Year: 1872

At abOu. two O'Clock yesterday afternoon three
successive alarms the church bells were rung in
the city Of Brooklyn, and few moments later sew
eral fresteamers were dashing through the streets
At the top of their speed towards the Atlantic
docks, where the furies Of n anne were already at
work and menacing fearful havoc with their fiery
swords and whitening breath. 1t seemed as If a
spark or burning brand had been blown by the
ssalt sea breeZes' from the desolated district Of
Boston, after which The dread spirits of destruc-
tion had leaped up from the backened ruins to
follow them and had alighted upon the most com.
bustibe spot along the shores Of the New York
Bay, where


THE DEVILS DANCE OF THE FLAMES


was Immediately commenced. From some cause,
which, as is usual in such cases, s just now un.
known, something in the wooden elevator OF the
stores of Messrs. Woodruff Robinson, at the cor
ner Of Amity street and the water frontage, became
lgnited and within quarter of an hour there was
. furious cracking Of dry timbers and the lurid
tongues Of the delighted demons Of the fire darted
up to the sky and sent thrill Of wild excitement
through the whole city and the downtown portion
OF New York. Going down Broadway in stage,
when Bowling Green was reached, the whole Of the
startling scene burst upon the vision 1t was also
plainly from the ferryboats that were crossing
thc water TO or from Staten Island and Brooklyn.
The sky was pleasant, and stin breeze was blow
iDg from the southeast, which was keen and cold,
and made one shiver spasmOdicaIy but the sight OF
the red mountain OF fire that stood ont against the
heights of Brooklyn, on which was fought Greene's
stern struggle in the Revolution, warmed every
one into heat OF excitement. Soon could
be seen thrOngs of people gathering on
the wharves, with white faces lighted and
reddened by the lurid names; then the engines
rapidly arriving and taking their positions the
Gremen busily running hither and thither and rear
ing ladders against the burning walls; the streams
OF water turned upon the fierce furnace which was
now raging; the shril whistles for fuel from the
engines and the bright sparks from their smoke
stacks that filed the air like tiny rockets with their
sheeny brilliancy.


THE CONFEDERATION GREW IN hAGNIFicENcE
as 1t grew in danger, and the multitude OF spec
tatOrs that formed dense mass around the
Immense building gradually fell back with in-
voluntary terror rs the heat became more and
more intense. The lessons OF Chicago and
Boston are not calculated to cause disasters
OF this kind In their beginnings to be looked
upon lightly and but for a determined and wise
course in battling with the fre yesterday the whole
OF the district OF warehouses near the Atlantic
Basin might be IN flames ut this moment. The
smoke rolled IN black, heavy volumes upward
toward the zenith, the blazing roar OF the tremcn-
d0us bins OF grain could be heard across the waves
and the duh sounds OF falling floors and timbers
above all other noises and slnote the with
melancholy significance.


At han.past four great shower OF burning Gin
ders was hurled mp from the middle Of the building
like torrent OF lava from the red-moutned crater
OF a Vesuvius.


AS the afternoon vergcl into the twilight and
after the parting rays OF the that were reflected
IN rOscate tints in the west had faded,
fhe glow or the fire culored the clouds that
hung on the horizon with rich hues that mounted
upward rcddcr and more intense as il the whole
o! the occidental sky were bathed in stream OF
blood. The harbor was lighted by the unusual
beacon that seemed to bespeak some terrible anu
unusual danger TO all mariners approaching the
0ery spot that "burned q hole in the nignt' to
warn them away. The Jagged columns OF smoke
that seemed to support the dark sky were family
Colored with the red sheen Of the flames, and long
after sundown the scene was beautiful and fasci.
mating, although 30 terribly suggestive.


AS midnight approached the scene OF the con-
Migration still presented q picture Of red, leaping
ramcs dark lowering clouds Of smoke, and the
Arcmcn we're Still at work, although IL was fully
under their control.


The Beginning and Progress Of the Fire.


The fire, early In the afternoon, when IL first
burst out at tue northern end OF the immense
block OF store houses used bv Messrs Woodrnfr& A.
Robinson, ragged at furious rate the piles OF grain
that were lying in the elevator burning with fear
fol rapidity. With'n quarter OF an hour IL COM
municatcd TO tic interior or the store ITSELF The
grain winch was here stored amounted to about
slx hundred thousand bushels. II was oats wheat
AMI barlcy, ami i.s vane alone was probably more
than half million OF dollars.


tbs EAGER voRAc!Ty OF THE PLANES


now scemed without bOunds and with furious