The New York herald., 1876-07-11
CASTLE GARDEN.
Scenes and Incidents at the
Ruins Yesterday.
LOSSES AND ASSURANCES.
Preliminary Action of the Emigra-
ton Commissioners.

who ed Attracted hther by the graphic details OF II
rs given in the HERALD Of yesterday. Among them
were many well known insurance men, who dstrib-
uted themselves about the ruins and specuated upon
the damage done and the probable cause OF the fire.
Castle Garden yesterday certainly presented very
woc.bcgonc appearance, and all was confusion and
chaos for the Grst few hours of the morning Two or
lhrec Commissioners carly arrived upon the grounds
md with the aid of supcrintcn Jackson and Super
ntenden Coonan OF the Labor bureau. within few
minutes order restored and by the time that three
vessels discharged their cargocs of living
freight the vast business OF tho commission
running as smoothly s usual Nothing remained
standing except tho base walls of the old lor that has
experienced so many changes. Nearly every foot of
wood including tho circular galleries, had been eaten
up by the flames, that for once had enjoyed full meal
On the door OF tho rolunda promiscuous
of charcoal pieces OF from the roof twisted
by the excessive hoat into all of shapes, half
consumed beams charred josts and other cral in
tcrspcrscd with bricks and stones here and there In
side the brick columns that supported the galleries
stood as silent monuments OF what a few hours before
was the scene OF hustle and busy life. Tho only por-
ton OF the gallery that had escaped that on the
west under the point where tho fire originated. rho
wooden shed the outer line Of tho walls, under
which is the landing wharf escaped destruction as
we'll did the three pavons facing the Battery Park
rhc used by tho Commissioners and their
executive officers badly scorched,
md the sido fronting the rotunda
intirey gutted. Tho flames did not respect
,hc costly and cozy of tho commission. There
hc fine furniture, the richly upholstered chairs the
Iidcboard and desks, wcrc partially dcvourcd Even
The clock crsped and at thirty nvo minutes past
seven the hands became silent and STILL But not until
the glass had been melted by the consuming heat and
the face twisted into unsccmly shapes
Luckily the number OF who arriv
was small or the commission would have been seriously
taxed to provide. for them The steamship SPAN landed
about half past ten ISL passengers of whom 49,
Siccrago passengers, principally English and Irish
Later the City OF Chester landed 44o OF whom Sol
Nennones, from Russia, on their way Wisconsin.
About one O'Clock the steamship Idaho landed seventy
five cabin passengers and 731 steeragc passengers,
nearly all the latter were Mormons route for Dako-
Ia. The Commissioners Notwithstanding the cop-
iusion collected these cmgran,s in tho labor bureau
and supplied all with tho usual meals The
Ncrmons were, in the afternoon despatched to the
west by the Pennsylvania Railroad, and tho Mennontcs
left the Eric Railway for their now homo. BY
lhrcc o'clock the pavilions nearly empty, and
business proceeded as usual superintendent Coonan
speaks in the highest terms OF tho cooncss under the
excitement OF about $50 Mcnnonitcs who had arrivoi
IN the Celtic and oaer Sunday and in the
Garden awaiting tho arrival Of their associates by the
City OF Chester.
At this stage Of tho investigation It is impossible to
form anything Ike estimate of the losses
sustained by the catastrophe two experts
agreeing upon estimate The most intelligent esti-
mates place the loss building between $50 coo and
f45, 600 The former probably low and the lat
ter too high The portion destroyed merely the
gallery surrounding the rotunda tho little Insignificant
buildings the ground floor OF the rotunda and tho
roof. The gallery was OF wood of the most common
place style Of architecture while all the buildings
the Gocr not worth more than 81, 900. The
Offices OF the Commissioners and their attaches,
on tho second floor, adjoining the pavilion,
werc damaged probably TO the extent Or
$1,000 while 81 coo will cover all tho damage to
furniture. II is believed that the building be pu,
tho condition 1t previous to the fire by the
jucicious expenditure OF less tnan $50 900, tho
structure is insured for s2o0Oo in responsible CON-
papics The loss TO the commission will, therefore,
not exceed $4,000 Indeed. il is not at all unlikely
that the insurance companies interested will rebuild
the Garden instead OF paying the losses Labor is at
the present time cheap, while material is lower than
II has been Tor years and the companies may lind II
advantageous to them to rebuild H.
The loss baggage destroyed cannot be ascertaned
for months A large number OF pieces storage
the rotunda were entirely consumed. What vauabics
were contained in these trunks and boxes only the
owners know Tho baggage is insured Tor $4,000,
which may may cover the loss. Ex-
ports connected with the Garden estimate
thai each trunk and It's contents is on an
average worth $50, and knowing the number
storage they estimate that 81 $50 Will cover the
entire baggage oss The Commissioners anticipate
being flooded by fraudulent claims Tor lost bagg and
20 guard against such practices they will require
adnvit to the value of the particular piece as well
the production OF the checks for tho same Already
The Superintendent, Mr.. Jackson has ordered The p
ara,ion OF such adavi,s IN the Free Labor Bureau.
where most Of the business rs now being transacted
Trg iSsugANcEs.
AS stated above, the assurances on building will
nearly, II not quite cover the entire loss The compa
MES interested are as iclows:-
Etna Insurance Company y................... SO 600
Greenwich Insurance Company. ............... 1000
rradcsmen's Insurance Company ............. 1000
Commercial Insurance Company. 1000
siobc Insurance Company ny.................... 1000
unitcd States Insurance Company. 1000
Pacific Insurance Company y................... 1000
Exchange Insurance Company. y................. 1000
Williamsburg CITY insurance Company 2OO0
Merchants Insurance Company ............... 1000
Total insurance $40 900
The companies interested yesterday had uccung
and conferred with each other the subject OF tho
iosses. Mr.. briggs. agent OF the undcrwrcrs accom-
panied by other insurance officials. later visited the
Garden and made a survey OF the premises whe
Commissioners Qunard and Forest were present rhcy
critically examined all the ruins and MIR Drugs au-
thorzcd Superintendent jackson to put force of w.
on this morn nc TO remove tho dcrs from the noo ~
the rotunda where 1t has fallen the depth
feet II is believed that the loor beneath OF
eharred beams. raiers and tin roofing has not been
materially damaged. and II such proves to be the
the loes will no, bc heavy many estimate II TO ba
The insurance upon tho baggage is in the following
Insurance companies
Hope Insurance Company y................... SO 500
Relief Insurance Company y................... 500
Adratic Insurance Company 1880
Jefferson Insurance Company. ................ 1000
T.rcmcn's Insurance Company y................ 800
Williamsburg City Insurance Company ........ $500
Total on baggage. SIS 900
FUTURE or
There many visitors at the Garden yesterday,
among them many we'll known citizens and phian.
trop,st who anxonsy inquired as TO the future Of tue
Garden. Early IN the morning Messrs Lynch Starr
and Mosher, OF the commission, present and, In
answer all inquiries the response that tney hat
DOT yet decided what course 10 pursue In the alter
noon informal meeting of tho comrsission held
nj the Mayors oicc, when tho proprcv oi rebuilding
was discussed, but as there was not quorum o, mem
bcrs present decisive action taken. rho
fcrentc- Cor such proved to bedccdcd to nice; at