The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-10-06


and in the room where the fire said TO have started
there no FIRE or light o. any description ever
used. The managers Of the fair state that there is
but little doubt but that the fire was the work OF
an incendiary The blaze was discovered almost
Immediately, and an attempt made 70 ex-
tnguish it by the hose on the promises !;
but the water not flowing freely, the flames
spread the ceiling under part of the balcony floor
when the combusbe character Of the yellow pine floor
ing fed the deyouring element, aud almost Immediately
enveloped the dome in mass OF iains, when, IN from
twelve to fifteen from the first discovery of the fire.
the dome fell in tremendous crash and AT the cxp
ration of twenty minutes the entire building and its con
tents we're a mass of ruins When the fire first dis
covered there about 600 persons ia the building
and the alarm being given CONSERVATION and fright
sazod unon the ysers who rushed wildly in the d,rac
OF the exits, crying and screaming IN the most pabc
Children separated from their parents, and
friend from friend Many knocked down and tram
pied under foot, and sustained serious bodily injury 1t
feared from the rapid spread of the smoke and the m
knowledge the ssers had OF the of exit that
raj lives have been lost The persons in the gallery
in great jeopardy in three minutes from the first disco
very of the Gre the upper part OF the building was so filed
with smoke that would have been impossible for hu
man being 10 have existed a minute.
Up TO the hour reporter left however, no body had
been tonnd and TO be hoped that all escaped from
the building safely. IL is impossible to estimate cor
recty the value Of tue contributions but cannot be far
| from 100000.
There are 900 contributions varying in value from a
few dollars to several thousands each There three
fire engines, Nos s 81 and l6 and No Hose carriage
destroyed There only few articles standing close
to the doors that taken ont, The heat became
cessve that the people had to fee TO themselves from
being burned II seems almost incredible that strgc-
ture like the Palace made of ron should in the space OF
twenty minutes be totally destroyed; but such was the
The appearance Of the burning grand and sub
lime, presenting the most magnificent spectacle wit
messed in this city, The Crystal Palace was insured
in ten or twelve insurance companies for So 900 each Its
destruction BY fire sets at rest the dispute between the
late association and the city as TO its disposal.
STATEMENT OF MR.. BACON, or BOSTON.
At five minutes past five O'Clock the first alarm was
given by persons the gallery Of the Forty
street side OF the building calling Fre! hren was then
standing in the centre Of the building, nearly under the
DOME my attention at drawn TO to the direction
whence emanated the cries and drst The flames
right the Forty second street entrance The people
/ in that gallery Immediately He'd in opposite directions
from the fire in dreadful costernaon the greater por
uonneariy al-were ladies', and naturally enough their
fight attended with great excitement and cries Of
fear did not, however, perceive any person pushed
where stood, Immediately seized IL, and with others
carried il to hydran and attached IT, but, from the
shalowness OF the water in the reservoir the stream
through this hose could no, reach the flames;
that our labor was useless, stood calmly and watched
the progress Of the flames; the rapidy with which they
r escape taking whn ,e ecud 90, 81 Of
| the machine tools had on exhibition hasened
i 10 the Foriieh street door for exit II was with
considerable difficulty that persons could get az
the time, as the doorway jamnled by engines and
carriages that some in the hurry had tried TO save from
the flames Before could get out the smoke inside b.
came exceedingly oppressive. had hardly reached For
ueh street when the dome fell with terrible crash.
the frst alarm to the fall OF the dome, than
eleven minutes bad elapsed.
MIR. JAGGERs STATEMENT.
When the alarm OF lire was first made thought
false alarm The confusion, however, commenced,
particularly among the lady portion Of the vsers and
Wild excitement was soon manifest everywhere. Finding
| that could do little 10 calm those around me, mmed
ately directed them 10 the way OF escape. did not
that time, believe that the danger great
thcless concluded that better for them under their
m ut.h inN1 a.tx
possible then returned 10 my show in the
for,cth BY tina, time the smoke rapidly nmg
the building. got all Of my goods from the case and
made the best OF my way out 1T the fortieh street door
BY the time thai got to the sidewalk the dome Of tn
building fell. There many persons in the building
al the time My opinion Is that, from the small beginning
OF the fire. had the hose for the projection o tho building
contents might have been saved with little trouble. saw
injured but from the crowd presume that some
4 would be injured By the frc
/ THE STATEMENT OF LADY OUTSIDE.
Mrs. White, who boarding in The Murray Hill House,
formerly the Fremont House, Of rorcth street
aud Sixth avenue, sitting at the window, having di
rectly view the Palace, and the first Indication of
| fire from the outside. Mrs White says
shortly after i've O'Clock was look ng at the Palace
when discovered very little smoke making ~ appear
ance right above the principal from sixth avenue
next the flames issuing from the lower part Of tho
dome. The wind was then blowing southeasterly d.
rscton, which spread the flames with amazing rapidy
towards Forticth street The people inside rusecd
ia great confusion by the doors sixth aud
Foreth street The crowd seemed great at the doors
that evidently those within we're IN great danger saw
as many as dozen gentlemen leap through the glass on
tho south side 81 the building 60 the enclosed grounds
around. The nre was magnificent and sublime beyond
anything that ever Witnessed. might have much
more o. interest but the order given close tho
inside blinds as she nremen had 10 play ,he water upon
the hotel 10 preserve II from gniing. The heat inside
/ my room soon became opIressveiy hot.
Mr.. NEWTON n. sorIREs STATEMENT.
had charge Of Tiffany Co.'S goods In the Palace At
the time the fire commenced. Il is generally reported
to have been few minutes after I've o'clock when the
nre commenced but had just looked at the Palace clock
a moment before the first cry " arc heard, and
/ was twenty minutes past nve O'Clock was then
ranging some cable charms " place on The stand for
hibon. haprrned Ia hook towards the dome, and
dense volume o. smoke issuing from the cnirancc on
Forty eecond street. and then heard the cry OF hre De-
hcvlng that there danger. Immediately commenced
20 secure what I could OF our articles on cxhibl
ton. Az I was Fastening towards the Fort-
| eth stree, door, with my load q cable canes,
aud everything that I could get hold Of,
l was met by of the Palace committee, who assured
me that there cameo for alarm, though the persp
ration of fear and rolling torrents down
his checks. Believing otherwise rushed PAS, him
and made tracks for tho door arriving there found
that some the employs had boltcd ono part of the DOR
and about closing The other portion Of IT, 10 keep tho
current ~ air rum waiting tho anes through the build
ng The rush for great aud not " be stopped
on any acconnt Immediately few took some hand
trucks that close a hand and rushed them against
the door and broke down through which The people
IN the widest consternasou. never flames spread
with such rapidy. We had scarcely got tho build
nfhft ~ Nes ~ usn't Inc h'ht Wieide was
intense and nsuferabc. Any person who had dficu,y
ID reaching the door must have great risk of life
saved probably $3.50 of gods but loss be very
heavy. We had ~ 900 worth of cable cxh
hton ah o. which 81 course, was destroyed, and pro
hahy from s tar and gutta pecha substance butci
| 10 the grandeur II the general blaze.
STATEMENT or NV. WHEELER.
Nr. Wheeler Jun q Wheeler Son, Broadway, states
II entering the Palace when the ars cry of re was
made. l Immediately rushci 10 the picture gallery,
where We had pictures cf penmanship exhibition, in
horcs ~ saving ny The time that reached there
thu flames were about half way 20 the dome. There
probably upwards of $50 persons IN that gallery,
principally ladies and children They in dreadful
state of excitement and running will confusion
cut u that gallery into the main gallery. Immediately
sezed of valuable pictures and placing uner
each arm, cndeavorcd to gam the door has not 20,
more than ffty feet from the place where took them I'll