New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-11
THE PORTLAND CONFEDERATION

From The Per,lsHa Argal. Jsa .
about g o'clock on Sunday morning the flames were
bursting from the north end OF the bald
ing occup cd a. the Custom House, FostOhce nc l"o
vsrm was given at but the ire had obtained sden
comuee mastery that could not be suhdned II burned
most fercely advancing from department; 20 department
OF the building sweeping everything beore and sending
Up such volume Of Fame thatt seen for miles around
tie city Tie sight grand and awful liz three hours
this beautiful building heap OF ruins win nlthing
lefl bat its baCkened granite walls The dome fell 70 In
about two hours from the discovery OF the re snd whom
tic mms focr of the Custom House room gave way y
went down with fearful erash
The building destroyed wen known as the Exchange
1t was erected een years sgo and belonged to The
city until purchased BY the United States, few years
since or about $4,000 and whore proper was sheo
desroyed II bull; of granite, thr stories high
surmoOned With large dome twas long the PRIDE oil me
city IS It's most beautiful and costly edhee. During me
pest season hes been teduP with much elegance Tor me
convenience Of The Post Office Custom House ana UnAed
States Court Rc.in and most admirably adap'ed 70
the purpOSts named. , ...ooo .,
gold ..,., Il,
& II Resrcc & Co twas in this vicinity thar tue names
hurst ont and nothing saved In the second story
were the Custom House r'oms Here everything out OF
The safe was DESTROYED The smoke was 80 dense IA ths
that no one could live in il and neither the prn
riral room nor that of the Surveyor or the collector
rriyate room was entered az all Everything exposed
was destroyed. r ~. p..Lu.
SUPERINTENDENT OF Light Houses and those Of the lnspec
TORS ana Gaueers these rooms was Impossible
and everything went Oy tue uoWu A.
Lieut. Franklin had about $4,000 invouchers ana oenet
papers besides several valuable Instruments all OF which
were lost. ,,,..shoo,
Judge Ware excellent Law Library which nc had oeen
accommodating for thirty years, was destroyed wa" o"o
of the best in Maine, and invaluable a.,
Tn ONE of the 10, ms of the G, sto House was Akes
Statue of Benjamin This exquisite work OF ART We re
grCt to state, was destroyed -, -,
The records popers and account books degree books
and cards of the Grand Lodge OF Name l. " " +" "efe
kent in this building and All DESTROYED
iho cause of the fire is involved IN mystery. IL prob
sbv originated IN the Library of the United States Court
Rocms and very likely had been sm0uldoring several
bours before il burst ont When il spread was with
such rapidly to wrap that portion Of the building Ia
flames in few MINUTES ~ ,
Tho io.s Of property Is from $4,000 to 100000, and
We suppose with little If any insurance.
From The Port and Advertiser
The most doVlorable loss Is ia the rare and valuable col
lectons Of the Portland Society of Natural History The
peouriaTy loss is perhaps om $4,000 to $4,000 but their
value Is not be considered much in tho cost as IN the
impossibily of replacing them.
he cabinet Of shells containing nearly 10000 specimens
was one of the most perfect in America II was mainly
cot together by that enthusiastic conchoogit, DE- W
Miches now OF Cincinnati who spent some heen years
in gathering t. The bird department numbered nearly
eight hundred specimens admirably prepared and mounted
many of hich will be difficult not impossible 10 replace
The mineral cabinet still more extensive aud costly
embracing besides specimens from all parts Of our own
State many rare articles from other States, aud from
mote quarters of the world Then there wore collections
Of fishes reptiles quadrupeds &c, end choice library
which viii take years to replace but we hope the 80
ceiy will at set about the work of getting new col
lectiCns and viii be the duty of citizens and espe
cally of the wealthy, to make liberal donations to ths
end as there no insurance the SOcetys effects