Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1865-07-27
Scenes at the Burning of Barnum's
Museum.
From the New loik Daily Trihrne.l
CONFUSION IN THE MExAGERIE.

only enough space reserved on the top as look
out, | anxiously observed the animals in the Op-
poste ROOM Immediately opposite the window
through which gazed, wa a large cage contain
ing lion and lioncss. To the right hand wiS
;he three storied cage, containing monkeys at the
top, two kangaroos in the second story, and n
"happy family" of rats cats, adders, rabbits etc.,
- the lower compartment
To the left of the lions cage the tank con-
tanning the two vast aigators. and still further to
the left, partially hidden from my sight, was the
grand tank containing the great white whale,
which has created such furore in our sight seeing
midst for the past few weeks. Upon the h)or
Gagged the boa constructors, anacondas and rattle
suakes, whose heads would now and then rise me-
nacingly through the top of the cage. In the
trene right was the cage entirely shut from my
view at FIRST, containing the Bengal tiger and the
Polar bear. whose terrified growls could be dis
tinctly heard from behind the partition.
PROGRESS OF THE FLAMES.
The conAagration was, yet, confned to the
upper part OF the building. The lower walls, how
ever were becoming rapidly heated; and all OF the
animals began to manifest much uneasiness. The
white or silver fox ran up and down his cage whin
ming piteously and endeavoring to escape. The
lions also paced hurriedly up and down, moaning
most dismally, and the other beasts manifested
similar uueasiness. The serpents stuck their
heads Up above the sill of tie window and wFithed
about In strange COntOTtiOns.
When the fire had eaten its swift wav down 10
the third floor, and the lurid glare burst through
the transoms of the doors, the panic among the
beasts become positively fearful. They sprang
against their iron bars and strove to rcnd them
with their teeth, at the same time senling forth
savage ard frightened cries which almost hu-
man in their agony At length, when the flamrs
burst through the top of the door and commenced
to lick the tops of the cages, the tumult reached its
VI hnvx IL am ma Vvput i!
from the doomed brutes which were heard to the
distance of balfa mile.
sgLF EMANCIPATION OF TIE LIONS.
With a simultaneous bound, the lion ard his
mate sprang against their bars, which gave way
and came down with II great crash, releasing the
beast, which for a moment, apparently amazed at
their sudden liberty. stood in the middle oi the
floor lashing their sides with their tails and roar
/ ing doleiuly
| FIERY DEivERAycE OF ANiM,Ls.
( Almost at the same moment the upper part Of
the three storicd cage, consumed by the flames.
! fell forward letting the rods drop to the floor and
many other animals were thus set free.
Just at this time the door fell through, and the
Aamcs and smoke rolled in Ike a whilwind from
the Hadean river Coeytus.
LION AND TIGER IN CLOSE CONTEST.
A horrible howl in the right-hand corner Of the
ns, grating sound indicated that the tiger ant po-
lar bear were stirred up to the highest pitch OF ex-
element. Then there came great crash as OF
the giving way OF the bars of their cage. The
flames and smoke momeEtarily rolled back, and
for few seconds the interior OF the room yisi-
bic in the lurid light of the flames which revealed
the tiger and the lion locked together in close
combat.
PARTICIPATION OF THE sEEPENrs.
The base of the re DIS of the scrpents' cage had
also crumbled, and the largest boa constructor
about - feet long ard thick a mans body
was also engaged in deadly struggle with the lion
Css.
THE POLAR BEAR IN WARN PLACE.
The polar bear shrunk to the coolest corner with
half his fur burnt from his snowy coat. and there
sat wOnderinGly gazing upon the scene before him
Accustomed, as he had been, to deal with only the
warus and the seal in the cold blue waters of the
Arctic regions, he evidently considerably
alarmed al the excessively torrid scene, which va.
blazing through the room. Under the ciicun
stances he found it impossible to take it cooily.
SNAKES AND MONKEYS IN TROUBLE.
The monkeys were perched around the windows
shivering with dread and afraid TO Jump out. The
snakes were writhing about, crippled and bisteret
by the heat, dartins out their forked tongues ant
expressing their rage and fear in the sibi.an
OF misses.
HAfPY FAMILY BAPTIsED WITH FIRE.
The "Happy Family were experiencing al
amount OF beatitude which was evidently too cor
dial for philosophical enjoyment. a long tongue
OF fame had crept under the cage, completely sing
ing every hair fTom the eats body. The felict
ious adder VAS slowly burning in two, and bu>ill
engaged in impregnating his asOniZed system witt
his venow. The joyful rat had lost his tale
BY falling bar of iron; anu the beatiiic rabbit
perforated by red hot nail, looked rs il nOthin;
would be more grateful than a cool corner in sons
l Esquimaux farm yard. The members of the de
lectated convocaton were all huddled together il
the bottom of their cage, which suddenly CAV,
way, preciptatng them out of view into the depths
below, which by this time were also blazing k
the fabed Tophet.
CONTINUATION OF THE STRUGGLE.
Meanwhile the lion and the tiger were continu
ing their contest, now with the advanta &c on
side, now on The other and the boa was slowl
tightening his fatal coils round the painting body o
the loness, which, however, bit and struggled
acerating the striped skin o its adversary terribly
The floor was already crimson with their blood
while the commnsling Kisses, how,s, yels an,
roars utterly surpas ;cd all efforts at description.
WHALES AND ALLIGAroRs IN TORMENT.
AT this moment the flames rolled again into tn
room, and then again retired. The whale an,
allgators were by this time suffering dreadful tor
ments. The water in which they swan WAS lite
I rally boiling. The algators dashed ferccly a
bout endeavorinr to escape, and opening and shut
ting their great Avs in erocious torture out tn
poor whale almost boiled. with great ulcers burst
ing from his blubbery sides, could only feeby swim
about, though blowing excessively, and every no,
and then sending up great fountains of spray.
At length crack went the ass sides of tn
great cases, and whale and alligators rolled out
the floor, with rushing stream of water. Tn
whale died pretty easily, having been pretty wei
, used up before. A few great gasps and convul
sive flap or two of his mighty tiukes were his ex
piring spssms.
One Of the alligators was killed almost immedi
atey by falling across great fragment Of shatter
ed glass, which cut open his stomach and let ou
the greater part of his eutrais to the light of day
The remaining alligator became involved in con
troversy with an anaconda and joined the melee i
the center of the blazing apartment.
|, CLOSE OF THE THRILLINo SCENE.
At the moment the floor, undermined by fame
: gave way with an awful crash, and the living
i, struggling, bowling, writing mass vas launche
o into gulf of red and yellow fire sending up
whrlwind of smoke, sparks and cindcrs to the yer
. heavens.
g The last object saw was the polar bear, upon
, white hot square of sheet iron with the hair burn
: cd from his hide, and standing stark and stiff, an
: rapidly baking brown.
4 Before the whale went down with the rest,
o stream OF spermacetti ran from his dow
= the sides Of the building. taking FIRE and maxim
, iupromptu candles on colossal scale.