Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-03-13

| The BURNING OF BARNUM'S MUSEUM
The following additional particulars a:t
f'om the New Y. r.i Ecentag Ptst oi Tues
day:
Ar. Furgcson, one of the proprietoys q,
the Barnum & Van Amburg Museum ant
Meuagerie Company, Makes the following
statement i'll relation to the origin Of the
fire. and the losses
The room in which the fire broke out
was called the Bird Department. 1t il
supposed that the fire originated from de-
fectiyc fue.-The room above was 0ccu-
| led by the giantess. fat woman. Circass-
ian girl aud others connected with the Mu-
scum. all ofwhom escaped.
The following is list of the animals
burned -Four lion cubs, two large lions,
four leopards, one panther, two hyenas,
two black bears, one white bear, one ibex,
two lynXes, one Brazilian tiger, four por-
cupines; four kangaroos,
Two white peacocks, together with all OF
the birds, parrots, monkeys, &c, On the
upper floor were also burned.
The following named animals were ta-
ken from the building. some of them badly
burned: One giraffe, one sacred zebra,
one young elephant, three lamas, one four
horned ram. one Hindostan goat, two pcli-
cans. one Bengal leopard, one wolnbOt,
one moose. one sacred bull. two Japansce
hogs, one Persian sheep, three kangaroos,
two silver pheasants, three poreupines.
\ large number of small animals were
also saved.
The giraffe was burned so badly that it
is not expected to live during the day. Il
was valued at 100000,
The seal rescued from the fire at the old
Museum was burned.
The wardrobe OF the Museun was nearly
new, having been collected since the fire of
Two wears and il halt ago, and was valued
at SO 900.
The loss of the owners Of the Museum is
estimated at $400 0J0 on which there is an
insurance or $iJO.OO0 The safe is i'll the
ruins, and the names of the companies are
not known. Oje hundred and thirty five
persons out of employment by the fire.
The company had i'll preparation piece
for which IL large outlay had been mad G in
machinery aud scenery. This WAS all
destroyed. 1t was valued ut $l6,0ii0. A
pair OF tigers burned were valued at S;25.
U00
One Of the proprietors of the Museum
gives the following account Of the narrow
escape Of Anna Swami, the giantess:
" hen the fire had gained such headway
as to arouse the persons on the upper hoor.
IA rush was made for the stairway by all
except the giantess. who was still asleep.
The women and children d not wait to
dress themselves, hut went in.o the street
i'll their night dresses and bare feet,
Miss Swami was awakened by the smell
of smoke, and was surprised to find her
self alone. She aresc, but was SO stifled
by the smoke that she had scarcely strength
enough to force open the door. A police
man assisted her in breaking open the
doe, when she hastily dressed herself, and
gathering up her money and diamonds in
the folds OF her dress, started for the
street, On the stairs she met police
man, who, in the excitement of the mo-
ment, thinking that the woman, who was
unknown to htn. Was carrying soaethins
ia her dress not her own, dragged Iowu
the garment, and the money. diamonds and
gold watch fell ON the STAIRS.
At this time the smoke was so dense, AM
her fears so great that the stairway would
be burned that she did not attempt TO iiud
the valuables, but CROPPED her W y to the
Broadway entrance. leaving all that she
possessed of value to burn up.
In answer to an inquiry this morning
what his future intentions were, Mr.. Bar
NUN Replied; This is the most severe
blow have ever experienced, hut as great
an enemy as fire has been to me. it shall
not conquer me now. shall not build on
| the present site, but as soon as it shall bt
in my power intend to begin the erectio.
| OF one OF the finest places Of amusement
in this city--one. in iaet, that will be u,
ornament to New York,