Sacramento Daily Record Union

Jay Gould's Conservatory Ruined.
New York, December 11th.-The Evening Post says: Jay Gould's conservatory at Irvington, on the Hudson, was burned this morning. This greenhouse was the largest in the country, and was filled with the rarest and most valuable plants, exotics and ferns, which were imported at great expense, and some were not to be duplicated in the United States. The collection of tropical plants alone could not be equaled in this latitude. There were other plants that were brought here from all parts of the world, and the cost of importation alone was sufficient to run an average sized greenhouse for years. Men were working up to 2 o'clock this morning, under the direction of the head gardener. The night watchman discovered the flames and he awakened the entire force of men, and they connected the fire apparatus, but the water was frozen and their efforts were useless. The flames were fanned by high winds, and swept through the mammoth structure, licking up everything. In half an hour from the time the fire was first discovered the beautiful structure was a mass of ruins. The building was 450 feet long, and was constructed on the Moorish style. The entire loss is $150,000, upon which there is no insurance. The conservatory was only a little distance from the residence, which is unharmed. Gould only purchased the property a little over a year ago, and paid about $350,000 for it. It is understood that a more elegant building will speedily replace the one just burned.