The New York herald., 1868-03-03
FIRE I'm BROADWAY.
Destruction Of Barnum's Mu-
scum and It's Contents.
Several StOreA Also DESTROYED
and Damaged.
Les rstimat ted at Three Hundred
Ch0uSand Dollars.

About half-past twelve o'clock this morning Ars
broke out IN the rear basement OF Barnum and Van
Amburg's Museum and Menager!o the Mercer street
side In which kept the animals belonging to the
menagerie The flames spread rapidly, and not.
withstandlng tho exertons Of the fremen, the
nre soon extended into the theatre and msnagsrie
Just previous to the discovery Of the dre an
alarm was given for fire in Spring street. near Renwck
given below and in consequence the engines being
that 6re they did not get to work soon they other
wise would have done The adjoining building, 635
Broadway. was considerably damaged by water The
Prescott House, on tho corner OF Spring street, was
slightly damaged from tho same cause The wind was
blowing bitter gale from the northwest and rendered
the Efforts Of the remen almost fruit,es They stood
upon the roof Of 635 with two lines OF hose until the
smoke and heat drove them away, compelling them to
leave their hose upon the roof
On the Mercer street side efforts were made to save
the animals In the Museum but with little success The
giraffe tumbied down the doorway, and thus
blocked up the egress number Of tho other animals
were then rescued and finally rope was put around
the graffes neck and leg and he raised up, but
refused to move. At this time the flames were
bursting through the partition. and the hind
part Of the poor animal commenced to
burn. More mon got hold OF the rope. and
he was pulled into tho street. The tiger was subse.
quently discovered leapng from basement window
the Broadway side ana scare ensued which was
terminated by intrepid policeman with revolver In
hand. who stationed himself with huge IRE ladder
between himself and the animal and fred shot after
shot until! he finally gave the tiger hts quieus
Al this limo the fire had got under such headway that
the men hat to leave sho building. The heat now be.
intense that the side windows Of tho Prescott
House caught re producing great CONSERVATION among
the guests, who intent saving their baggage created
grea. confusion In the house.
At the time Of going to press the fire was fully
subdued. The very late hour al which the nre broke
out rendered !, impossible 70 obtain many particulars
The Museum property, with the exception OF the few
stuffed BIRDS and animals taken out Broadway and the
animals rescued Mercer street, 10 totally destroyed
The loss 10 estimated, with the improvements made by
Mr. Barnum, al something over $500, 000 The buildings
were owned by the Coser estate; loss about $50000
Charles Swift kept an oyster saloon In the basement
OF 537. Entire stock destroyed b. Obermeyer, trunk
st ore, In the basement Of 64 Loss slight Tho trunk
stock was ali removed by the police and insurance
patrol. No 635 Ia occupied by Sigler & Clinton as q
sample room. They lose their entire stock. No
b36 IS occupied on the upper floors by p Frankenheim
and Herzg, dealers In turs and by B. Kahn optcian,
on the first floor. Loss mainly by water.
The upholstery establishment OF samuel A. Ireland,
the second floor Of the Mercer street front OF The
Museum. was etaly destroyed
The origin Of the fire is at present unknown.