, 1866-09-11
The I:fse IN the Eii3nu Lcn:.l1c House Mt
Philadelphia.

ls;ectai Despatch io tic y. Y. Tiibunc.J
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. &, 1876.
About I:alcn twelve o'clock this mor,i-
ins tirc bIo'ie out in thc Union League
uoi>c *f this city.
Your rcl"'Etrr arrived OH thu ground carly,
indeed lr1usr any Of the fire companies had
co1ninenccd to pour water on the burning
bhildin.: the b,iltlir. is n lIttle palace III
Chrstnui and Walnut streets, and in closc
ptoxi,ntt:: I" the Lareirre Hoase and thu
Academy Of Natural SCIENCE. It sas built Of
pressed brick, with brown stonc trimming.
I'D was ruif,t r,lcted i'll tle fr,lI OF cross,
hny'aS Il ,nai.s br:ld;ns: and two wings.
During the sessions uf lire Loyal Southern
Convention here it llas heel. tlc Icatfquar-
tiers Of aii the proisl:1lrnt strangers.
Last fsiIht il was the centcr of the great.
md :.rcEd demonstration III llonnr Of tic
Ct'ny+n;iMist>: In fact, every day and night
Of tit Convention here, public mass lllt.rt.
ings Lave becn lrld for tir oc.asiou
Last night there was Ii gran.l mass meet
fng, several prominent uleil having addressed
the CHnyent1un. and it 1sas nearly midnight
before tie meeting adjourned. 1t is i,a5os-
s.tle to tell how tlit building caught.
The frs btnke aut III tic Mp}ms stofiez, and
members Of the League, wliu were prcsel,t
1t the lIraEiEc out Of the fire, think it the
work oI ni incendiITy. The yaiuc uf the
building and furniture l. $l5o,ts0.
After the lire had gain.,t hcndway md the
astoutilcti MT an act Of unusual daring- i
nan was stem to fl0ilnt the rUul near tho till
flagstaff, where tllr ilar :Ln.l tr!1nanfs Hf the
lAIguc, ZACH Inscribed will thu r:atne Of a
sta1e, wc:s diutscrinS yet uubaraed in the
Light Of tl,t fire.
lie approached ;.ae staff, nearly hidden BY
the dense :;si.'ac, Ind s.,ail .fs. r.afine fire
On top made it Visible that he was pulling
doRH the 1!ag-
Cheer oil cheer went UP from the crowds
r3tkstn
down as the na:s.cS Threatened The lis, Of ihc
gallant fellow; bat The alag was pulled dow,
IN Il etuul.c that 9a$ulnnst lr.tTuyiur; tho
I1E WIS carried froul the soof aud horne
down tic ladder.
At this 1uesncnt auother aud still
anotaer brave fellow made his an
pear.nsec, and amid danger that
appalled, the spectators, thu stream
ess on each side o' the 1lag were pulled dawa
and hurried over tho rot'f. This magnificent
act aud srcctarle was wildly appl:ul.I.
Iht author of the first e.psnii it Il iulrns-
MI n hshsat tin.rssll. Report says that Gen
ta1''s o::ul.4 OF Shcrn1an's stan, WHO had
1nnie:1'laed i speech III the President )
Iii When news Of Tho trc hrnkc ur the
1icr csas carried from The roof i'll Il iaint-
.cs Darragh. james Wilhelm, Nick
-unl, a:.d Romeraldo Nlo-.Mzi of t!.
franklin ard Hope Hose, are llcs,.cI ~ the
.our lircsaen who weEe on the rpof Us the tag
and strra..lc1s were brought down. Cul,n.i
Ellewurth's Tag WAS saycd. Tue sight uf
thls act IT :.aliantry was extremely tlnc.
The building is not destroyed, though cou-
sIdcsatly damaged.
Tie fire Is generally believed, 1,y members
Of the League and policemen. to tlave been
the work Of an inccndiary, Us the League las
bttn often Threatened.
Tic jani:or OF the building hiss ben ar
rested. The frc is said 10 have broken out
~ iour I'laces on the ROOF, and originated in