New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-10-12


gsstraetian N se.g Toris crystal palaes.
Ffom the view York Herald u ths gta inst ~
extract the following particulars Of tie daatgactlan
& tltis eele5rated ediee, already mentioned in cur
telegapAie eolunn:
The Crystal Palace, the scene Of So many 81 the
great pn9ile demonstrations which have taken place
IN tais elsy 0f late years was totally DESTROYED a
evening By fire, and the site Ia now a mass az s1al
ing ruins. Not only the palace itself but ayeryfjft
i contained was burned up, and the exhibitors III
tDe tSreat Far ol bhe American Institute which was
they had in the building.
There fs every reason to believe that III irs was
the work Of inceudiary, as It originated Ia nt
Of the building in which no fire was Bae5 bnf gfiis
was filled with infammabIe material tiis detrs III
the palace, which was put in an out of the vay pIaea
for fear Of accidents. The fire frat discovered
shortly befoge five O'Clock in the afternaon IN the
northeast corner Of the building shout SHO hanfed
feet from where the machinery Was on exhibition
At this time there were about three Thousand pef-
sODs in the building, mostly women and ehldTen. Who
were viewing TIE articles 90 exhibition. The bald.
ing large that il proved difficult 10 spread an
ALARM and it some time before the visitors could
be warned Of their danger; and the danger TO aE in
the palace was NEST immineDt, for the flames, when
they got under headway spread with fearful Eapidtys
and as II By magic the vast ed5ce was one mass Of
glowing fire and flaEs~ There we're eight hydrants
in the building but the suddenness with which this
tre spread gave the employees Of the american sati
Sut NJ tllS 10 usS tues ana alSosb De0Fe ElS D0@
could be screwed on tie confagrasiOn had made such
headway that all attempts TO save anything on exa-
bition, much less the baildng was entirely useless
! Last night was to have been concert night and
the managers estimate that at least 10 600 persons
would have been present. Had the FIRE, therefore,
taken place three hours later, there IL scarcely
doubt that thousands Of lives would have been lost
as all could not have passed the ooYa before the dome
fell.
The pitch pine which formed the aooring, stairs
and frame work Of the entire palace afforded a most
infammabe pabulum foE tts eonaagFatioa 10 feed
upon and this explains the reason Of s rapid spread
The scene when the FIRE was at is hight was one Of
fearful nagnifcence. The hBge dome was like vast
ball of fire, and the flames eaped up its sides n great
waves Of lnrid light. At time the whole palace
/ was glowing like burning coal, and vomiting VI
FIRE at rate that would have done credit to YesuYaa
All who witnessed the spectacle declare that it wal
one Of those things rarely seen in q lifetime.
About twenty-five minutes after the fire was frs
discovered the dome fell with fFeaTful crash, ami
the flames made fearful leap upwards, and sanl
to rise more In forty minutes from the breaking
out of the fire the palace and an it contained Wer
totally destroyed and all that mark the site Of thi:
once proud building are few standing towers and
smoking heap Of ruins.
The Tribune estimates the loss at million and th
Herald at million and half. The Crystal Palace
was first opened in 1858.