Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1858-10-13
From the New York Herald Oct. 81
DESTRUCTION OF THE CRYSTAL PALACE


The Crystal Palace, the scene of so many of the
great public demonstrations which have taken place
in this city of late years. totally destroyed last
evening by fire, and the site is now q mass OF smo-
king ruins. Not only the Palace itself. but every
thing that i: contained burned up, and the ex'
which being held there for two weeks past have
lost all they had in the building.
At about five o'clock last evening lire was dis
covered in the north of the Crystal Palace on
the Forty. second street side. When first seen it ap
peared to proceed from the room used as q lumber
room, and in which were stored large quantity OF
old patterns left from the Worlds Fair. There
no entrance on the north nave and in the room
where the fire is said to have started there no
fire or light of 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 incen.
diary. The blaze was discovered almost Immediate
ly, and an attempt made to extinguish it by the
hose on the premises; but the water not flowing
freely, the flames spread to the ceiling, or under
part of the balcony floor, when the combusti6le
character of the yellow pine flooring fed the de.
vouring element, and almost Immediately enveloped
the dome in a mass of fame. When the fire was
first discovered there were about 1000 persons in
the building, and, on the alarm being given, con-
sternaton and fright seized upon the VISITORS who
rushed wildly in the direction of the exits, crying
and screaming in the most ptiable manner. Chill
dren were separated from their parents, and friend
from lrlenQ. many were knOCheu uoWu duu uou'
pied under foot and sustained serious bodily injury,
1t is feared, from the rapid spread Of the smoke,
and the little knowledge the visitors had of the
means of the exit that several lives have been lost
The persons in the gallery were in great jeopardy,
as in three minutes from the first discovery OF the
fire the upper part of the building filled with
smoke that it would have been impossible for hu-
man being to have existed minute.
The pitch pine which formed the floor stairs, and
framework of the entire palace afforded a most in
fammable pabulum for the con6agration to feed up
on and this explains the reason of its rapid spread
The scene when the fire was at its height was one
of fearful magnifcence. The huge dome was like
vast ball of fire, and the flames leaped up its sides
in great waves of lurid light. At one time the
whole palace was glowing like burning coal, and
vomiting up fire at q rate that would have done
credit to Vesuvius. All who witnessed the spectacle
declare that it one of those things rarely seen
in lifetime.
About twenty-five minutes after the fire was first
discovered the dome fell with fearful crash, and
the flames made one final leap upwards, and sank to
rise no more. In forty minutes from the breaking
out of the fire the palace and all it contained were
totally destroyed and all that marks the site of this
once proud building few standing towers and
a smoking heap of ruins.
From all the facts that could be possibly ascer-
tanned from parties who were in the Palace at the
time the fire originated there cannot be doubt but
the fire was the work of an incendiary. From the
manner in which the flames shot up there must have
been either turpentine or camphene administered to
aid the rapid progress of the fire. The room in
which the fire was first discovered is located direct
ly on the northeast wing, adjoining the stairway
leading up to the gallery. 1t was at one time used
for storing old boxes and the like, but at the time
of the fire of the managers stated that there
was nothing therein but quantity of wooden pat
terms, and the only paper material was some old
tickets used at the cable celebration. A strong
smell of turpenne, it is said perceived at the
beginning of the fire, which shows that there must
have been villanous work in the matter.
Just previous to the fire, young lady, who was
near at the time, states that she saw q man come
out of the above palace; she described him as
dressed in black and that he the first one, she
said, to cry fire. The managers state that the place
was closed and bar placed across the entrance, so
that if any person gained admittance he did so by
taking down the bar.
The total number of exhibitors at this fair was
about $500. Of these catalogue has yet been
made out and it is difficult to get estimate of
the loss of each exhibitor Some of the articles of
course of little value but the majority of
articles were costly, and as they not insured
the loss will fall heavily upon the exhibitors. The
average value for each exhibitor would not fall be-
low 5000. At this rate the total loss would be as
follows:
$500 exhibitors, $500 each, $1,Oss, 900
Cost of Building, 100000
Total loss, 1,7s8, 900
This estimate may be little too high, but the
items SEEM little enough.