The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-08-20

August 49, 1858.
The telegraph has doubtless informed you ere this of
the unfortunate finale 10 Examinations last night
the consgation the City Hall the destruction OF the
cupola and entire upper story OF the centre building and
the escape of the entire edce and the inyalua
bic records which 1t Contains did not witness the con
Migration but have been informed by some who We're
present that the OF the most exciting and
grandest imaginable The damage by fire and water has
been estimated at $50 900 The origin of the fire il I'M
known but the general belief is that It was caused by
the fireworks. There some who are maleyoicnt
enough to hint that the fire the work OF an incen
diary-of some individual connected with the monster
frauds tho city treasury who had an interest in the
records being burned.
have visited the City Hall to-day, and am happy TO
report that the injury is confined to the upper story Of
the centre building that the main building untouched
and that the damage from water is not so extensive
supposed. The exterior appearance OF the Hall
is in sad contrast with that of yesterday Then II was
gay decked out in gala attire, with flags and sreamers,
and notices expressive Of jubilaton. Now the fine
cupola and the clock tower in ruins; the walls and
the steps black and sooty no flags are lying, and
the flag stas though standing, charred and have
look of desolaton and ruin.
The great event OF the day has been the arrival OF the
Niagara which looked forward TO with the utmost
anxiety all day, but did not take place until about 49,
few minutes before that hour the guns from the
Battery and Governors Island announced in thunder
tones the fact that the Niagara was coming up Each
said to his neighbor There she is at last let
and see her." said to friend, Mr. w. B. g., of
Washington, with whom was passing very pleasant
afternoon and away posted towards the East river
and having obtained advantageous position on the
hurrcanedecl of Wall street feTy-boat, saw our
noble frigae dressed in all her flags calling maesticaly
up the harbor amid the of artillery and the well
coming shouts of the vast crowds which crowded every
pier and every point that commanded view OF the
river.
At about five clock the Niagara abreast the Bat
terry and about seven clock she had reached her berth
ot tno xarJ LIANT md Off
GERS, and the forever-famous Cyrus w. Field
were escorted thence to the Mansion House. Hicks
street, Brooklyn, where Captain Hudsons family re-
side. This vast house brilliantly illuminated and
the flags of all nations hung in gracefully arranged fes
the spacious portico the steps, and in front
of which dense crowd assembled to bid the con-
querors of time and space hearty ''welcome home
The sentiments Of the people appropriately and feel
ingly expressed by E. o. Perrin esq, and Captain Hud
son and Mr. Field expressed their acknowledgements in
brief, but eloquent terms. From the Mansion House
the heroes of the day were escorted to the City Hail.
where they were formally welcomed by the mayor
and council, the chief citizens Of Brooklyn
and the largest concourse of people assembled
on any occasion in the "City of Churches The City
Hall tastefuy illuminated from the apex of the
dome to the basement were the stores and private
residences in the immediate noighboorhood that in
the open space in front of the hall it almost light
ut MONDAY. Short speeches were made from the
portco steps by Mr. Field the venerable and respected
Peter Cooper Captain Hudson, and others; and if the
greeted are an index of the feelings of the people,
thusiasm could not go further After witnessing q
brilliant display of fireworks from the City Hall park
and hearing the sweet music discoursed by two excel
lent bands the crowd slowly dispersed and as write
near midnight) all is still.
should not omit to mention, in this hurried and inn
perfect description of the in which the czens Of
Brooklyn celebrated the great event of the age and the
return of the distinguished citizens by whose agency
under Heaven the great work accomplished, that
there scarcely street in the city in which most of
the private residences not illuminated The whole
population in the streets, and never have seen
joyous orderly Or thoroughly we'll behaved crowd
of similar size.
So completely have the cable and the arrival of the
Niagara engrossed the public attention yesterday and to-
day. that have news to report in the political or
cial world. With the exception of the Evening Post,
everybody of every class and party delighted with
Mr. Bucbanans reply to Queen Victoras congatulatory
telegram The Post considers the reply ''souice" and
takes exception to the taste of its form and substance
journal of such remarkable and generally conceded
cclence in everything relating to TASTE elegant compost
ton, and general refinement cannot be gansayed The
general opinion must be changed the message of the
Chief Magistrate of the United States must be considered
'sottice " and the Queen of Great Britain must hence
forth be alluded to as IA wag the epithe which the
delicate and exqustely refined Post applies to her Ma
jesty.
The money market is the opposite of active Demand
loans are drug at the easiest rates short paper OF
which, by he-way there is "a plentiful scarcity is
gotiable at 81 per cent and longer dates are dis
counted without much difficulty, but not below the i'm
proved rates established about ten days ago.
The movement of the banks in the four principal cities
of the Union, in which weekly reports made, a'
shown by the last statements, ia as follows
Deposites. Specie Circulation
York Aug H. s3l Ava 81 9S
Boston, TO-. 55,0T 600 20S0i 300 Se5000 6O26S0t
Philadelphia ~ sS29767 1929 $50 es75,520 500 54t
~ Orleans, H. 12452,664 o0,272 1oS35O05 1889!
Total GIT 1877 800 I42 760s0I O5e, 997 273 ,56
2l3,543569 1437o7,2i6 6l9s6, ls7 $3.50 or