The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1865-07-26
BURNING OF BARNUMS MUSEUM
Racy Description Of the Scene.

The New York World gives the following
racy sketch OF the scenes and incidents al
the burning OF Barnum's Museum:
You have been 10 Barnum's Museum.
schOlar Of Peter Farley and once-a-year
visitor 10 the city Of wickedness, You re-
member seeing the AlbinOes there, aud the
"What is it, and the many marvels that
puzzled yourself and the faculty. II is all
burned down. Tie little crabs and the
beautiful waX-wOrks. and the miraculous
maliormations with bic heads. google eyes
and tails in eXceSses. are all gone ~ that
bourne from which neither animated ma
ture nor human nature ever returns. The
question of the Fejee mermaid viii remain
| a profound mystery. Science, too jealous
| 20 give the woody horse a fair inspection,
must reprrach itself with the loss Of that
quadruped. WHO eats his oats in the Other
world. and ruminates in profound tangle
upon the uhgratciullness Of this. joyce
Heath has rejOined the Father Of his
Country" happily Tor the little thumbs and
their oi-annua progeny they were in a for
elgn fane with enough water between
them and the Museum 10 put out 4 volcano
OF two. But the only real giant and the
u
the Intelligent sea- saved his bacon. and
continues 10 make change and read his al
manac in Fulton Market; the glass-blower
Is also secure; the man who footed and
ground the hand-Organ at the same time
behind that beautiful screen which repre-
sented a noble mechanick knocking his
wife into the machinery. preserved his life.
but-ihank Providence lost his instru-
ments: while all the dear little periwinkles.
gold fish, intelligent clans. night owls.
hyenas, tom spar ows ana and chipmunks
are roasted 20 a crisp, with enough water
upon them 10 boil them
The good Mr. Barnum was up at Hart
ford, in the country OF Connecticut, looking
for genuine gorilla. While engaged in
this phila trOpic search, he little knew the
sorrow that awaited his return
Thursday morning rose light and cool,
and the tlcket-Oflce at Barnum's opened
with It's customary promptness. The giant
had been 10 the top story to get into his
and day, was pumping Salt water from the
battery front by Mr. Barnums special aQu-
educt, into all the aquariums, tanks and
saltwater fountains.
The people began to ascend the stairs {;
among those who attended the morning
performances are some of our most fash
ionable citizens, and on this occasion,
beauty, grace and intelligence were coll
ected together TO the number OF perhaps
one hundred.
We will not specify the fair Miss F.-nOr
Mrs. l., McC. and her seven nieces nor the
member Of Congress from New Jersy who
pays Il visit every year and walks straight
up from Christopher street slip TO the Mu-
scum; these and others known 10 tame
were all in the Museum looking at the Won
ders, when a lire commenced in the great
boilers, and went whizzing up through the
floors.
The fire was held in light esteem at first,
but soon the alarm bell was sounded, aud
the various companies were seen rushing
to the spot, hose and hand engine, and
/ hook and ladder and steamer, their crews
I shouting in the old enthusiastic style, as il
conscious that this was the last great fire Oi
/ their era. The confluence OF stree.s al the
/ foot of the park soon became hurrying,
/ trembling mass Of folks, who watched the
smoke ascending onward and upward, to-
ward the summit and the front, revolving
in its black spirals the many flOunshing
flags that tipped the gray stone battlement,
and hiding the canvass pictures which lay
]
Then the fire plugs opened and the long
cOnvulsions OF leather grew plethOric Will
water, Kissing and sputtering at every pore
and gushing at the tube in a powerful Jet
like a rift Of white day light, which iiashet
upon the misty building and turned th,
smoke into steam. The bells all tangled
the hum of voices and hallOws fell into
deep, long rumble; all the hOusetops grew
pOpulous and clamOrOus, and the swif
coming steamers began to belch thei
strong and opaque smoke. while the GRIM
fireman heaped the furnace with faggOt
and the wheels of steel flashed and spun il
the imperfect day, with now and then
keen whistle, like human cry, splitting
the air and making all the people start AM
shiver
Still the flames go up, just revealing them
selves in the parting Of the dark volumes
until at last every window grows luminOu
in the twilight Of this cindery noon, AM
then are seen through the amber crevice
shapes as Of gObllns dancing with men
and the below Of many-voiced being
breaks over the heads OF the startled specta
, tors. These are the Gagged folks Of th
place, huge and little women, and grim
giants, and people with two heads, an
that singing, mixed with kangarOOs an
grizzly bears, and the folds OF sable SCI
pants.
Exit THE INHABITANTS.