Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-10-08
TOTAL Loss EXCEEDS 81 100000.


NEW York, Sept. 6.-The destruction o
the Crystal Palace with its contents yester
day, was complete. So rapidly did til,
flames spread, that in less than twenty. .fi,,
minutes from the commencement of the fir.
the immense dome fell. Nothing was sav
ed excepting one hose carriage, a hook and
| ladder carriage and some half dozen arti
cles Of tritiing value.
| The fire originated, as stated last night
in the lumber room, and was no doubt the
work Of IN incendiary
There we're in the building at the time
about two thousand people, principally wo
men and children. The CONSERVATION among
these was fearful. Many, were knocked
down and trampled, but none We're serious
ly injured except one man, who was killed
The loss is variously estimated at from
81 600, 900 to 81 800 900
The palace originally cost $500, 900 One
estimate make the worth of the articles on
exhibition about halfa million Three fire
engines belonging to the city valued at from
two to three thousand dollars apiece were
destroyed, and two of them had been placed
in the building but few hours before the
fire commenced.
There were nearly four thousand contrib
utors to the exhibition, some of whose loss.
o. were quite large. The American Insti-
tute, under whose auspices the fair was held
loses ten thousand dollars.
There were among the losses l6 engines
valued at 100000; 40 pianos. including IL
of Chickering's. $4,000; turning iathes
SIG 900; sewing machines, 50 900; knitting
machines $1,000; daguerreotype depart
ment. IS 900; plows. $4,000; vehicles Of
different kinds $4,000; watch clock and
jewelry department, loss very heavy; fur
department contained large quantities OF
very valuable goods; tqe loss is heavy
large finished caliopes, $4,000 machines
of various descriptions, $4,000; picture
gallery, 10000; statuary S25.OOO; furni
ture and housekeeping articles, $4,000
Jewelry diamonds and watches $50, 900
stoves, furniture. de-. 10000; steam and
caloric engines $4,000; wearing apparel
$25 600; motive power and machinery be-
longing TO the institute $4,000.
One account states that Robert RAFT, Jew
eler, lost q case of diamonds valued at $780,
900.
Among the works of art lost were the
Marochetti statue Of Washington. valued at
$4,000; Kiss Amazon. SIC, 900; Thor valid
sons Savior and Apostles, Caveri's colossal
marble statue of Daniel Webster, Colossal
group, Man struggling with bear group
of the Lovers going to a well, with many
others, including life size busts of Connell,
Moore, Father Matthew, Washington, DC
The only articles known to be saved in
addition to the hose carriage and ladder
truck, was one case Of patent pistols belong
ing to Philadelphia exhibitor. a case Of
prize medals belonging to the Institute val
ued at $4,000; case of jewelry valued at
$4,000 belonging to Robert Raft.
No doubt the fire was the work of an in
cendiary. A strong smell Of camphene
was detect in the building where the fire
commenced. Previous to the fire, boy
was seen lodging about between the Palace
door on AID street and liquor shop oppo-
cite, and just before the alarm was given,
three boys were seen hurrying away from
42d street entrance, and running at a rapid
speed down the street. The supposition is
that rags on other materials were saturated
with camphene, hgthed, and thrown into
the lumber room.
There is nothing left standing of the Pal
ace but the iron towers at the angles, and
ouIon pOIlIOu Vi Tic iron sues. LNcTyLDlng
combustible about the building and con-
tents is reduced to ashes.
The iron parts of the machinery and
other articles on exhibition, together with
the frame work of the building, are one
undistinguishable mass. The glass is fused
in to large masses.
The report that one man was killed, is un-
true. There was no loss of life whatever
and no severe injury to any one.
The Police and Managers of the Institute
are bnsy investigating the origin of the dis
aster.
The insurance Of $4,000 on the Crystal
Palace was effected to cover losses of foreign
exhibitors. The American watches'exhbit-
ed by Appleton, Tracy d Co, of Waltham,
were saved by Mr.. Smith who had them in
charge.
The machine and iron foundry Of C. Wer-
ner, of Charleston, s. C.,..was burned on Sa-
turday morning, together with its contents.
Insured $4,000, which will not cover the
loss