The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-26
A CLUB HOUSE IN FLAMES.
Partial Destruction OF the
Union League Building.
DAMAGE ESTIMATED AT 500, 900
List Of the assurances Sketch Of
the Club.

A destructive nre broke ont AZ an early hour
yesterday morning in the fine i've story structure
nj the southeast corner OF Madison avenue and
East Twenty-sixth street, occupied as club
house by the Union League Club Fortunately the
lodging rooms on the fourth and fifth noors,
which are usually nearly all occupied by members,
were on the night previous comparatively oe-
serted, only three OF them containing inmates.
Had more been occupied II is not unlikely that
,erious II not fatal accidents would have occurred,
the earlIness OF the hour and the rapidly with
which the names spread rendered escape exceed
lngiy dirncult As IL the sleeping occupants
Of Inc rooms and the family or the Jantor, who
slept on the NTH moor, ere aroused only IN time
10 save themselves. little longer and their re-
treat would have been entirely cut on by the nam
ing elements
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
The IRE was discovered at about q quarter 10
ak O'Clock In the pantry on the second Moor by
chambefmald who was proceeding up stairs. She
hurriedy sought the night watchman on the noor
below, and communicated 10 him the intelligence.
He Immediately ran 10 the fire alarm box on the
opposite OF the street and sent the signal.
Returning to the house the gong was sounded, and
everybody within the building quickly aroused TO
a sense oi the impending danger The IRE III tue
meantime rapidly gained Roadway. An the sur
connagratlon, as dumb waiter and ventiator
passing up through the pantry, and extending from
the first door 70 the root, the former occupying
space OF three by four feet, and the latter one OF
six by three gave room for DRAFT OF air that
famed the flames into alarming herceness.
Fifteen minutes passed since the signal had
been teegraphed, but still no engines made
their appearance, the fury OF the DANES all the
time increasing and the ire extending along the
anst wunu "a fhn
above. Hardly knowing now 10 account for the
long delay OF the Fire Department the superin-
tendent OF the club house, Mr.. Gleeson, after send
Ing q second signal, despatched messengers on
horses to the Sixteenth and Twenty ninth precinct
station houses and 10 the Fire Department head
quarters on Mercer street, and in snort time
detachment OF engines were on the spot. The
delay, II appears on investigation, was caused by
the hre alarm telegraph lines being broken by the
snow storm OF Saturday night, and no signal
was consequently received. The lines from
the Twenty.nintn precinct station house 10
the Central once were working ali ngnt, and
shortly after the arrival OF the first detachment OF
engines q second alarm was telegrapned, bringing
reinforcements. After the 1remen had vigorously
worked Tor ABOUT iorty minutes it became evident
that iurtner help Was necessary TO suDdae me
4re. winch ny This time had assumed extensive
proportions, The comuusuOle Mansard
ROOF BEING ALL ABLAzk
and the adjoining houses being threatened, and
a tnud alarm WAS seat, resulting In bringing 70
the scene very large Iorce OF enGlnes. Much
ung at the names as they were connned princi-
Pay N the centre OF the Duiialng and mus render
therefore necessary Tor the hremen TO penetrate
the interior with the hose and carry the same
througn the various wlnolhg passages ana up the
stairways before they coul1 properly combat the
Gerry element. By vigorous eXertlons the flames
were NJ last brought under control but on ac-
count or the difficulties above enumerated some
tour hours elapsed from the time the nre COM
menced until II VAS entirely eXtlnguisned The
total damage " IRE aud water 70 Doth the ouild-
Ing and furniture Is estimated az 500 Oo0 which Is
Inc ruidlng IS nve stories in height,
extending 10 ieet On East Twenty-siNth
street ana 81 iest on Madison ave ave
brick ana white narue. IL Is owned o. Mr. Leo
nard ". Jerome, ana Was leased 70 the Union
League Club AprIt ls6s ior period oil ten years.
On the nIst iOOt was the once, ana 90 tine lett or
II. fronting on Madison avenue. was large, ele-
SANITY furnished general reading ru0n. the lnrnl-
ture " when IL damaged by water 10 the extent
o. about S., Co., 40 the right Of the ofice Is the
blizzard room, ana adjoining the latter u toe OoN-
Ing aley OF tie cluD, Doth " when escaped dam
aye. either b. IRE or wafer. aud tue IOrmer WILL
PROBABLY, be used % members US general read
ing room penuluE repairs.
The sec6nd moor was the restaurant noor. on It
were three private dining rooms and large gen.
eral one, AMI the pantrirs where tue crockery and
SILVER OF Tue club were kept The damage 10 thls
moor viii probably reach $40. o0J all tue silver
and cr"ckery were destroyed aud the furniture OIL
the various Tooms was badly damaged by water.
The ihlrd nOor was regarded a the most valuable
hUrsry some small private dining rooms ana =
large one Tor Darues, the picture gallery ana the
theatre. Fortunately the theatre escaped all
dar4aRe, aud the amateur minstrel perlormance
LOT tue oenent ~ the HomGopathic FAR. an
nOunced TOT this evening VII take place adver-
Used. Tie furniture IN the paTor and dung
rooms was damaged BY water 70 the extent OF
PAiNrISo DESTROYER.
All the paintings excepting one were saved oI
nenI entirely ESCAPED the lie. The one destroyed
Was a larEe. elegant on painting 81 the bate of
lngs belonging 10 tie cluo are tile "Bonbardment
Of Fort sumter" ''Ile Battle Or FAIR Oaks" aud
valuable portraits Of Lincoln, Grant, sherman,
Sheridan, Thomas, Join Bright, Richard Golden
aud tie PIeaeh historians LaoouiaJe and Cas-
parin.
Tue statuarv was also saved by the exsrtions
Of toe bremen anu removed 70 tie theatre. The
pieces Considered the most valuable aie 'Kuth,n
aUndine. "POCahoDtss" ana The Lotus Eater.r
The fourth ana nith floors contained lodging
and con mtttee rooms al VI which were very
much damaged. Inc roof wa completely
de. troyed.
tie, 5000: Mechanics and Traders $1,000; Home
81 New YORK, $40 00O; American $40 UO0; Brewers
lnd Aaltsteis'. 5000; Equitable, $1,000; ReAei,
BIO 900: lIfEeGs. g., VvO; CLINTON, 5000; Nlaaara.
lI0OJo; Hanover, $500; AOftn BraSn, SIS OyO;
Queen. ts5,eogi coiambla, sS9Yo: Conmeree.
bnardisn, 81, 900. Total, 100000.
Al DAY yesterday members 81 the cnp, a. the
nocEsd 70 the scene, aud the billiard room was
thT0nged vIEh distinguished gentlemen, wno,
after Iue nrst iesings VI regret AT the extensive.
meas VI ne damage done lad subsidized generally
clnsoied themselves WIN cheerful plans Tor the
Tapid repair Or tne ClgD house. and from lAe intor.
est aiapayed u u probable Lnat tnlTty days heEce
wli,ess tue pace enursly restored 70 It's for.ner
elegance
Ire membership or the club, az the present time,
numbers ZOO residents anu about 200 E0n.resi-
dents among whom are me wen known names Of
William Cullen Bryant, HOu. Moan DAVIS, AleNan.
DER e. stewart Peter Cooper, william r. Dodge,
Salem IL. Wafa Jackson :. SCHULTZ sinclair lou.
Ieg, samuel Is "a. Vance. Benjsmln X. Phelps,
WlllAm orton aud many other gentlemen VI
prominence ~ TITS clty.
lie Jui0a League CipO was started in the early
rart O. tie wal IOr ne purpose % organizing
irUOfa ans giving support " tue Union cause, and
among iis memueis we're some OF the foremost
men 81 Tie nation. Ia ia act o Incorporation
passed FebHu2ry q, lsg5 II 10 described as an or.
Eanixston chartered ITO remote encourage ana
lnstAlO w al proper meaus absolute and un-
saAlIhtd loyalty ~ tue eminent 81 the United
ssaiesi " GlSCOuntenaHce aud rebuke, Dy