New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-12-25
A CARNIVAL OF FIRE.
NEARLY A MILLION AND HALF SWEPT
AWAY

AWAY.
sARSUMs MUSEUM, A CHURCH, MANUrAcToRr'
AND PRINTING HOUSE DEsTROYED-CoN-
FI.AGRATIoNs ELSEWHERE.
The seeds of fame seem 20 be scattered broadcast
N the atosphere for before the Brooklyn architects
have had time TO draw the moral from tho destruo-
ton of the Rev. Mr.. TslmagGs corrugated iron
church. winch burned like Undertook stuffed with
,havings two large fires have startled snd possibly
warned New York, and CONGREGATIONS arc reported
An Oregon, Arkansas, and elsewhere.
Large fires have occurred in various parts Of the
country quito recently, but none since the Boston
FIRE have been so disastrous those that for time
baffled the energies Of the fIemen on Fourteenth
and Contrasts, and caused a lose OF nearly
eL5OO,OOO.
These two confagratioDs swept away Barnums
Circus and Menagerie, Grsoe Chapel. a large ivory
mandatory and the Eew-York Printing Companys
old building in Centre-st. and inflicted damage on
other property.
The weather was intensely cold and the fremen
worked in the early morning at every disadvantage,
so that the aFprehensions which were felt by many
whose attention was attracted by the hrid glare IN
the sky over the Academy of Music and Tammany
Hall that these buildings wonld be overborne In the
furious march Of the flames, not without foun'
daten.
But the Fire DEPARTMENT was we'll managed, and
no tine was lost in the vain effort to save what
would inevitably perish; and so leaving the circus
building, the picturesque church, and the huge
factory 20 their fate. the Department officials
were successful n checking the progress
of the first condaFration. The walls of the Acad-
envy of Music We're blistered, but damage that
glazier cannot remedy was sustained There were
many interesting episodes connected with the burn
ing of the circus building; for only three animals
two elephants and a camel-were saved out Of Mr..
Barnum : .extensive menagerie and the rest were
roasted alive IN their cages
The ire originated in the boiler-room of the circus
building lat under what circumstances the Fire
Alarshars Investigation which has been already be-
gun, fails thus far to make clear.
The loss by this fire does not fall very heavily
upon the insurance companies, the principal suf-
erers, with the exception Of the Church Corpora
ton, were in great measure uninsured.
Tie second fire, which occurred in the early even
ing. in Center-st., made so sudden and so bright
blaze that timid people thrown into panic and
fanced that NevYork to share the fate of Boston
and Chicago; but the flames easily confined to
the huge printing-house, In which they found life,
and which they readily mastered.
painful rumor was circulated 10 the effect that
% Young women employed in the bindery had been
burned to death, but this was an unwholesome tic-
fiOn. bred of memories of the Fifth Avenue Hotel
disaster although several persons were injured by
falling bricks, and elsewhere.
That moral is to be drawn from this day OF fire
the Fire MarshaPs books already indicate; for
it appears that a committee appointed by
the corporation Of Grace Chapel had called
his attention to the circus building when
the alterations making, and demanded
his interference in view Of alleged violation Of the
building laws; and in q report made quito recently
the radical defects in the builders plans were
officially commented upon BY an Inspector Of the
Eame Department.