The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-08-04
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
{ For additional city Intelligence see THIRD Page

GREAT ACT OF INCENDIARIsM - OLD
MoYAMENsING HALL BURNED. - THIS morning
about O'Clock the buildings in the of the old
MOyamensinR Hall were discovered to be in blaze,
and an alarm was instantly struck. The fire COM
menced IN the kitchen on the first floor of what is
know as the old culinary department of the United
States Hospital buildings, which occupied the place
during the war
This building extends from the main hall TO the
rear on Manila street The flames spread with great
rapidity through the long one story building, and
caught on TO the wooden cornice OF the main
Before the fire companies could check 1t, the fire
found its way into the lott over the second story,
where quantity OF straw and loose rubbish had
been stored. Sweeping through the loft 1t crept to
the cupola, and then had powerful draft that made
the flames rage with q resstless Jury that nothing
could stop, until the roof and the cupoa entirely
destroyed.
While this wasigong on the bell hanging in the
cupoa tell with loud crash, sending high showers
of sparks around. 1t was with very sad feelings we
witnessed the destruction of the old clock that had
stood for so many years, doing Its work Of use
fulness.
The entire building was gutted by the fire. and
the handsome freestOne front il utterly ruined.
What the fire lelt the water has wrecked Part of
tie old United States hospital wards in the eastern
and western ends of the enclosure are comparatively
unlnjured.
The destruction of the building was so evidently
the work OF design that not the least doubt remains
that the deliberate acl OF an incendiary. Some
time ago the Board of Health resolved to make 1t
Cholera Hospita, and had actually made Drehmi-
nary efforts to 80 convert it, in spite OF the amorous
and ndIgnant appeals from the neighbors agaln 1t.
When the people IN the neIghborhood saw that
the beds and ODer Dxtures were being removed into
the building, muttered threats we're heard on every
side. Instead of putting on strong torce of watcn
men, there were only two on ast night. One of
these was a rowdy of bad character. When
the alarm OF fire was given they
both standing in front OF the building
in the most indifferent manner, and the cIrcum-
stances developed at the examination of Fire Mar
shaf-Back burn showed evidently tnat there had
been at the very least coluSiQn between them and
the incendiares If they had not actually set fire to
it themselves
Moyamensing Hall was built in 1926. by the Com
missoners OF Moy amensing as a hall OF assembly.
1t continued IN use tor that purpose until the
act of Consolidation was passed IN 1861.
For about q ear after that it was unoccupied and
was then taken as police station house, and was
used such until 1869, when it was again vacated,
ana was idle until 1862, in the early part OF which
wear il taken by the United States hospital
for siok and wounded soldiers.
The series OF wards were tnen built in the enclo-
sure in the 1t continued in tits service until
the latter end of 1865, when it was again vacated
Recently it was turned over by the Government to
the Board OF Health Office. The result of their
action we see before us.
The builomg was valued at about 1856, ,0OO AS far
could be ascertaned, there was anhnsurance on it
OF $4,000 IN the Franklin Insurance Office
The bell was broken 10 pieces ano carried away by
the excited crowd, in the form of relics of the old
building.