New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-01-20
roreucT1oN OF THE NEW CITY HAIL
Oso' BY FIRE.
oec on VALUABLE LAW DOCUMENTS, REC
In" ORDS &c

v..rdsy afternoon about o'clock fire broke out in
.,.,.re brick building in the Park fronting Chambers
xhich was almost eniiiely destroyed The fire origin
~ in the cock lo the rooms OF the Superior Courl
"A WAS first discovered by little smoe issuing from the
e<yts The Reserve Corps OF Police from the Cn'e VI
Ace were in the building before any alarm was gwen o Tue
hb and had torn down portion Of the ceiiing' VIA
view to the speedy extDgushment OF the h' oa' DC -"
,sufcent supply Of could be ooaine1 tne nam
had sptead from one enc OF the building 10 tue oher Dc
reen the roof and ceiling Of the third story Inc alarm
WAS now given by the bells bui bco7e inc hrenen aried
- he o1oupd the flames burst out from the roof with
.fpry Apprebensions being entertained that the
bSpc could not be saved the Police assisted by many
a. me ren ret abou, saving the books records docu
n,s and paper, in the various Offices and such furn
-se as was movable The property thus rescued from
~. flames was conveyed to the City Hall Controllers
{, % and the building in Chembersst occupied formerly
b. he Savings Bank, &c.
Ire frtmen fairly at work, and were throwing
epps streams of water upon the upper part Of the build
ing The roof which Of slate finally fen in carrying
everything before it into the third story.
The alarm that the City Hall fire spresd rap'dy
through the City and brought hundreds of people to the
scene Of the eonaagraton portion OF the PARK nro1d
way and Chambersst was filed with men, women ana
children.
TIE basement Of the building was occupied as Offices as
foJaNs. b b. Purdy, Commissioner of Repairs and Sup
~ Hire Werden's Office Isaac Edwards, Collector of
Assessments; John b. Haskin Attorney to the Corpora
ton; John d. McGregor and A. j. Smith Mr. Peck Tax
arnissioner, Coroners Office; ST.. Downing City In
a, etor; Commissioner Of Emigration
The first floor was occupied by the Law Library Su-
urtsoe Court Chamber Robert j, Dillon, Counsel 10 the
Corporation Office Company OF Central Park; United
States Marshas Office, &c
The upper floors occupied Court Rooms for the
Supreme Superior and Courts and by several lawyers
The remen abored with great energy but despite their
exe,ons the upper portion Of the buildings was entirely
destroyed and the lower part rendered unienanabe,
Mr. j. S. Halsted First Clerk in the office of the Com
missioner of Repairs and Supplies in the building
when the FIRE broke out and unaded saved everything OF
INV yaue in the Office He ed hepapers and do u
pe,ts to the residence of Mr. Purdy. The Law Library
ch cost about s75OOO moSuy saved through the
.ons of Capt Brennan aided by the Relief Corps Of
p. ice Many of the volumes were greatly damaged by
waier The Library insured for $4,000 in office, the
name Of which we could not learn.
Many Of the papers and records the lower part of the
building which could not be easily got at were damaged
by water.
The fire was occasoned by defect in one of the laes
connected with the furnace used Tor heating the building
The building was heated by large Aues which traverse the
walls and heat Court re- rs md Offices. To effect this
such 40 extreme heat kept up the furnaces in the
ceer that the walls Immediately above in adangerous
condition This matter lately brought to the attention
of Aid Blunt Mott, Chauncey and Kelley one of whom
igpited match by simply putting against the wall In
consequence of this condition of affairs memorial setting
forth the fact was night before last presented to the Com
mon Council and by them referred to the regular Commit
tee for investigation
This structure, known formerly "The Old Aims House
and Of late years the New City Hall" was erected six
ty or seventy years ago 1t for many years occupied
as the City Poor House. About thirty years ago. Mr. Scud
der hired portion and fitted up museum the Elm, known
ar Scudders Museum Sometime aerward portion OF the
building Yves occupied by the American institute. Within
few years IL building modelled inside and laid
out into Court Rooms Offices &C. and at the me of the
fire was occupied by many of the most important City Of
fees There nothing imposing in the external appear
snce of the building although of the Court Rooms
were fitted I'D in elegant manner The morey expended
from time to time in repairing and altering the building
amounts 10 mt than it would have cost to have eocteda
splendid structure the site of the same dimensions
COMMISSIONERS OF OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
IT, the Editor Of The y. y Tribune
sR Please mention in connection with the FIRE in the New
be temporarily placed No a. Canast or in the office
io.nisht W. WALSH Chief Clerk.
CoRoNERs oFFICE-REMovAL.
sR In cons of the Coroner: o@cs by
frs until further notice will be cated at NO 10 Cen
tre-st, (up stsTs) directly opposite tae PARK
( SoS + %lE HIEfSE ''''''''-
ANOTHER FIRE-About the same time that the NV
City Hall was in flames another fire broke out in the large
frame building in Foriieth the Tenth occupied
az varnsh Factory. The building with its contents