASYLUM, New Yor, Dec, 24, 1872. To THe Epiron OF the HERaLp:— Enclosed find $5, to be applied to the Foundiing Asylum, an editorial on which appeared in your columns last Sunday. By giving the enclosed to the asyl il oblige easy ia OL UEND 10 THE UNFORTUNATE> '