The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1811-12-31

k31nc amp Was, .slr. LOOK TANKS, aooIt 1
MR. - feet Ihus some idea may be hld oil
Etaane degree OF oscillation.
~ ldr. Anderson (oae of the Performers Of
Hhc lhcatre) says, that he hai remarked,
sScven Oe;urc the representation, how nlsAii-
Sa.aily the ciantclier had played; and tnai
attempt to more it had caused il to ride
eScircuiarly round.
IA Mf. io.e an ,.Ler oe the wor.l men OF Inc
Xs.nac:iinery,) most conciusivcly confirms this
FSstatcment. nc SAW, chat ii the atIcnp. TO
s5lawerth lamp, as it WAS perclei amoAs
ssSae scc1ery, the carpentcr nad lated in his
.;eAort that he then Jr&cd Il aad josted il ;
.3sthat was Gus swerved sro nlts perpentlicu-
,l,itratiitudc, ANA bros sat into contact with tt
ssiower pare OF oGc OF tie front scenes i,
s:,'sccne took nre the fame rose, and tap
ssihS a5oUe to- poiat, mast have reach
taihe ROOF. which WAS elevated or7 feet on
.,aboNe the top OF the scene. .-
n We were assured, that there was not on
,franff,di'eaf scene hanging that is. seen
Coated with vIrnisn ami extremely cunbus
,,siole-thlt there was only one IA cr seen
managing, Which Mr. Ut. the Prompter ;ii.
ttciales, was removed & CT feet belind I'll
lamp lhrty-hve scenes were at that mo
Hnent nanS,ng, eXciu I'VE OF the ilics VI mar
row borders which represent the skies,
roofs, &c'--and oi these, "a were Canvass
paintings; which though not extremely COM
'DuSlioie on the tainted side, are on the o.
ther so Wen cove. ed with the hbrcs Of the
sheinp as to catch he fame.
p, t-ifcrts were maze toeXtinguish the fame
Mr. Cook, the carpenter, assembled into the
: carpenters gallery but III vain. He did
" succeed Ia letting down some OF the scenes
.igupon the floor, under an idea that this was
the surest means OF distinguishing the flame :;
but he could not distinguish the cords of the
S-scene, that was then on lire. The roof soon
x caught, and the sense of danger compelled;
him TO tly for his life.
y The committee must now be under.
0the necessity of drawing the attention of
tour fellow-Citizens, to the events which took;
place III front ofthe curtain. MIR. West states,
that Immediately on his entering the,
stage to SO on with his part, he heard someI
s,,oustlc behind the scenes which he conceived'
ITO be a mere fracas-the cry of &C fire" thent
sss,saluted his ears, which gave him no seriouss
as he knew that little acci-s
'idents OF this description had often taken
5plaCe that he heard some voices eSclaim
q" don't be alarmed" which exclamation he
'arepeated through a solicitude to prevent
ils:hurry and confusion that he had not a, that;
,lmoment seen any flakes OF fire fall behind;
tssthe scene (; but seeing them at length falling
s:ssfrom the roof, he retired behind the scene
;Sand found the whole stage enveoped In,
ssnames that he attcmptedto pull down some
SEof the hanging pieces when finding it una
5aretreat.
s. Mr.. Robertson who was the only perfor
wmcr besides, that came before the audience j
assured the Committee, that at the moment,
when he first discovered the fame, it was no.
longer than his handkerchief that he re-
paired immediately to the stage, as near the
orchestra as he could come g. there he
conveyed to the audience, not wishing to "a
slarm them, by gestiCulation to leave the
nj tl,at ba sc
scovered the flames moving rapidly, and then
ESshc eXclas met Iiie house (or the Thcatre)
2sis on hre ); that be went directly to the
stage. box where some ora ladies were Sit
ting, mtreating them to jump into his arms !;
that he could save them by conveying them
through the private stage-door & that he
3 s.Iii intreated, until he found it necessary to
Fs.make his own escape that his own retreat
by the private door was Intercepted by the
Z, flames that he found it necessary to leap in
ITO the stage-box. 6 join the general crowd in
She lobby; that he gained one of the front
windows; assisted lii passing out some 10 or
Ss12 females, but 1T last found it necessary co
n throw himself from the window"
a This narrative is due to the eXertions OF a
.lIcnueulan, who first sounded the aiarm &
$50 whom there are few who have not done
;Sgghat justice which he deserves-I.et us IL w
sreturn to the transmission of the iire-whcre
s;fhc point OF flame reached the roof The
sssroof was unfortunately not plaistered * seal
Eed-therc was a sheatlling OF plank, pine
tSPlank we are told, nailed over the raftcrs &
Ssoverthese, the shingles. The rosin of the pine
6shad perhaps oozed out of the plank, though
CHE heat OF our summers sun, stood in drops
III pom it. Yet however this may have been, NO
slssconer did the spirc of the flame reach the
gsr oof than it caught. The fire spread with
is.ttrapidity through this coinbustible material,
certainly never equallcd by any
aasof the too numerous fires which have desc
Esiated our City--1n OF 5 minutes at least, the
js5whole roof was one sheet of hamc-it burst
Eathrough the bulls-eye in 'front.' sought the
'sawlndows where the rarcied vapour sought It's
g,spassage ; fed by the vast column of air in
1.-THE holows of a Theatre, fed by the innam-
ENABLE pannels & pillars Of The boxes, by the
s1done OF the pit, by the canvass ceiling OF
1.-THE lower boxes, until its suiiOcated VIC
y tins In the front were wrapt in its devouring
flame or pressed to death under the snDult-
) ing ruins of the building
q Here might we pause in cur melancholy
task. We have traced thc cor!iacrat;on &c
the fatal lamp, lifted it was lit, then jiris-
ed & jostIed, out OF It's perpeadiciIar posti-
on, to the scenery----to the roof until eve
~ thing was enveloped IN its fnry.----I'u,
there Is one part of the subject which, though
Bit~does not fall strictly within the letter of
,%the heSoIHfion, or perhaps the Inc Of OIL
duty, is get too interesting TO be passed over
ssfVhy, This .fafaHty Why have so many VIC
IN rara f.tg -