, 1866-07-13
DISASTROUS FIRE.
The Rsr Orleans Odd Fellows Hall
nearfcycd-Loss 225,O0O-lnsurance
SOj,OOO.

from the N. O. Plc1yune, July g.
Odd FelloEs Hall, one ofonr most beaut.
iul and stately edttlccs, the very cantre OF 10y
and music and song Ia our city, no longer
stands. 1t took fire little after eleven p. M,
4th mst.; the devouriug element passed
through its spacious halls like the Bosom Of
destruction; lew hours later its massive
walls fell to the ground with hcavy sound,
this morning nothing OF the stately edlfce is
to be seen except the cha1red, bIackened and
trnncated walls, and from the vacant place
where once 1t stood, the scsne Of our Joys and
hopes, now asceuds but black cloud Of
smoke snti cItders. No more disastrous Ore
could haTe betallcn us. or one that Will be
more universally regretted BY all classes OF
Odd Fellows Hall was completed aud oc-
cupied April 20, 1S12, a little ever fourteen
years ago, and during all that time has been,
from its very favorable location aud excellent
arrangements, our fayorite halt lor large as-
semhlles 70 mset in. It cost the round sum
u coo, in The days when money was gold
and silver, ineluding tho ground aud farni-
ture. It was Insured in the City Insurance
Offices for only sos, ,000, though several or the
Lodges wtrs partially insured for their furnI-
tu1e and regalia. Eighteen Lodges, four En-
campments aud Grand Lodges: %. Of 9: F.,
had their regular meetings In this building !;
other large, we'll known, and nouslahius So
cietles. They all lost everything. Not par
uele Of furniture, and none OF the valuable
regaIia were saved. The loss to each will be
very severe, and put them, as wall as the
whole community, to sore Inconvenience.
The fire, we understand, seems to have orig
mated In one of the small work shop build
ipgs tn the rear, and the wind being from the
direction Of the river, dense smoke blew
through the Hall and the court Of Gumbel's
Hotel, rs fast as smoke could tra7el, and soon
after came the deyouttne aames- Tbs fire
companies were promptly On the ground, but
there does not appear to have been any
chance Of saving tie building from the first.
It Is almost q miracle TINT Gumhel's Hotel
was saved. The wind blew strong and fresn,
as always, through the wide passage looking
ont upon the open space Of Lafayette Square,
and only served to add vlgor to the fames.
The front walls fell across the street, with
heavy sound that walked up al1 the slcepers
OF TINT part Of the city.
The inner wall fell against that OF Gumbel's
Hotel, and that too giving way. all fell into
the cont, mass OF dead brick md mortar
together. The hotel was well drenched with
water, and a large amount OF property de-
fortunate In having escaped SO we'll Not
wlthstandiug the temporary breaking up Of
his house, ind the sudden turning of his
numerous famf1y Of guests out oi doors, ho
is calm as one who hns suffered mlsfottunes
hefore-sad ones, indeed, from floods, and
fire, and the deso1ations OF war at Pascagoula
and already busy clearing away the rub
bish, and putting the hotel in order again.
The origin OF this disastrous are, like that
Of other recent ones, Is wrapped in nnpleaa-
ant mysteries. Three previous attempts to
burn Odd Fellows Hall, while It was In the
occupation OF the military, have been def.
nitely reported TO us.