True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1858-10-13

broken out, out mere was not the Sngnt-
est danger and no occasion for alarm.
desiring them to leave in quiet and or
derly manner. The caution and advice
Of the managers were scalcely needed by
the crowd; an immediate rush was made
for the two main entrances. In pursu-
ance of the instructions Of the managers,
the door comprising the entrance from
Fortieth street, which were closed, we're
ordered to be opened. The opening Of
these doors at once created a powerful
draught Of air, and by this means the
flames were famed, causing the fire to
spread with increasing and most fearful
rapidity. The parties in the building
made their exit through the entrances
leading from Sixth aveneue and Forty
second street. The doors at eacn entrance
being ten feet wide, afforded ample space
for safe and speedy exit. Quite mum.
Der remained in the building before the
fall of the dome, their object being the
preservation and removal Of their proper
ty on exhibition. Many Of these tarried
so long that there only way of escape
was through the broken windows. One
lady turned back to secure money in a
drawer, but the flames deferred her from
the attempt.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The general belief, as stated above, is
that the fire was the work of an incendi-
ary. One man states positively, that just
before the fire was announced, he saw
two or three boys hurrying away from
the Forty second street entrance, and run
ming at rapid pace down the street A
boy is also said TO have been seen dodg-
ing across from the spirit store on the op-
posite side of the street in The direction
Of the Forty second street entrance. -
He hurried across very lively, and with
his head suspiciously bent downwards. -
The supposition is that som rags or 9th
er material was saturated with camphene
and thrown in the lumber room.
Another story prevails that the fire orig
mated from imperfection in the gas appa-
ratus. II is said that two new meters
were put in on Monday and that strong
smell Of gas pervaded The building. The
gas meters were placed in small room
adj joining the room where the lumber was
stored aud il is asserted that in attempt
ing to light the gas, the escaped gas igni-
led in some way, producing an explosion
and the subsequent fire. A fact strongly
this theory is, that there is no
evidence of any explosion having been
heard. However, several persons posi-
lively assert that the gas was blazing
freely in several places at once along wha.
might have been imperfections in the gas
main. s.t,.t.
Among the heaviest losses bv the con-
aagration are ]. B. Chickering & Sous,
piano. forte manufacturers, of Boston, who
had IL Of the finest specimens of their
workmanship in the Palace. One of the
pianos was valued at $1,000. 10 what
extent they were insured is not known.
Messrs. VIM. Lindehann & Sons, pianos,
lost 81 500. A carriage.maker of Troy
had large number of carriages and light
wagons Of all patterns on exhibition
There were several valuable steam .en.
yines, large quantities Of mowers, reapers
and other agricultural implements, togeth.
er with a large lot of sewing machines.
WAS THE PALACE INSURED?
A gentleman who professed to be well
'Postcd, - assured ue laOt~night thai the
Crystal Palace was insured for $50, 900
n various companies in this city; and
hat the said insurances were effected by
Flagg Immediately after the
,ity came in possession of the building.
A skepIic suggested, "if this be true,
why was not The City Hall also insured,
i being building much more liable to
destruction by 6re?" Query.
ASPECT OF THE EXHIBITORS.
1t is impossible to describe the frantic
conduct of many of the exhibitors. Sew.
eral of them, when they saw that the fire
was making progress, snatched as much
,f their property as they could, and en-.
leavored 10 make their exit from the
In this however, some Of them
we're baked, as some of the parties in
charge closed the doors. and they we're
obliged to take another direction, and
reach the street through the front entrance.
Many of them who had been on bu
siness in the city had Just returned 10 At
tend upon the exhibition for their articles
for the remainder of the evening, while
quite a number did not arrive until the
whole building was in ruins. Great anxi.
ETY. was manifestedin every coun tenance.
and ten thousand regrets were exchanged
by the inventive martyrs. Almost every
man who was a loser knew exactly Inc
way in which he would have saved his
how he would have packed it
up in minute and removed it from the
Palace without injury. Others stated
that the speed with which the flames
spread left no doubt as TO the fact that the
fire was the development Of well consid.
cred and thoroughly malured plans on the
part of malicious persons, with view TO
giving facilities for thieves and their nefa.
rious craft in extracting valuables in the
shape Of jewelry, &c.
OUTRAGE BY A FEDERAL OFFIcER.-
Some time since a citizen OF Texas, Mr.,
Joseph Head, was tied to a tree, stripped
and flogged in a most outrageous manner
by Order of CaDtain s. M. Rarion. TT. 8.