22 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



a multitude of men, women and children were within the building 

 at the time of the fire, we rejoice to say that all escaped without 

 damage to limb or life, which must be regarded as a Providential 

 interposition in our behalf. 



It is not within our power to ascertain the aggregate amount 

 of property consumed. The loss to the Institute itself cannot 

 easily loe estimated, for our fair had but for a few days been fully 

 opened, and although the heaviest expenses of the exhibition had 

 been incurred, yet the receipts had only commenced, and at the 

 date of the fire had not met the outlay of our Board of Managers, 

 falling short of the expenditures not less than $2,000. But we 

 were looking forward to a successful and remunerative exhibition, 

 which indeed was foreshadowed by its early success, and the 

 intrinsic attractions of the fair, which has heretofore never failed 

 to command patronage. Hence the impracticability of stating 

 fully our own loss by the abrupt close of the exhibition ; although 

 to replace the actual property of the Institute destroyed, will 

 probably involve the expenditure of $10,000. 



But how insignificant are our own losses, compared with the 

 vast accumulation of property belonging to inventors and exhibi- 

 ters, which shared the same fate; for comparatively nothing was 

 saved from the common ruin. To estimate the intrinsic price in 

 the market of very many of the inventions and discoveries, the 

 specimens and models of which were burned, would very inade- 

 quately set forth the loss sustained by their owners. Many of 

 these were new and useful in a high degree, and some of them 

 the toilsome product of years of mental labor, and constituting, 

 perhaps, the only earthly possession of the inventors and exhibi- 

 ters, to whom they were of priceless value. They looked to the 

 termination cf the fair, and the rewards of the Institute, as the 

 beginning of their fortunes. Surely our own severe losses as a 

 corporate body are inconsiderable, compared with the losses of 

 our inventors and exhibiters, to whom our heartfelt sympathies 

 are extended, and for whom we hope for a brighter day in the 

 future. 



The Institute would gladly have responded to the loud call 

 made upon them, to renew and continue their exhibition for the 

 present year, had the project been at all feasible. But we were 

 constrained to concur with our Board of Managers in the judg- 

 ment that it was wholly inexpedient. Our practical experience 

 for more than a quarter of a century, it must be supposed, has 

 familiarized us with the' great difficulties and heavy expenses con- 



