The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-05-26
LETTER FROM NEW YORK.
[FRoM OUR OWN ooRREsPoNpENT.l

NEW YORK, May 22.-Ere this letter reaches you
your readers will have been placed in possession
OF telegrephio accounts of the great confsgra- |
tion, in which the world-renowned opera house
the New York Academy of Music-has been total
ly destroyed. Neither, however, from said ac-
counts, from any description that can be furnish
ed by my feeble pen, nor from any other however
potently graphic, oan there be conveyed an ade-
quate idea of the grand and awe. inspiring sub
Unity Of the scene Of this terrible confagraton.
At twelve O'Clock last night, in the witching
hour Of night, when ohurch-yards yawn and
graves (are supposed toy give up their dead {but
do not, the stiffness. WAS broken by the cry OF
fire, and swift lightning, or the thoughts of
love, went forth the ever-increasing CRY that the
Academy OF Music had been attacked by the fiery
element. Tho rumor spread almost instanta-
neously throughout the entire oity, and anon
Thousands OF eager and excited pedestrians were
speedily vending their way toward the scene of
the oonhsgration.
On arriving at the spot, or rather at respect.
ably safe distance therefrom, the spectacle
that burst upon the view was transcendently
sublime and terribly grand. There stands
the magnificent building, in which night after
night for many years past, the beauty and fashion
Of this great city were wont to oongregate, now
wrapped In volumes Of dense smoke, now lit up
th OF burst forth from every quarter, and ehed
upon immense space around q resplendent
light, that mooked the brilianoy OF old Sol himself
and changed the night into day, spite Of his alb
sence See where>the gallant fremen stand at
their posts Of duty and danger, manfuly but
vainly battling against the terrible foe; note how
the este amers" shake and tremble and quiver
like things Of life, and hear the kissing sounds
that mark the deadly strife between the streams
Of water and the orsckling flames.
But II the scene was grand BEFORE what is it
now, when, with laundering crash, the immense
roof falls in, and anon broad and unbroken
sheet Of solid fame shoots upward in superlative
and majestic magnifoenoe brilliant mountain OF
blazing fire. The battle is over-the grand illu-
mination proolaims that the fiery God has come
forth triumphant and that the New York Academy
| Of Music is henceforth thing of the past.
The unsatisfied flames, however, have not yet
| finished their work; urged on by the increasing
wind, they next attack and consume the Medical
Institute, then the piano factory OF THUE Son,
and several buildings on Third Avenue near Four
teenth-street.
| The wardrobe destroyed in the Academy (the
property of the stockholders) is valned at about
s1OO, ,OOo besides that belonging to GRAu's oompa-
ny, worth S25 900, and also no inconsiderable por-
ton Of the wardrobe belonging to MARETzEK. It
is stated that several freen have perished in the
| flames.
The destruction OF the Academy Of Music will
/ be but temporary loss to New York city. This
opera house, magnificent as it was, will no doubt
soon be replaced by another, which, in point OF
| grandeur, will be ''more potent than the
fret" For short time, however, the people OF
New York will not be able to crafty their taste
for operatio performances, except by going occa-
sionally over to Brooklyn.
The Committee on Applications in the Board OF
Excise are growing enthusiastically buoyant in
spirits and overwhelmingly facetious in their ex-
aminations, dealing largely in bad puns and funny
remarks, thst are not funny ct all. The public
cannot perceive the precise point where the
laugh comes in, either in the law itself or in the
lar who are thirstng for their glasses Of Sabbath
lager, refuse to laugh at all until they are frat
allowed to take their Sunday smile. SHAKspEARH
says man may emile, and emile, and smile again,
and be villain. Our German friends contend
that one may smile as often as he pleases-on
lager-and not be either villain or drunkard
The great financial panic in England will no
doubt produce telling and visible effects here.
Moneyed men are like human ten-pins-knock one
down and he, in falling, knocks down another, and
so on when the middle pins upset, there is gen.
orally greater destruction. The failure Of OVER.
END, GURNEY Co., in London, for about twelve
millions Of pounds sterng, regard as the fall OF
| an important middle pin. :.s.r .,
The Society for the Prevention Of Cruelty te
Animals held meeting last evening. The presi
dent took pleasure in informing the members thai
the society had already succeeded in putting
stop to the cruel practice Of crowding sheep ant
calves together in wagons in such manner as mus
be exceedingly uncomfortable, not to say pnpleas
ant, to said calves and sheep. Henceforth the!
are TO be transported in better style, A. T
Stew ART and AUGUST BELMONT are members o
the society. Ladies' belong to It, and are allowed
to vote. Ave humane resolution was passed
urging the propriety Of employing three horse
instead Of two on some Of the city railroad cara
The animals of the city should call grand meet
ing, and return beastly vote Of thanks.
The theatres are all doing well, considering tn
season. The bona tade upper-tendom are prepar
ing to start for the watering-places, and 80 ar
the shoddyites. Whilst New Workers are preparing
to go away, Southerners are beginning to pour in
and 80 the great city is ever crowded and gay.
MOULTRIE.
[connIUH1CATRD.l
EDrroR DAILY NEWS: It was my fortune to atten
, yesterday the promenade entertainment given a