Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1865-07-21
Destructive C0nfiagration ass Branum's
Museum Burned.

NE" IcHh, Su4y io
A fire broke out at noon in Barnum's
Museum, extending rapidly to the adj
joinining buildings on Broadway and
tally destroyed. Nos. II, IA, l6 and Is
Ann street, occupied by various parties
including Donahoe's store, Greats res
! taurant, French & White, Dick d FitZ
gerald. printers, and others were burn
ed. No. PIG Broadway, occupied by
White, halter, and Van Names restau.
rant was destroyed. No. ga Broadway
occupied by Rogers Il Raymond, cloth.
iers, and Beeve's billiard saloon, was
consumed. No. 2l2 Broadway, occu,
pied by Knox, halter, and others, was
DESTROYED. The firenen were out in
force and the flames were finally stayed.
No one was injured. The loss is said TO
be one million dollars, on which there
is half q million dollars Insurance.
The fire originated over boiler in the
Museum basement
NEW YORK, July IL.
The proprietor and employees of the
Museum are thoroughly convinced the
fire was the work of incendiaries. The
fire was first discovered in the base
ment, and on immediately running to
the roof to turn on the water from the
large tank, the flames were discovered
bursting out on the second floor, OH the
third near the stage of the lecture room,
and on the top floor. Mr.. Tiffany, who
had gone 10 the roof to turn Oh the wa
ter, found his exit cut of, and was
obliged to descend from the upper win
dow by leaping TO the balcony below
Returning to his Office he took from his
safe $500, 900 in Government bonds, and
left the building. The manager had
lately received anonymous letters con-
tanning threats of burning the building
on account, it is supposed, of the play
of "Jeff. in petticoats."
Among the works of art saved at the
Museum yesterday, was the Greek slave;
also, twenty-four gigantic pictures, il.
Illustrating Washington's battles, paint.
ed by John McNevin, which We're soon
to be exhibited rs panorama. Fortu'
nately they had not yet been taken into
the Museum building, but were stored
elsewhere. The giantess, Anne Swan
i had a narrow escape. She was found al
the head of the stairs in swoonine
condition from the smoke, and was
with difficulty assisted out of the build
I ing. She lost everything except the
clothes she wore, and in her Trunk WA
Sl29 in gold, besides some greeubacks
and ell her clothing. The wax figure
of Jeif. Davis was carried out, but jus
as the street was reached, the heat
dropped Off .
It was afterwards found suspended Il
a lamp-post. A soldier was forced t.
jump from third story window. HI
says he had in his company JAS. Burns
OF Lancaster county, Pa, member o
the New York 69lh regiment, and it i
feared he persisted. The monster bea
was lowered from an upper window oil
a ladder by acclaim attached to his neck
He was very docile. The learned sea
was also got out, though he Tough
against the rough treatment he receiv
ed. The tanks holding the whales am
alligators Were broken, to let the waite
. flood the building, leaving their occu
pants To roast rather than boil. Ban
; mum, who was at Bridgeport, telegraph
ed to have his agent ready to sail 70
, Europe on Saturday, TO secure curioS
ties for a new Museum.
Barnum designs TO reopen immed
ately in some locality and give perform
: ances until new Museum is built. III
has to-day been in negotiation for tn
, temporary lease of the Academy Of MI
sic. He issued card to the public III
morning, thanking them for the un
r versal sympathy at the loss of the Nj
a scum, announcing an intention to cree
Immediately. Museum which will /
an ornament to the metropolis and a
honor to the country. He says he ca
c duplicate nearly everything in the orr,
: inal collection in six months, and saI
he will dispatch special agents to IL
rope next Saturday, and will soon 10
= low in nprspn