New Orleans daily crescent., 1854-12-27
puBL1o DOCUMENTS. We are indebted to Hon.
]. Perkins for 9 copy Of the Presidents Mes
sage and accompanying documents.

DESTRUCTIVE FIRE- The Mechanics, Ipsti-8
TUE In Rtis Last evening shout O'Clock, fire broke
out In the part Of the basement Of the Mechanics
Institute the phiIppa street front of University
Square sndin Little than hours time tho spien-
did edhcs was reduced to pile Of smoking ruins i;
nothing being left standing but tho front aud portions
Of the side Wala This oousgraton intensely bril-
liant and nerce lighting Up The whole city and attract
ing people I'LL the surrounding streets perfectly
aAnsd The hromen we're soon the spot, and it re-
qnired a hrayest exaztions to keep the flames from
spreading Tho handsome priyass residences On the on
posite eide 81 Philippe street severely scorched and
on fire several times and the fremeu entitled to no
little credit 10 having saved them In the intense heat
that filed the street The Of ths Louisiana Medical
College which building fronts o Ucuon street vas also
badly but saved by the nrenen who however
did damage To the contents Of tho College with their
water. 40 accident, that could hear 81, happened
during the fare.
The loss to the Mechanica Society ID about $4,000
the building only which was worth S50o00 being in
sured for $s00oe divided equally between the Sun Iu
tual and Crescent Offices the Effects consisting OF the
furnishings q the splendid ball. and the Fisk Free Ii
rary, scarcely any portion Of which saved being
valued ut 000 and not insured The Mechanics So
clety sustAna loss which money not cover namely
a its books papers and archives snce its foundation
fortyeght The loss of the library Is ncaIcu
lahy severe The public, by which it beginning
70 be largely pstronizsd, well upon the Society
The steaanbeat and Steamship Engineers Association
the United aborer Association and the Order of In
sopspI Matsa, each of which occupied d room in the
building lost all tsr furniture fixtures books and ma
pes The ngnesrs' Society have ID depiore tbs ia II
collection Of charts and drawings which neither time
nor money can replace s5 si
The Repository Of Arts and scences kept in one Of
the rooms BY Mr Brockett lost every At
ebout Ss010 Mr.. Truehoiz the portrait ana picture
infar
picture alone Of large size which he had nearly finished
entitled The crucfxion, he valued at $4,000. MI
airoux the Photographic occupying the front room on
tbs second opr oppesite the library, lost every thing
He had just finished fitting it mp at an expenditure o
$500. Ar. Gomez who kept cabinet making and re-
pairing shop on the ground floor under Mr Giroux's
room, also lost his alabout $1,000 worth The other
front room On the gropnd foor under the library, was
occupied as dancing academy, alternately by Mr. Che
rard and Mr. Metsayer, Hho Of course lost nothing
Nothing saved, that could discover but piano
belonging to the Institute, few chairs and few books
In damaged condition Not counting those articles
which money not replace the entire loss NAV safely
be est down at s1oa0oo
The part Of the building In which the FIRE was rst seen
Was the warsEpou on the ground hoox the resrused
b. Msssrs Henderson Gaines crockery dealers coaa
ualg by passage way with their warehouse fronting
e' street Some goods had been deposited III the
room dssaa he afternoon and that is all that known
That has ~ bearing the origin of the FIRE We could
not extens Of Henderson & Gaines loss but
II must ps and must be down exclusive
of our estmate os thsaos& 5 8S
or readers may new Judge what loss last evenings
IN = the Tbs building was one OF our
hassr erehirsetural orpanisats 6 this Is e srnasst
part of tho icss zs trs.ge has besA very ,,,
Aewoream this season The rains Of e.ienss eburc,
aaAgtua Lafayette Square The ruins Of !. has,t,f,,
fhsater daagu rsFsr street.. and nes the .,a. Z