The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-05-22
GREAT CONFEDERATION.
Destruction Of the Academy Of Masic and
New York Medical University.
The Dutch Reformed Church On Fiji
teenth Street Also Destroyed. !.
SEVERAL LIVES LOST.
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Streets and Third j
and Fourth Avenues in Blaze.

and Fourth Avenues in Blaze.
All Efforts at Extinction Una-
valuable. ra
Shortly before y O'Clock night fire discoysrce
the basement Of the Academy Of Musc fronting on
irving place The performance had been closed but
short time, and q number Of persons attached
| TO the theatre were still in the building
| An effort was made by those present. TO
subdue the flames. but without avail IL evident
the fire visible In several places at the same time
| which led 10 the belief that the Ore the
work of design
The alarm was promptly given, the fremcn quickly
| reported, and several powerful streams taken
| into the front Of the buildings but IL was
| soon found impossible TO remain the smoke
poured out In such density as to nearly
sufocate those within its range In less than
| fifteen minutes after tho first alarm the flames
were gushing out of the upper win
dows and cornces Engineer Kingsand, finding II
| was only wasting water to throw II on the
theatre directed his force the preservation
the adjoining buildings Streams were applied 70 the
front Of Grace chapel fourteenth street and to the
dwellings adjoining; also 70 the dwellings opposite
| Irving place.
| The body Of heat and buruing wood took it's
course eastward, setting ERE to the Medical Col
lege, next to the theatre, and the pianoforts
| factory Of limo Son. THO burning sparks also
fell the roof Of Worcester's panoforte factory.
northeast corner Of Third and Fourteenth street.
setting that building nrs At bafpast one only
the walls Of the Academy Standing the whole or
| the interior having been consumed.
When the flames burst through the roof the sky
In the vicinity was illuminated, and very re-
markable feature . large number Of small
birds were flying around, the glare Of hight having
drawn them from the trees In Union square The bright
light shining on them they lowered and danced
around gave them the appearance Of canary birds Every
and then poor little fellow would approach
near and disappear in the flames.
About half. past O'clock tho wind freshend
sderably from the west communicating the Gre by
means Of burning timber to the Dutch Reformed church.
on Fifteenth street, which entirely demolished.
Onhcer Van Ranst, Of the Eighth precinct, while
deavoring to remove Of the church valuabes
crushed by the falling ceiling and seriously though 10
supposed not fatally injured He conveyed to pri
vrte residence l33 Fifteenth street, and properly
for
ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
The Academy Of Music fell victim to the devonr-
ing element about twelve O'Clock last night together
with the Medical College and the extensive Piano
factory OF lime Son, corner OF Fourteenth street
and Third avenue and several dwellings Third
About quarter before twelve fre discovered
In the basement in the front portion Of the building
when the police Immediately gave the alarm TO Hook
and ladder Company No. lying in West Thirteenth
street, and the alarm signal No. "a Immediately sounded
On the arrival Of the above company the whole lower
portion Of the front part enveloped in flames.
An nth vao ada N IT, ftvv
the stairway, but owing to large quantity Of
cowbustblc material being stored in one Of the
lower rooms II could not be arrested, and tho
flames drove the rvmcn In the meantime several
streams were brought 10 bear the portion Of
building, but IL was but Q few moments when Il was
found impossible 10 the building. Quite largo
number Of hremen were In the building, together
with several civilians who engaged In carrying OUT
the wsrdrobes and other articles that could DO conveyed
by hand. All Of . sudden dense Of flames shot
up In the front portion cutting or all escape
Of those within the building by the front
way, and drove those in front into
the street. Several succeeded in making TO
the OF the building, but here Of them cut
on by the smoke, and suffocated. Among the number
known - missing al present the Foreman Of Engine
Company No. g. David Waters and of the members,
named welsh. There ID shadow Of doubt but that
I've six lives have been lost.
In the short space Of thirty minutes the whole build
ing massive sheet Of James illuminating the city
and vicinity foe mica strong northwest wind blow
ing the time the Ore communicated the nedI-
cal College, adjoining East Fourccnth street. which
also In nameA Chief Engineer Kinssand ind
ing thai his force inadequate 70 arrest progress
caused second alarm 10 b. rung, which brought
extra force Of snginsa BY O'Clock The IRE had
communicated 10 the large piano manufaotosy Of lime
Soma on the corner Of Third avenue and Youreensh
street This building fast beug Destroyed ~ oaS
rsuertsr len the The nrst door the
occupied . ladies' and sentemen's dining saioon.
The nrs also extended 70 Nos. IN and ia Third
avenue, one story buidlas, occupied By cbaes Krss
e lager beer saloon, and Edward Hunt pork sore.
No 10 was also In names The building occupied hy
J. n. Green on The nrss floor. an upholneru and
the spp~ portion BY several families. mo build
ings No IL and No. 10 wsEc also Ore.
and the nam finally crossed Third piano
factory on the nersheast csn u Yoursenth street ssd
70 the buiidIngs a1,olninG
On he souS si6s of xass lousssensA srss the sps-
men turned der entire sstsssscn 70 swing the baiA-
iass among them Grace chspsl asA the New yorh CIR
cus, which u two O'Clock seemed ont Of DANGER
orsas fear was sntssased the Manhaftan Gas co-
pssys house shs corner Of Irving place anS Fifteenth
street. snd the dwellings rnssush street a. half.
past oclsk the interior o. the Academy had been
totally destroyed, but the walls haA NOT fen ip hh
presumed shsa should they fall they win crush in the
room Of the buildngs Yisssnth street. The baldng
No 9 Irving place, occupied BY John Lang ~ rstA-
raunt took Gre II o'clock and was also consumed
rhe police, Of which there large force on bsus-
devoted considerable attention saving the property af
the ncishborhood The whole property OF The Cirrus
company got cut AID conveyed ~ 70 Union square
All The furniture in Grace chapel was also ~ OFT A
fireman named John Denim, Of Engine Company No ,s,
was slightly burned Most Of The contents OF she Med
teal College sso rescued BY the Insurance Psr's
and nremen.
The nr~nen worked like good fellows but was sppar-
emf that their force vas sufcisst Engineer Kings
lana and his assistants Bates. or Sullivan, hscsey ana
others we're on hand, and did ell In their power Ia,
arrest the progress ST the 1amea
Ahout tyo O'Clock third alarm wns sounded for the