The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-07-20
BARNUM's MUSEUM FIRE.

fRron the Nov Yerk ftihs,A

The wAels Estatlishnasnt DsstreysA--
Seenss anAj Insiasnts.
fYrom the Nov York 1sibusAl
Almost in the twinkling of an eye, the dir
ty ill-shaped structure, filed with specimens
% full Of suggestion and Of merit, passed from
our gaze, and its like cannot soon bb seen
again. Considering that for many years the
Museum has been landmark Of the cfy; has
offered us in childhood fullest vision Of the
wonderful and miraculous; has opened for us
the secrets of the earth and revealed I'd rs the
mysteries of the past has preserved intact
relics of days and ages long since gone, and
carefully saved from the ravages Of time, and
the knawing tooth of decay, the garments and
utensils Of men of note long since mouldered,
and offered men Of science and of learning op-
portunities Of investigation and research,
which their limited means and .cramped re-
sources relentlessly refused them, we deem il
but right to the public, but meagre justice to
the hard-earned success of Mr.. Bsrnum, that
we place on record an account Of the loss.
LOSS on THE xusEtn AND CONTENTS.
Mr.. Hurd estimates that $500, 900 would not
cover the loss on the contents of the Museum
building, which cost over 81 ,000, 600.
coxBAr or THE BEASTS.
Soon after the confagration, q number Of
strange and terrible howls and means pro-
ceeding 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 who were at first under the impression
that the sound must proceed from human be-
ings unable to affect their escape. Their anx-
iety was somewhat relieved on this score, but
their CONSERVATION was by no means decreas-
ed upon learning that the room in question
was the principal chamber of the menagerie
connected with the museum, and. that there
was imminent danger of the release of the
animals there confined, by the action Of the
flames.
orr REPoRTER's VISION OF LIFE Ayp 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
apprlsed of the fire than he repaired there,
confident of finding isitems'' 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 happened in his
own language:
CONFUSION AND STRUGGLE IN TIE MESAGERTE.
Protecting myself from the intense heat as
we'll as / could by taking the mattress from
the bed and erecting it a. bulwark before
the window. with only enough space reserved
on the top as a lookout, anxiously observed
the animals in the opposite ROOM lmmedi-
ately opposite the window through which
gazed, was a large cage containing a lion and
honess- To the right hand was the three sto-
ried cage, containing monkeys at the top, two
kangaroos in the second story. and .'happy
family" of rats, cats, adders, rabbits, ect., in
the lower compartment.
To the left Of the lions cage was the tank
containing the two vast alligators. and still
further to the left, partially hidden from my
sight, was the grand tank containing the grea,
white whale, which has created such a.furore
in our sightseeing midst for the past few
weeks Upon the floor was Gagged the boa
constructors, anacondas and rattlesnakes,
whose heads would now and then rise me-
nacingly through the top of the cage. In the
extreme right was the cage, entirely shut
from my view at first, containing the Bengal
tiger and the Polar bear, whose terrified
growls could be distinctly heard from behind
the partition.
PROGRESS OF THE FLAMES.
The confagration was, as yet, confined to
walls, however, were becoming rapidly heat
ed, and all Of the animals began to manifest
much uneasiness. The white or silver fox
ran up and down his cage, whining piteously,
and endeasoring to escape. The lions, also,
paced hurriedly up and down, moaning most
dismally, and all the other beasts manifested
similar uneasiness- The serpents 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 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 ago
ny. At length, when the flames burst through
the top of the door and commenced to HEX
the tops of the cages, the tumult reached its
hight. Yells, roars, howls and screams went
up from the doomed brutes, which were heard
to the distance of half mile.
EXPERIMENTATION OF THE LIONS.
With simultaneous bound, the lion and
his mate sprang against their bars, which gave
way and came down with sudden crash re-
leasing the beasts, which, for moment, ap-
parently amazed ct their sudden liberty, stood
in the middle Of the floor, lashing their sides
with their tails, and roaring dolefully.
THE LIox AxD TIGER IN CLOSE CONFLICT.
A horrible howl in the right-hand corner Of
the room, yell Of indescribable agony, and a
crashing, grating sound, indicated that the
tiger md polar bear were stirred up to the
highest pitch Of excitement. Then there
came great crash, IS of the giving way of
the bars Of the cage. The flames and smoke
momentarily rolled back, and for few sec
onds 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.
PARTICIPATION OF THE sERrKHrs.
The base of the rods Of the serpents' cages
had also crumbled, and the largest boa con-
strictsr shout twenty feet long and q thick
as mans body-was also engaged in deadly
struggle With the lioness.
raE roLAR REAE IN vAEM PLACE.
The polar beax had shrunk to the coolies,
corner, With half his fur burnt from his snowy
coat, and Aefe 1T w0nderingly gazing upon
the scene before him. Accustomed, as he
had been, to deal with only the walrus and
the seal ID the cold blue waters Of the Arctic