16 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



Bat to do more than generalize the different classes, wonid 

 require a report as extensive as the merits and numbers of the 

 articles exhibited. We therefore pass to that unpleasant duty 

 which we are loth to assume — to inform the Institute, officially, 

 that the magnificent exhibition, whose value reaches far beyond 

 dollars and cents, was, on the afternoon of the 3d of October, in 

 forty minutes, almost totally consumed by fire, together with the 

 world-renowned building in which it was located. 



At about fifteen minutes to five o'clock, while about thirteen of 

 the Board of Managers were standing in the south nave, discus- 

 sing some matters relative to the fair, a flood of light was seen at 

 the east corner of the north nave, in the department where the 

 patterns of the building were compactly stored away — where no 

 person could obtain access except by climbing over the patterns, a 

 height of at least ten feet. Sereral of the managers at once ran 

 to the fire, let on the water from the tAvo hydrants vinder the 

 stairs on the sides of the north nave, rather over fifty feet from 

 the fire. But owing to repairs on the Croton pipes, the head of 

 water in the reservoir was so low that it would not rise over seven 

 feet from the floor ; and so rapid was the progress of the flames, 

 that in less than five minutes they had reached the roof, and then 

 ran along as fast as a person could walk, melting the glass on the 

 top sashes, which in its fall fired the floors below. 



The smoke was so dense, and the fire made such rapid headway, 

 that it was impossible, except at the risk of the lives of those in the 

 passage ways, to have saved any large article of the exhibition. 

 From the first, the efforts of the employees were directed to secure 

 the safety of those distributed around the building, and we may con- 

 gratulate ourselves that not a life Avas lost in a fire where more 

 than a thousand persons were scattered over acres of build- 

 ings. 



The questions have been asked us frequently. What was the 

 origin of the fire? Did it not originate from the gas? Why did 

 you not have means at hand to put out the fire ? As these same 

 questions may be re-asked us by the members of the Institute, we 

 shall ansAver them at once, and declare it to be our firm and sin- 

 cere belief, that the building Avas Avillfully set fire to, and that 

 combustible liquids Avere used to accelerate its progress. 



That it did not originate from the gas, as it had not yet been 

 turned on for lighting. That those who allege that the building 

 was lighted by pipes made of gutta percha, only exhibit their 

 ignorance of the history and value of that article. We solemnly 



