The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1865-08-09
The Great Eew York Fire.

/ The detailed Of the great conaagrtian 10
New York the 18th ut, by which Barnums iuuss-
and much other property destroyed, contain
much that is both interesting and amusing The fire
broke Gut at about halpast II o'clock III the after
noon in basement storage room adjoining smother
/ room in which there was eteam-boiler under the
/ rear Of Barnums museum, and swept upward rapidly
through the famous establishment extending thence
along Ann street to Broadway and toward Nassau
street. and through the block to Fulton street The
! progress OF the flames was very rapid, and III very
| short time the museum heap of ruins while g
clean sweep was made of all the buildings on Broad
war between Ann and Fulton streets along Ann street
tsr as Fulton street Other houses we're consdera
bly, damaged Altogether eighteen buildings were de-
stroyed, and others received considerable damages.
At time during the fire the Herald building aud
| in fact the entire block embraced by Broadway Ann,
Fulton and Nassau streets, IN imminent danger
but fortunately the flames in that direction stayed
Some few Of the curiositiea rescued suG
by far the greater part of this and valuable col
lection, together with the other property in the esab
lshment was in very short time swept Of exist
ence. Over 60 persons, who employed about the
museum, sufferers by the fire. From the Express
| report OF the fire we extract what follows:
Protecting myself from the intense heat as well az
could by taking the mattress from the bed and erect
ing it as bulHark before the window with only space
enough reserved on the top as lookout anxously
observed the animals III the opposite room Imrne.
diatey opposite the window through which gazed
Was cage containing lion and lonees To the right
hand was the three stored cage containing monkeys
az the top two kangaroos in the second Story, and
happy family" OF rats, cats, adders rabbits ETC.. il
/ the lower compartment
To the left Of the Iona cage was the tank coutaA7-
ing the two huge agaora and sti further to the leA
partially hidden from my sight, vas the great tank
containing the great white whale which has created
such iurore in our sightseeing midst for the past few
weeks Upon the floor was Gagged the boa CONSTRUCTOR
anacondas and rattlesnakes, whose heads would
and then rise menacingy through the top of the cage
In the extreme right the cage entirely shut from
my view at FIRST containing the Bengal tiger and the
Polar bear whose terrific growls could be distinctly
heard from behind the partition.
The conhagratioa was as vet confined to the upper
part Of the building. Tho lower walls however
becoming rapidly heated and all of the animals began
10 manifest much uueasness. The white or silver fox
ran up and down his cage whining piteously, and
deayoring to escape. The lions paced hurriedy up
and down, moaning most diSmally and all the other
beasts manifested similar uueasiness The serpeuts
stuck their heads up above the sill Of the window and
Writhed about in strange contortions.
When the fire had eaten its swift way down to the
third floor, and the lurid glare burst through the tram
som OF the doors, the panic among the beasts became
positively fearful They sprang against their iron bars
and etroTe to rend them with their teeth, at the same
time sending forth savage and frightened cries. which
were almost human in their agony. At length, when
the flames burst through the top OF the door, and COM
menoed lick the tops of the cages the tumul reached
its height. Yells, roars, hows, End screams up
from the doomed brutes which were heard the dis
/ lance of half mile.
With simultaneous bound the lion and his mate
sprang against their bars, which gave way and came
down with great crash, releasing the beasts which
for moment apparently amazed their sudden liber-
IT, stood in the middle Of the floor flashing their sides
with their tails and roaring doefuly.
Almost at the same moment, the upper part Of the
three storied cage, consumed by the flames, fell for
| ward letting the rods drop to the floor and many
| other animals we're thus set free Just at this time
the door fell through and the flames and smoke rolled
in like whirlwnd from the Haydean river Cocytus.
A no rrible howl in the right hand corner Of the
room, yell of indescrbabe agony, and a crashing
grating sound indicated that the tiger and polar bear
we're stirred o. to the highest pitch of excitement
Then there came great crash of the giving way of
the bars of their cage The flames and smoke mo-
mentarly rolled back, and for few seconds the intc
ror Of the was visible in the urd light OF the
hImes which revealed the tiger and the lion locked
together in close combat.
The base Of the rods Of the sIrpents cage had also
crumbled, and the largest boa corStretoF-about 20
feet long and thick IS mans boiy-was also en-.
| gagged in deadly struggle with the loncsS,
/ The polar bear had shrunk to the coolest corner
with half his fur burnt from his snowy coat an there
sat Banderngly gazing the scene before him. DC
cusome3 he had been only to deal with the WARTS
ana the seal ia the cold blue waters Of the arctic re-
gons, he evidently considerably alarmed at the
excessively torrid scene, which was blazing through
possible to take it co2lly.
The monkeys were ptrcl7ed around the windows,
shiyering with dread and afraid to jump out Inc
snakes were writing about crippled and clustered by
the heat darling their forked tongues and express
ing their rage and fear in the most el5Lant Misses
TIE happy family" experiencing an amount
Of beatitude which evidently too cordial soT pho
sophcal enjoyment. A long tongue OF flame had &Fept
under the cage, completely singeng every hair troW
the cats BODY The felicituus adder slowly burn
inc IN two md PDpauel
agonised system with his own venom. The joyful rat
had lost his tail falling bar of iron; and the beat6c
rabbit perforated by redhot nail, looked as if moth
ing would be more grateful than cool corner in
| Esquimaux farmyard The members Of the delectab!e
convocaton were all hudded together in the bottom
of their cage which suddenly gave way, preCipitang
them Of view into the depths below, which by this
| time were also blazing like the tabled Tophet
| Meanwhile the lion and the tiger continuing
their contest now with the advantage one side and
now on the other, and the boa slowly tightening
his fatal coils round the painting body OF the honess
which, however, bit and struggled, lacerating the
striped skin Of its adversary terribly TIE floor was
already crimson with their blood while the commng-
ling hsses hows yels and roars utterly surpassed all
| efforts at description
At this moment the flames rolled again into the room,
and then again retired The whale and alliSators were
by this time suffering dreadful torments. The water
| in which they literally boiling. The alllga-
tors dashed ercey about endeayoring to escape, and
opening and shutting teir great jaws in erocous tor
ture; but the poor whale, almost boiled with great
ulcers bursting from his blubbery sides, could only
ieebly swim about, though blowing excessively, and
every nov and then sending up great fountains of
/ spray.
Al last crack went the glass sides Of the great cases.
and whale and aigators rolled out on the floor, with
the rushing and steang water The whale died pretty
easily, having been pretty well used up before. A
few great gasps and a conyulsye flap or two Of his
mighty fukes were his expiring spasms. One of the
! alllgators was killed almost lmme dlateY by falling
across great fragment of shattered glass; which cut
his mach ard let out the greater part Of bis entas
to the light of day. The rornainng agators became
involved in controversy with anaconda andJoined