, 1865-09-15
Burning of Barnum,s Museum.

The following scenes were witnessed at the
burning of BarnIm's Museum, in New York,
July l4th
Soon after the breaking out of the confagra-
ton, a number Of strange and terrible howls and
means proceeding from the large apartment in
the third story of the Museum, corner of Ann
street and Broadway, startled the throngs who
had collected in front of the burning building
and we were at first under the impression that
the sounds must proceed from human beings
unable to make their escape. Their anxiety
was somewhat relieved on this score, but their
CONSERVATION was by no means decreased upon
learning that the room in question was the prn-
cipal chamber of the menagerie copnected with
the museum, and that there was imminent dan
ger of the release of the animals there confined,
by the action of the fames.
Protecting myself from the intense heat as
we'll as could by taking the mattress from the
bed and erecting it as bulwark before the win
dow, with only enough space on the top as a
lookout, I anxiously observed the animals in
the opposite room. Immediately opposite the
window through which gazed was large cage
containing lion and loness. To the right
hand was the Unrestricted cage containing mon
keys at the top, two kangaroos in the second
story, and a "happy family" of rats, cats, ad-
ders, rabbits, ETC., in the lower compartment.
To the left of the lions cage was the tank con-
tanning the two vast alligators and still further
to the left, partially hidden from sight was the
grand tank containing the great white whale,
which had created such a Juror in our sight-see-
ing midst for the past few weeks. Upon the
floor was Gagged the boa-ccnstrictors, anaeOhdas
and rattlesnakes whose heads would now and
then rise menacingly through the top Of the cage
In the extreme right was the cage, entirely shut
from my view at first, containing the Bengal t.
ger and the Polar bear whose terrified gTowls
could be distinctly heard from behind the par
tition.
The eonfagTation was as yet, confined to the
upper part Of the building. The lower walls,
however, were becoming rapidly heated and-all
Of the animals began to manifest much uneasi-
ness. The white or silver fox ran up and down
his cage, whining pteously and endeayoring to
escape. The lion also paced hurriedly up and
down, moaning most dsmally and all the other
beasts manifested similar uneasiness. The SER
pents stuck their heads up above the sill of the
Window aud writhed about in strange contor-
tions. When the fire had eaten its swift way
down to the third floor, and the lurid glare burst
through the transoms of the doors, the panic
among the beasts became positively fearful
They sprang against their iron bars and stroye
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 commenced to lick the tops of the ca
ges, the tumult reached its hight. Yells, roars
howls and screams went up from the doomed
brutes, which were heard to the distance OF half
a mile
With simultaneous bound the lion and his
mate sprang against their bars, which gave way
and came down with crash, releasing the
beasts, which for moment apparently amazed
at their sudden liberty, stood in the middle of
lac tof Nd - do1o
fully.
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 floor,
and many other animals were thus set free
Just at this time the door fell through and the
flames and smoke rolled in like a whrlwind
from the Haydean river Cocytus.
A horrible howl in the right hand corner of
the rooni yell of undesirable agony, and
crashingI grating sound indicated that the tiger
and polar bear were stirred up to 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
rolled back and for few seconds the interior
of the room was visible in the lurid light of the
flames, which revealed the tiger and the lion
locked together in close combat.
The base of the rods of the serpents' cage had
also crumbled, and the largest boa constructor
about twenty feet long and as thick as n mans
body-was also engaged in deadly struggle
with the lioness.
The polar bear had shrunk to the coolest cor
ner, 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 only with the walrus and the seal in the
cold blue waters of the Arctic regions, he was
evidently considerably alarmed at the excessive
torrid scene, which was blazing through the
room. Under the circumstances he found it
impossible to take it coolly.
The monkeys were perched around the win
dows, shivering with dread and afraid to jump
out. The snakes were writhing about, crippled
and blistered by the heat darting out their oi k
ed tongues and expressing their rage and fear in
the most sibilant Kisses.
Meanwhile the lion and the tiger were con-
tinuing their contest, now with the advantage
on one side, now on the other; and the boa was
slowly tightening his fatal coils around the
painting body of the lioness, which, however,
bit and struggled, decorating the striped skin of
its adversary terribly. The floor was already
crimson with their blood, while the comming-
ling Kisses, bowls, yells and roars utterly sur
passed az efforts at description.