Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-01-25
A PALACE BURNED.
The Residence of the Duke of
Arenburg I'm Brussels.
The Princely Family Escape in
Very Scant Attire.

A Large Number of the Most Precious
and Valuable of the Famous Arenburg
Historic Relics Either Totally De-
stroyed or Badly Damaged-some OF
the Saved valuables Stolen.
BRUSSELS, Jan. 25.-Fire broke out in
the palace of the Duke of Arenburg Sat-
urday morning at about 8 o'clock The
fire spread with such rapidity that it was
with difficulty that the Prince and
Princess De Croy d'Arenburg and their
children escaped flom the burning pal
ace. AS it was, the princely family
made their escape from the building in
their night dresses. The servants were
compelled to make an equally hurried
departure from the rooms they occupied
and reached the open air in their night
clothes alone, thus presenting strange
pictures as they shivered in the early
morning wind and watched the flames
playing sad havoc with the palace.
The men servants did their utmost to
save some of the historical relics of the
Arenburg estate but their efforts did
not meet with much success, owing to
the fact that the right wing of the
palace, the portion first attacked by the
fire, was a mass of flames within four or
five minutes after the first alarm had
been given.
Supposed Origin.
The fire is supposed to have originated
in room used for the storage of oils
and varnishes in the right wing of the
palace, and before it was under control
a very large number of the most pre-
cious and valuable of the Arenburg his
torical relics. some Of them dating back
to the year 100, were consumed.
Among the relics destroyed were num-
Der of most valuable oil paintings, while
others were so scorched, injured by
water Or otherwise damaged that they
may be said to have lost nearly all
value.
The entire fire corps of the neighbor-
hood of the palace arrived on the spot
by about the time that the right wing
of the building was seen to be doomed
to almost complete destruction, SO the
fremen concentrated their efforts upon
the left wing, but the fire appliances
used were not of the best description,
and considerable difficulty was ex-
perienced in obtaining a supply OF
water.
Accident to the Firemen.
While number of firemen were fight
ing the flames from fire escape outside
the left wing of the palace, having
dragged heavy hose up that structure,
in addition to overlooking it with men,
the fire escape suddenly collapsed at
o'clock, throwing several firemen into
the flames One of these unfortunate
men was burned to death practically
within sight of his comrades, and several
were so severely injured in other ways
that their lives are despaired of.
Though the fremen worked with
great bravery and zeal, l.y 8 o'clock it
was acknowledged that they would not
be able to master the flames before the
main portion of the palace was, to all
intents and purposes, doomed to COM
plete obliteration.
At about this time it was feared that
several adjoining mansions would also
be consumed; but, with the exception of
a bad scorching and some damage to
their roofs, these buildings were not
much injured.
The Loss Enormous.
When about noon, the flames began to
give way to the many streams of water
poured upon them, the Arenburg pal
ace was nearly gutted, involving an
enormous loss in money, and q still
greater loss in historical relics, whose
value can not even be estimated, The
outside walls of the palace and some
portions of the left wing are still stand
ing. But the Arenburg palace it
self may be said to have been swept off
the earth by the confagration.
Saved valuables Stolen.
The scenes in its neighborhood are be-
yond description by cable. There are
about twenty piles of old furniture,
pictures, pottery, arms, tapestry, ETC.,
piled about the neighborhood and
guarded by police, who have had great
difficulty in keeping back the crowds.
Charred and broken relics are to be seen
on all sides, and it is said that some very
valuable gold and silver plate and some
of the most valued of the historical
paintings have been stolen during the |
excitement natural to the fire and work
of rescue.
The palace was one of the oldest in |
Europe. Some of the gobelin tapestries
were saved, but most of the treasures
of art in the vast building were de-
stroyed.