Articles on the burning of Barnum's Museum

“Burning of Barnum’s Museum; total destruction of the building and its contents: scenes and incidents at the fire; the losses heavy, but unestimated; the origin of the conflagration unknown.

Two years and a half have gone by since Barnum’s American Museum, then located at the corner of Broadway and Ann-street, was, with a number of continguous buildings, entirely destroyed by fire. Last night, the structure in which Mr. Barnum had stored the little that remained of the collection on view at his down-town establishment, together with a quantity of now [sic] curiosities and a number of valuable living animals, was also burned.

At 12:30 o’clock Broadway was startled by the cry of ‘fire!’ and flames were seen issuing from the south window on the third floor of No. 539 Broadway. Instantly the shout was raised, ‘Barnum’s Museum is on fire!’ and instantly, too, everyone thought and spoke of the splendid collection of wild animals, known as the Gordon Cummings Collection. [Account of the animals and their struggle with the fire.]

[Account of fire, description of some property lost.]

…It was estimated that Mr. Barnum had expended upward of $1,000,000. His loss was set down at $300,00, upon which he had $62,000 insurance. Over one hundred persons were thrown out of employment by the fire. The Museum was not the only edifice burned down. Nine other structures were attacked by the flames, which destroyed some and damaged others ot a considerable extent. William P. Astor owned the Museum building, which was insured for $28,000 only.”

Long article. “Local Intelligence: The [Barnum’s] Museum Fire: The Scene Yesterday—a Bear Found Alive in the Ruins—He Is Hunted through the Streets and Captured—Death of the Giraffe and Convalescence of the Elephant.”

Commentary on Barnum’s Museum.

“It would seem that Barnum, so long called ‘the indomitable,’ has at last been discouraged. The pursuit of a long and famous lifetime is given up, and he turns away from the accumulation of curiosities—living or dead—at least we judge so from the following letter:

March 13, 1868

Editor of Times: Will you please state that I have retired entirely from the museum business, and that the Barnum & Van Amburgh Company have dissolved.

Of course Mr. Barnum won’t remain idle, and public curiosity will be excited to learn where he’ll next turn up.

[Paragraph about another non-Barnum matter.]

The recent benefit for the burnt-out employes [sic] of Barnum’s Museum, given at the Academy of Music, produced about $1,000, which is to be divided among over 100 persons.”