New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-02
BURNING OF FORT LAFAYETTE.
TIE INTERIOR IN UNSATISFACTORY OF THE
ARMAMENT-THE MAGAZINE INTACT-GREAr
EXCITEMENT AMONG THE PEOPLE OF TIE
neutrality-suspicious. DESERTED.

ARMAMENT-IHE MAGAZINE INTACT-GltEAI
EXCITEMENT AMONG THE PEOPLE OF THE
neutrality-suspicious. DESERTED.
About 1850 p. No. yesterday, fire was dis
covered issuing from the roof Of Fort Lafayette which IN
q short time was communicated to the quarters OF tho
officers and soldiers and afterward extended TO largo
quantity Of laths and boardssO that within eompara
lively short space Of time, all the woodwork within the
fort abaze. and continued burning until near ma
night, when everything infamable within tho walls
was destroyed. The fire was caused Dy tuo
carelessness Of Joseph Minew labOrer, In building
fire to cook his dinner In chimney
place soldiers quarters contrary to the orderso
Mr. Lane Superintendent OF Engineers, who had charge
OF the construction Of roof and other necessary
work within the Bort The top Of the chimney was
with the roof and being nearly choked with boo'
caught fire. The roof gnited, and although the Work
men who engaged upon 1t did their utmost 10 sup
press the flames, they spread with such surprising
rapidly toat they barely escaped by letting themselves
down to the ground by means Of ropes There pehg ho
at hand 10 suppress the fire, the guard numbering
some six men, the Sergeant in charge OF the Fort ana
the carpenters left for the Long Island shore eang e
structure TO its fate.
report was circulated that the magazine in the fort
contained III tuns of gunpowder, which IL was
eventually ascertaned amounted TO about ten tuns Inns
had the effect of throwing the citizens OF the village Vi
Fort Hamilton into panic Nearly all deierteu tneiI
houses,n instances leaving the servants III eAa'ho
and In others abandoning them altogether Tue cars
running to the city were crowded with women ana CHI
dren as 10 was believed that II the powder In the maya
Zine exploded the entire village would be shattered anu
tho inhabitants be destroyed
The Metropolitan police boat, under command OF capt
Hart attempted TO exngush the flames but the suonB
wind prevailing rendered their efforts useless TWO tugs
up subsequently, and finding they could DO nothing
hauled of. ms did also the police boat
The inside OF the fort contained about 100000 feet OF
tt, ia .F MI
highly combustble, and which burned with great fury
presenting the appearance through the sally port racing
the shore OF huge fiery furnace.
1.-THE man In charge Of the Fort went back from shore
I'm tho evening and reported that all the woodwork over
the magazine had burned away and that theie was Ao'
tho least danger OF explosion. This In measure
quoted the fears OF the citizens The magazine u APP
pears well protected being covered with Gght ieeto
earth The outer door leading down was, however
burned but the fire did not advance further N
that direction there being more cOmOustcle material
for the flames 10 feed upon.
During the progress OF the Gre IS shells exploded and
few in different directions None reached the shore'
however. and no lives endangered thereby.
At last the great BODY Of the fire was confined
IN the westerly side Of staten Island The magazine is on
the side facing Long Island and all danger was OeeNeu
to have passed.
Inspector Folk with &c patrolmen from the Forhthird
and Forty-eig hth Precincts, present during the
afternoon and evening guarding the property Of the e
zens, and taking precautions against robbery.
The flames from the burning fOIt were distinctly visible
IN different parts Of the city. distance OF some Fix miles
from the scene Of the couAlgraton
AS the roof OF the quarters used BY both officers and
soldiers within the Fort had been very much damaged
by artillery firing for experimental purposes, II was
recently ordered that they should be rebuilt &c"
months ago orders were accordingly Issued by Cen New
ton commanding the Military Department OF New'foFk'
10 begin the work.
The artenters and iaborers who had been employed
came from ne shore every morning IN Government boats
and returned in similar after their day WORK was
oyer An orderly sergeant aud three men we're also
sent from Fort Hamilton daily to guard the Government
property in the when tho guard retired the Fort
was left IN charge OF Sergeant Graves, who resided there
permanently With his family.
About 10 o'clock last evening, Sergeant MacEelnr ana
other members Of tho Police Department were roWcd 10
the fort in an open boat aud Oh landing proceeded TO the
door leading 10 the magazine Anerexamining carefully
the snrroundugs they returned with tie news that All
danger from an explosion Of powder was over.
Fort Lafayette was built during the year 1872 Tor the
nlotectlon Of Ne-York habor. IL generally, how
ever known as Fort Diamond from ia shape until the
arrival Of Gen Lafayette u le4 when iis true name was
re.umcd IL has probably Of interest attached 10
IL than any other tort In tho United states leHcepung
sumter from the fact that from tho very com
,,encemcnt OF the war IL was used as
Mace OF confinement for political prisoners
A, early as the goth Of July, 1902 - received within ii5
massive portaI, l.. =. EUglcs uf Frtderlek,D uIH b
many others Of his stamp Toward the end OF the year,
the number of prisoners had 80 aiGey ,
the accommodations offered NJ lt lui 4 W, No.. f
and several were transferred Ia Fort Columbus Inc loss
on Government property will not exceed ' De"c'o''
100000.