The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-12-30
THE CARNIVAL OF FIRE.

lille CARNlfAL VI flhE.
FURTHER DETAILS OF THE BURNING
OF BARNUA'S MENAGERIF.
The Fate OF the Wild hnimals--Their
Conduct--Those that were Rescued.
The New York papers come 10 us laden
with the hideous details of the burning of
Baruum's Museum and Menagerie In that city
on Tuesday morning last. The World describes
the scene at the burning building, the action
of the men inside, and the animals. &C., as
follows:
Hardly had the alarm been given when
those who were attempting to free the quad.
rupeds In the menagerie were compelled to
beat retreat, the flames following them with
lightning rapidly, while the smoke which
proceeded from the overheated and rotten.
woodwork OF the basement was horribly sti-
fling. With the eight men VINO were IN tne
building came the largest of the Two ele-
phants, the baby elephant and the dromedary.
The larger beast on reaching the air threw up
lis trunk, gave sort of mourning snort, and
started up Irving place at swift gait, and
was not captured till II had reached Seysn-
teenth street, when it was secured and taken
stable In West ThIrtieth street. As to the
other animals, the carnivora and monkeys
were In all probability smothered before
being burned, as they cried but little. The
giraffe, the other elephant and the camel did
not fare 80 we'll. Stupeaed by the smoke and
paralyzed with fear by the fire, they huddled
together as the flames reached them, and one
by one they fell into the fire, and for several
minutes struggled fearfully against their late.
The elephant showed sigos Of Vitality ten min
utes after the flames reached him, and as the
smoke lifted, his huge carcass could be seen
to heave like that of whale at sea. 1t TOOK
the flames about quarter OF an hour 10 COM
pletely envelop the entire structure, and as
soon as the roof was reached everything
seemed to be Tapped up.
As engine after engine came rattllng 10 the
snot Gradually more slumberers became
aroused. Those who still remained wrapped
In sumber were finally called to sudden con.
sciousness by q strange, uneattnly SOUND
which, for the moment, seemed but the con
tinualion of grlsly nightmare. This Wild,
weird noise was the trumpetlng OF The Two
Gypsy, for co long time stationed In Central
Park, where the little one, Gypsy, used TO be
such q perennial Joy to children. They had
ESCAPED the flames, roaring and believing be-
hind them, and ran In their clumsy, long
reaching fashion out into the street. When
near the corner of the block they were Joined
BY one of their keepers, who. not daring to
attempt leading them back The way they had
come, guided them up the aVenne and
through Fifteenth street to Irving Place.
Here they were plcketed, and for some
inslants remained tranquil. Soon. however,
their trunks were raised into the air, and
their curious screams frightened all listeners.
Their keeper left them, went towards the
burning building, and returned with dog
which had been accustomed TO play about
them. The animal ran up 10 the two ee-
plants, leapiDg and waggng not alone hls
tall, but the whole hinder part OF bis body.
Rubbing against the huge lege, which were
about the same size as bis own body. be gam.
boiled around them with great apparent glee
OF again seeing his playmates: NOT did the
elephants seem less delighted; their small,
keen eyes looked kindly upon him, their feet
we're moved cautiously, lest some injury
should be unwttipgly inflicted, and every now
and then their trunks would gracefully de.
scribe long, sweeping circle and sollly stroke
the sides OF the dog. Near them was teth-
cred The siugle camel, which had been
brought out from the hery furnace, and be-
fore long The three surviving animals oil the
large menagerie were led away 10 place
where The atmosphere was better suited 10
their comfort than was the cold, keen DIR Of a
winter morning.
In conversation with the property.man of
the circus, the writer asked: "What Was The
first Inlimalion those In charge of the animals
had OF the ire !" well, there are several
men who TOOK care Of the beasts, and about
four o'clock this morning the tanner, Lion
Charley we call him, who sleeps directly in
front of the lions cage. was awakened by an
awful roaring. He raised himself up on his
elbow. and saw the lions wide awake, and one
of them dashlng against the bars OF the cage
and shaking Them. Shut up says he; what
are you making all this nstse about" He Was
lust turning over to 20 10 sleep again when
he saw the IRE coming out OF the boiler-room.
So he Jumps up and calls the other men-they
were all in their shlrts and drawers-and then
ran to the other end Of the building. When
they got there they found Camel Charley, the
one who has charge oi these animals,ard Coon
he's darkey that lakes care OF The snakes,
and sleeps every night on The top OF the
cage where they're kepL-trying 10 put ont the
sff.s cage. While they were doing this, two
went to work tearing dow the bars 30 ns to
let the animals loose. You can imagine how
much the lire had gained when tell you that
even the names aud tails Of The giraffes were
on fire. Well, they got the bars down and
persuaded one OF them to come out.Tommy
he was, ope of the incest, gentlesL little tel.
lows That ever was; you could lead bim all
over town with one end of pocket-handker-
chief In his mouth. But just as soon as he saw
the flames he wheeled right round and rushed
back into the cage, and there they had 10 leave
him. It is curious, but all animals except ele.
phants are like horses, hre scares them 30 that
they don't know what they're about, and It's the
hardest work in the world to move them away.
Then the fire ran on to the cage of the happy
family, and oil them were jabbering and jump
ing AID flying around inside, making tre-
mendous row. You see, the cages were
made of pine wood, and the flames rushed
over them in an Instant. was on The ground
within ten minutes after The first alarm was
sounded, and aided TO the best OF my ability
to rescue the animals, but the building
burned too quickly for us.n "Would you have
let the lions aud tigers loose in the Streets"
"Cerlaiuly, though 1 don't know about the
tigers, they are 30 lreacherous that you can
never tell what they will do. AS to The lions,
you know We have nets ready to catch them
In as they come ont OF the cage, 30 We should
have had no trouble with them. But we had
not time enough 10 do anything, and some OF
us had to run for 1t pretty hard to save our
selves"
ANOTHER NEW YORK FIRE.