The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-10-06

In fact the destruction Of the building
achieved in such incredibly short space OF
time that 1t was flight at once, and time left for
observation AWestern exhibitor says that he has sc
Steamboats, in flames, prares fire, but he wit
messed in any Of them the rapid spread of flames that ne
saw last night The engine companies early AZ the
conagration but could little to arrest its progress
A member OF Engine Co No IS informed us that that
company had rescueda number of indies who had tainted
inside and Who when fouud, we're utterly helpless, and
could do nothing for their escape Some OF the members OF
The above company complain OF of the directors oh
strucng them their efforts to the property tho
exhibitors. They thought that had they been permitted
at once TO demolh the ticket office they could have go
out considerable property Ia their efforts TO 10 this they
were challenged and ordered TO desst IL is very
liable that the directors had very little idea Of the
pete destruction Of the Palace.
The proprietors OF the Murray Hill House gave every
accommodation in their power those who fortunate
enough TO save something Nom the devouling element,
and their parlor and bar crowded the whole Of the
evening with exhibitors. While olr reporter taking
down the foregoing statements of the exhibitors took
the stump the parlor and announced that the meeting OF
the exhibitors which have taken place in palace
last evening" TO protest against the unfair and uus.
statements Of city paper which had had the tendency to
discourage many persons from coming from the country
to take part at the fair should take place in the Murray
Hill House before mentioned this morning at O'Clock
full attendance requested and expected Even though
unnecessary would nevertheless be the duty OF the
hbos to meet and reply the unfair referred
TIE ORIGIN or THE FIRE.
From all the facts that could be possibly asccr,ancd
from parties who in the Palace at the time the lire
originated there be doubt but the fire was the
work OF an incendiary. From the in which the
flames shot mp there must have been either turpentne
canphcne administered to aid the rapid progress the
fire The room in which the fire was first discovered is
located directly on the northeast wing, adjoining the
stairway leading up 10 the gallery. II was at one
time used for storing old boxes and the like, but at
the time OF the fire one Of the managers stated
that there was nothing therein but quantity Of
wooden patterns, and the only paper material
strong smell Of urpentne it is said pcrseved the
beginning Of the fire. which shows that there must have
been vlanous work in the matter.
Just previous to the fire. young lady who was near
at the time states that she saw man come out of the
above place she described him dressed black and
that he was the first one, she said 10 cry re The
gers state that the place closed and bar placed
across the entrance that if any person gained admit
tancc, he did SO by taking down the bar.
Mr. Brewer one Of the managers, present when the
fire originated and at time had a very escape
from being caught in the flames As soon as he heard
the cry OF fire he the spot and the light Of the
ire through the glass he Immediately made for the door
leading TO the room where the lire shot out first under
meath the stairway and extended with the greatest rapid
~ 10 the dome giving no time TO single article
soon did IL spread over the building. He, however,
cured the books and prizes Of the Institute and succeeded
In getting them out in safety AT one time he fcarci it
would be nmpossble for him to escape by the
entrance and he accordingly Knocked out glass, with
the intention Of jumping out
Mr.. Brewer does not think Il originated among Mr..
Heckers boxes as reported by many He says he has
not single doubt but that the lire started in the
used for old rubbish, and where at the time qan-
tty Of old wooden patterns.
There nine hydrants in the Palace but strange TO
say none OF them had hose attached length oh
ained from carriage and placed Of the hydrants
the water turned on but the man who held The butt
was shortly driven from bis post by the heat.
NUMBER OF EXHIBITORS AND THEIR LOSS.
The total number Of exhibitors this fair about
$500 OF these catalogue has yet been made out and
1t is difficult get at of the loss Of each
hibor. Some Of the articles were, of course, Of little
value but the majority Of the articles costly and
they not insured, the loss will fall heavily upon
the exhibitors. The average value for each exhibitor
would fall below Al this rate the total loss
would be as follows
eco exhibitors, $500 each ach............sl0 81 0ss 900
Cost Of building. 700 900
Total loss 81 ,,ss ,ooo
This estimate may be little too high, bu, the aem
seem little enough.
800 600 Mr.. John W. White, who, up 20 short tim
ago receiver, that there Of the tim
insurance on the Palace. In June last when he trans
erred " the city, he had Insurance OF s10o,o0o
Whereabouts, on the same IN several Of the New YORK
companies. He accordingly Informed Comptroller flags
Of tho fact who immediately had the Palace insured y
the same companies, and he thinks for about the
amount Should this lie the the loss the ralac,
alone will he about s4O0 900
The Mechanics Institute will sustain a loss Of oyc-
$4,000. They had large aonnt of valuable machinery
IN the engine roont ~ thought that none o. Il ,s
insured.
The less 70 the contributors the managers of Inst,
tute estimate a $500 600 about 100000 of which
known 80 he insured. There were six hundred moro
entries during the present than al any previous
for years w,hou, doubt therefore, the loss ho
uf.l
were able TO learn, but little nothing saved;
few pistols several sewing machines aud few
got out, but nearly everything Of value destroyed
DESCRIPTION OF rnE BUILDING.
We shall 60 into the details Of the site and Of
tho building Reservoir square, which was erected
lies a, the northern extremity Of the city, west Of the
Croton Distributing Reservoir, aud between that mighty
mass Of neand the sixth The precise distance
from the Reservoir IN the Sixth as feet aud the
width north and south, from Fortcih Forty second
street, IL ass feet
The main features Il the building foliows,-H
with the exception Of the noor and portion the
donr, entirely constructed Of iron and ga. The general
of the cdcc Greek cross surmountei by dome
q, the intersection. Each diameter of the cross
3o5 feet fivo inches long There three similar
tranccs-onc the sixth avenue rortcih anil
Forty second street Each entrance A. feet vide,
aud that the sixth approached by ghiof
eight steps each front large scmi fan
light feet wide and q feet high answering the arch
Of the Each Of the the ground plan
Isp feet broad This divided into central nave aud
two aisles each sidethc Al feet wde each
aisle 81 feet wide The central portion or nave
rcd MP the height Of 81 feet and the sc circular arch
hy which n spanned ~ feet broad. There
thus In effect two arcbed crossing each other
right angles Al feet broad 81 feet high 10 the Of
the arch and 3ss feet long and each side ~ these
aisle 81 feet broad and - feet high The
exterior of the rdgcway of the nave was II feet Each
aisle was covered by Esliery o It's own width, snd ~
feet from the floor The central dome loo feet IN d.
ameter es feet inside from the oor the spging of the
arch. and lis feet 10 the crown and the outside with
tho lantern laa feet The exterior angles of the building
ngcnousy filed up with triangular lean % ~
feet high, which gave the ground plan octagonal
shape, each side face being 1l9 feet wide. ~ each
angle an ocagona tower eight feet in diameter and
Is feet high.
Ten large and eight winding saircases connected tho
principal noor with the gallery, which opened the
three balconies that situated tho halls
and afforded ample space for flower decorations statues
Ea taft.
tights of steps with two landing places % each; the eight
winding saircascs plarcd the ocagoual towers
which led also 10 the small balconies the tops of the
towers and 10 the roof of the building.
The building contained on the ground oor Ill 900 square
feet of space aud is galleries which were 81 wde
e2 600 square feet more, making total Of 153ooo
square feet for the purposes of exhibition. There
thus the ground toor two aud half exactly
100; in the galleries, and ~ ioo-ioal, with
tpx .ts.sat t.at.fs all. fra. f.tra