The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1865-07-21

R,r1um's Museum Burned to the Ground!
DESTRUCTION OF TIE GREATEST MEN
AGERLE IN THE WORLDt

parnumS Museum, ana extended fapldly 10
,be adjacent buildings on Ann and Fulton
streets The Museum was totally destroyed.
A large number of the other buildings are also
total losses A New York paper gives the
following graphic account of the burning of the
Museum.
OUR REPORTERS VISION OF LIFE AND DEATH.
Our reporter fortunately occupies room on
the north side of Ann street, corner Of Broad
way, the windows Of which look Immediately
into this compartment; and no sooner was he
apDrised ct the fire than be repaired there,
confident of finding ''items" in abundance.
Luckily the windows Of the Museum were un-
closed, and he had perfect view Of almost the
entire interior Of the apartment The follow
ing is his statement of what followed, in his
own language:
CONFUSION AND STRUGGLE IN TIE MENAGERIE.
Protecting myself from the intense heat as
well as l could by taking the mattress from the
bed and erecting it as a bulwark before the
window, with only enough space reserved on
the top as a lookout, anXicusly observed
the animals in the opposite room. Immediate
" opposite the window through which gazed
was large cage containing lion and loness.
To the right hand was the thrce-storied cage,
containing monkeys at the top, two kangarooS
in the second story, and 'happy family" Of
rats, cats, adders, rabbits, etc, in the lower
compartment.
To the left of the lions cage was the tank
containing the two vast ahgators, and still
further to the left, partially hidden from my
sight, was the grand tank containing the great
white whale, which has created such farore
in our sightseeing midst for the past few weeks
Upon the floor were Gagged the boa-constrictors,
anacondas and rattlesnakes whose heads woald
now and then rise menacngly through the top
Of the cage. In the extreme right was the
cage entirely shut from my view at first, con-
tanning the Bengal tiger and the Polar bear,
whose terrific growls could be distinctly heard
from behind the partition.
PROGRESS OF THE ELAMEs
The confagTation was, yet, confined 10 the
upper part Of the building. The lower walls
however, were becoming rapidly heated, and
all of the animals began to manifest much IN
easinesa. The white or silver fox ran up and
down his cage, whining piteousy and endeav-
orng to escape,--The lions also paced hurried
" up and down, moaning most dismally, and
all the other beasts manifested similar uneasi-
ness. The serpents stuck their heads up a.
boye 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 clare burst
through the transoms OF the doors. the panic
among the beasts became positively fearful.
They sprang against their iron bars and strove
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 throug gh the top
Of phe door and commenced TO lick the tops of
the cages the tumult reached its height Yes.
roars, howis and screams went M from the
doomed bTutes, WHICH were heard to the distance
If half mile.
SELF EMANCIPATION OF THE LIONS
With a simultaneous bound, the lion and bis
mate spEang against their bars, which gave way
and came down with great crash, releasing
the beasts, which for moment, apparently a
mazed at their sudden liberty, stood in the
middle Of the floor iashing their sides with
their tails and roaring dolefnlly.
FIERY DeLIvERANCE OF ANIMALS.
Almost at the same moment the upper part
Of the three-storied cage, consumed by the
flames. fell forward letting the rods drop to
the foor and many other animals were thus set
free.
Just at this time the door fell through and
the flames and smoke rolled in like q whirl-
wind from the Hadean river Cocytus.
THE LION AND TIGER IN CLOSE CONTEST
4 horrible howl in the right-hand corner Of
the room, yell of indescribabIe agony, and
crushing, grating sound indicated that the tiger
and polar bear we're stirred into the highest
pitch Of excitement. Then there came great
crash as Of the giving way Of the bars of their
cage. The flames and smoke momentarily roll
ed back, and fer a few second the interior of
the room was invisible in the lurid light of the
flames, which revealed the tiger and the lion
locked together in close combat.
PARTICIPATION OF TIE sERPENrs.
The base of the rods OF the serpents' cage
had also crumbled; and the largest boa-con-
strictor-about 20 feet long and as thick as
mans body-was also engaged in deadly strug-
gle with the Eoness.
THE POLAR BEAR IN a WARM PLACE.
The polar bear had shrunk to the coolest cor
ner, with half his fur burnt from his snowy
eoat, and there sat wonderingly gazing upon
the scene before him. Accustomed, az he had
been, to deal with only the walrus and the seal
IN the cold blue waters Of the Arctic regions,
he was evidently considerably alarmed at the
excessively torrid scene, which was blazing
through the room. Under the circumstances
he found it impossible to take it coolly.
THE SNAKES AND MONKEYS IN TROUBLE.
The monkeys were perched around the win
dows, shivering with dread and afraid 20 jump
oE. The snakes were writbing about, crippled
and blistered by the heat, darting out their fork
ed tongues and expressing their rage and fear in
The most sibilant of hisseg
TEE HAPPY FAMILY BAPTIZED WITH FIRE
The "Happy Family were experiencing an
amount of beatitude which was evidently too
cordial for philosophical enjoyment A long
tongue Of fame had crept under the cage, COM
pletely singing every haE from the cats body.