Gothic style, under reconstruction
for several years and on which work has not been finished yet, was
saved, thanks to the orders of the commander, Major von Manteuffel, who
ordered that the burning houses on the right side of the City Hall be
leveled to the ground. The military removed from a cellar of the City
Hall a quantity of ammunition which threatened to explode through
extreme heat of the fire. Four soldiers were severely injured thereby.
The Rathaus, thanks to the precautions taken by the German military, and
in spite of its nearness to the conflagration, was not damaged in the
interior, nor did its rich outer architecture suffer any at all.

The roof of the Cathedral of St. Peter, which was set afire by sparks
from adjoining buildings, was very considerably damaged, however only to
such an extent as to allow its restoration to the original condition.
The roof frame is burned to the beginning of the curve of the dome. The
inner ceiling has prevented the fire from spreading to the inner part of
the church, containing rich art treasures. Above the choir, however, the
inner ceiling gave way, thereby partially damaging the upper part of the
rococo altar of stone which was without any particular artistic value.

The small sacrament house standing next to the altar--a very fine and
rich stonework of late Gothic style by the builder of the City Hall, M.
de Layens--has been slightly damaged by the collapse of the ceiling,
which chipped off the upper phiales. These broken pieces have been
collected without any substantial loss and can easily be replaced. The
damage to the sacrament house can therefore be replaced. Close to the
main portal of the cathedral, following the fire in the bell tower, the
falling bells pierced the roof. Near the entrance in the southerly part
of the church at the right side the fire did some damage to the walls
and the stone balustrades in the side chapel. Notable art treasures
have, however, not been damaged. Only the ventilator in the main portal,
a beautiful Renaissance carving, (of wood,) was burned. An ancient glass
painting of the seventeenth century remained undamaged.

The left side chapel to the north of the entrance, with its Gothic
bronze baptismal and the iron arm in Gothic style, (the cover being
missing for many years,) with its rococo carved altars and heavy
sideboards, are untouched, as well as the organ of the year 1556 in a
beautiful carved oak inclosure of the Renaissance p