Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-01-02

31''nc OF : L ne bsoetiVp RUN, OF, Agnes aiu
came on for representation ate,
ahe PLAY was over. Nv the first Act amongs,!
sother scenes. was the sccne OF the Cottage OF,
Baptist the Robhcr. which was illuminated.
sbv 4 embellishments hanging from the:
ceiling. When the curtaia fell on the srs..
.Act and before Il rose on the second, this.
chandelier wasised from is position among.
,the scenery above. 1t was fixed with twos
;wicks to i, one only of them had been lit !:
Net when it was Fitted ahovc, This fatal hrmhs
tI,as not ertfrg6shed Here il the FIRST link,
;inthe chain ofosr disasters. The man whorai-s
fScdit. does no. pretc.d 70 deny it-bnt plcadss
THAT he did sn in consequence of an orders
From some person, whom I've supposed autho-l
3rised to direct him. Thatperson was behind:
!lGm; the vd e had reached him without hiss
seeing the person. and he does not pretenhs
positively TO recognize him. We have not.
Pho most distant IDEA that there was The Sigh
fest Hisehicvons intentionimthc order or in the
zact--it was ieat,cngion--it was the g,rssest:
3neglisence. Thc litter OF the lamp says thats
she was aware of the danger. and femoastra-
s.ed against the act yet yielded with too fa !
sal facility 10 the ic iteratcd orders Of per-
json whom he saw not. but surpassed authors.
bed to dirccs him. Weeast not the slightest,
fmputations upon the Managers or any of the,
Irregular Cogneaians of the stase---tacir posi-
riors ut the moment as we'll as other circusn-
Chances, forbid tire idea that the order ever,
3passcd from their Fps, yet the act was DONE
si'he lighsgd lamp was i.ted-the terch of,
obstruction CLEANED at the top of the stage
s Mr.. Rice (the pfcperty~unan Of the 'Chea-|
{tre) saws, thathe saw the scene WAS over inI
(which the lamp was used; he saw the lamp,
Safter it was lifted TIP: he was aware CT the;
4dahger OF its remaining il that position and,
sspoke to one of the carpenters three times
Lower that lamp and blow i'll
2out." He did not see it put out; for he wasl
ddrawu by,his business to anothcrpart Of the
Sstage.
d Mr. West declares that he was passing bv
xto commence the second Act of the Panto
Sniine, and saw the lamp up and heard Rice
4giving directions TO the Carpenter to extin-
}guish il. .
! Mr.. Cock (thc regular carpenter of the
: Theatre) declares that he saw the carpcn.
ster, alluded to above, attempting to let down
tthe lamp Immediately after the order to let
81 down had been given; that he has nodoubt
Sthis attempt was made in consequence of the
sordcr; that lie saw the cords tanEle and the
Siamp to osciilate several inches from its per
Srendicular position. The chandelier ahovs
sswas moved by two cords which worked over
etwo pnlleys, inserted in. a colar-beam of the
zthe lamp was, Mr.. Cook thinks, about 4
Cor IS feet. Thps some idea may he had of
ithe degree of oscillation.
4 Mir. Anderson Zone OF the Performers OF
s,the Thcatre) say S. that lie had remarked, G.
gwen before the representation, how unskil-
4fnlly the chandelier had played and that
yam attempt to move it had caused it TO ride
,Eeircularly round.
4 Air. Yore (anoiher Of the workmen of ths
Emachinery,) most conclusively confirms thi
astatemcnt. He saw, that in the attempt t.
slower the lamp, as it was perched among
Sthe scepery, the carpenter had failed in hi
1.effert; that he then jirked it and jostled il
q has it was thus swerved from its perpendi
ocular altitude. and broushtiht contact viii
e4the lower part of one of the front scenes
q The scene took fire the fame rose, an,
fstapcring aboT,e. i toa point, must have reach
Fed the roof, which was elevated at or
ssfeet only above the top of the scene
81 we were assured that there was not or,
sssstrGnshGrent scene hanging; that is, seen,
Ecoated with vaTnish and extremely combus
fctible-tbat there was only one hatler seen,
changing, which Mr.. UT the Prompter de
Eclares, was removed or 6 feet behind tn,
Clamp. Thirty-hve scenes were at that mo-
sssment hanging, exclusive Of the flies or mar
$<srcw borders which represent the skies, roofs
gSlc.-and ofthesc, 81 were canvass paint
frings; which though not extremely conlbusti
sssble ON the painted side, are on the other $,
well covered with the fbres of tie hemp a.
Geo catch the fame.
81 Efforts were made to eXtinguish the fame
q Mr.. Cook, the carpenter, assembled into III,
gallery /; bat in vain. He dis
ssucceed in letting down some Of the scene.
3apoH the floor, under AN idea that this wa.
surestmeans Of distinguishing the flames
.aout lie could not distinguish the cords of tdt
3scene, that was then on fire. The roofgool
.scaught, and the sense OF danger compcllec
Hhim to fly for his life.
"A The committee must now be under tho
synecessity Of tirawing the attention of our ft,l.
Sslow-Citizees, To- the events which took place
.s1sn front of the curtain. Mr.. West states
'Athat Immediately on his entering the stage
Go go on with his part, he heard SOME bustlc
'Shehlndthe scenes which he conceived to BE d
..S'nere fraca5>-the cry Of "f;re" then salnted
fsshiS ears, which gave him no serious apIJre-
rs he knew that little accidents Of
lis description had often taken place; that
.Sbe heard some voices exclaim e" dtu't be
e&lafmed," which exclamation he reneat.
Fed through a solicitude to prevent hurry and
Sconfusion that he had not at that moment
fseen any fakes Of Gre f,dl behind the scene
sssnt seeing them 81 length falling from the
fssrDof, he retired behind the scene aud found
.3the whole stage enveloped IN flames that
S1sshe attempted topuil down some OF thc hang
xng pieces; when finding ii una vailing, nc at
Exempted to make good his own retreat.
q Mr.. Robertson, who was the only pcrfor-
amer besides, that came before the audience.
= assured the Committee, that at The moment
i~hcn he first discovered the fame, IL was
quo longer than his handkerchief; that he re-
zpaired immediately to the stage, as near the
frchcstra as he could come: there ne con