Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1858-10-07
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. REPORT
BURNING OF THE CRYsTAs PALACE.

The destruction of the Crystal Palace with it
| contents yesterday was complete. So rapid die
the flames spread that in twenty five minutes from
the commencement Of the fire the immense deOu
| fell Nothing was saved except enc hose carriage
| a hook and ladder carriage, and some half dozeI
articles of trihing value.
The fire originated as stated last night in the lum
Der room and was the work Of an incendiary-
There were in the building at the time 1000 per
sons, principally women and children.
The loss is variOusly estimated at from one mil
/ lion to one and half million.
The Palace originally cost eight hundred thous
/ sud dollars One estimate makes the worth of the
articles on exhibition about half a million Three
fire engines belonging to the city and valued al
/ from g., 900 to 50, 900 each were DESTROYED Two
OF these had been placed in the building but few
uOurs before the fire commenced.
There were nearly A. COO contributors to the Ex-
hibition, some Of whose losses were quite large.
The American institute lose $4,000. There
We're among the losses l6 engines, valued at $780,
000 40 pianos, including - of Chickering's S2O,-
$4,000, knitting machines 81, 900, daguerreOtype
department $1,000, plOws Sl5,0O0, vehicles Of DIFF
| ferent kinds 600 Watch, cock and jeweIry
department loss very heavy Fire department CON
tanned large quantity Of very valuable goods
The loss is Eeavy. Three large finished Caliopes
$4,000. Machines of various descriptions ST5,-
900, picture gallery $4,000, statuary $4,000 fur
niture and housekeeping articles 81, COO ewery,
diamonds and watches $4,000, stoves, furniture,
&c. $1,000, steam and calOric engines $4,000,
wearing apparel $4,000, motive power and ma
chinery belonging to the Institute $4,000. One
account states that Robert RAFT jeweler lost case
Of diamonds valued at SIS, 900. Among the works
Of art lost were MarOchettis statue of Washington
va ued at $4,000, Kiss "Amazon" $1,000 Thor
waldson's Savior and Apostles" Carveri's eOlOs-
sal marble statue Of Daniel Webster, Colossal
Group, Nan struggling with Bear, Group Of the
'LOvers going TO well, }" with many other pieces,
including life size busts Of O'COnnell, Moore Fa-
ther Mathew, Washington, &c.
The only articles known to be saved in addition
to the hose carriage and ladder trucks, were one
case patent pistols belonging to Philadelphia ex-
hibitOr; case Of prize medals belonging 10 the
Institute, valued at $1,000, belonging to Robert
Raft.
No doubt the fire was the work of an incendia-
ry. A strong smell Of camphene was detected in
the building where the fire commenced.
Previous to the fire a boy was seen dOdging
about between the Palace door on 42d street and
liquor shop opposite, and just before the alarm
given three boys were seen huTying away from
42nd street entrance, and running at rapid speed
from the street. The suppOsttiOn is that rags or
other material were saturated with camphene
lighted and thrown into the lumber room,
There is nothing left standing of the Palace but
the iron towers at the angles and small portion Of
the ison side.
Everything combustible about the building and
contents are reduced 20 ashes The iron parts or
the machinery and other articles exhibition, to-
geiher 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 untrue
There was no loss of life whatever and no severe
injuries to any one The police and managers of
the Institute busy investigating the origin Of
the disaster.
Robt Canning Brown, an Englishman, clerk in
the London and Liverpool Insurance company,
was arrested last night on a charge Of defrauding
that Institution Of large amount.