Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-04-22
Letters from Amsterdam

IL
the project of cutting a Canal 70 !
Gulf of Mexico with the Pacific y
about to be revived under the AM, N
the Netherlands government ! IN
government eff Central America
sci had been ordered to be got ;.
carry out engineers, &c.
| DESTRUCTION OF THE NEwBpr s''
THEATRE. LONDON, MARCH |. y
habitants of Wells-street, and wa
square, were yesterday morning
into state of the utmost alarm n,
sternation, by what was at first Sum-
be shock of an earthquake, bn
proved to be the falling in of the rOo,
New Brunswick Theatre, which wa
ed only on Monday evening last +,
erected on the site Of the Old East
Theatre, which sometime since was <
ed by fire. The structure, which
days ago was the theme of admins
that part of the metropolis, is now
ruins; and what heightens the mel &
tale is, that many human lives have 'I
sacrifice. AS to the cause Of TIM - -
| frightful event, all is at present com
The roof was of iron, and it is sS
was too heavy for the still green "
support its ponderous weight. It Al &. #
as far as can be collected from the j.
ing accounts, amid the dismay and a,
which the event has excited, that rel a x
of Guy Mannering was proceediDs &
about half past eleven, when all M SRI
formers were on the stage, the extern 8.
suddenly fell into the street and the IN
building was instantly mass of n
also knocked down the two houses ON s.
1.-THE Star public-house and baker, 81
proprietor of the latter (Blatz) was q
A dray and two horses, belonging to N EN-
Elliot, passing in the street, were On 81
to atoms; lady and gentleman, who
passing at the time, had very nj 81
escape portion of the ruins fell uuOI
leg of the gentleman, who saved hing 4
a desperate muscular effort, and exd
his leg from the boot. Mr.. Percy N
the stage manager, brother to Mr.. n s3I
of Covent-garden Theatre, was on thes
experimenting the rehearsal, when II
melancholy event took place. The fiels
ing is his own statement - loEs
Il was sitting on the outside of Mr. AZ
rice's box, which is on level with the R1
speaking to him concerning the entsi
ments for Monday next; this was
twenty minutes past eleven; the perfu
standing on the stage to begin the op
Guy Mannering. A crash directei
attention to the roof of the building,
saw the lustre falling. Mr.. Maurice M 3.
to the centre, and chung to the pill
the proscenium. A minute did not
when the whole fell-not by pieces, b
mGsse, and entirely swept all before i,
es, scenes, stage, and actors. A clOu M
dust for second obscured my view
when perception returned, found that
opposite pillar, and that part of the boz
which chung, alone remained the rest
the eGifice was mingled mass Of ID
timber, and bricks. | now distinghA
that Miss Yates, by some extraordn
preservation, wos making lIer way tow
me, covered with blood, streaming from
head, and imploring me to save her
dragged her over the box, where we
manned completely blocked in, for mg '
half an hour. At the expiration of that "
Rod, distinguished three or four car 81
tiers wading through the rubbish to gain g
street-for the front wall having faIa %
passage, fearful one It's true, was LEFT,
clambering over the ruins. Upon inquir ~
was told that our present security w@T
frail, and that / should endeavour to esq
! did so, and, after some difficulty, contI
to get her over the ruins in doing vi
| need not describe my horror at find
one of the resting places for my foot was g
face of the unfortunate sufferer of the NJ 3
of Gilbert. However, as if by miracsle
did escape, and, as far as my inquiries ID
the only person entirely unhurt who did
| then went to apprise my friends Of
safety"
Messrs. Maurice and Carruthers (who
erected the Theatre, and expended
considerable sum in its completion,) VI
behind the scenes, witnessing the prob
effect that the drama would produce, vi
at about 25 minutes to 10 o'clock, a shA
crash of timber was heard, which was VI
tended to, from the supposition that it mi
have been the falling of beam from
hands of carpenter, who, with others, I
still employed in completing the build
another came, and it was equally disregss
ed; a third followed which excited oI I
momentary alarm, and shook the lust
but fourth followed with instantanes
rapidity, and hurried the greater part Of /,
performers on the boards in its ruins.
When the Theatre fell in, there wer
least 10 persons within it. ConnecI
with the theatrical performance, there VI
at least so; and with the mechanics emIi
ed about its completion, there could |
have been less than no. The greater d,
it is to be hoped, have escaped. The
counts given by Mr.. Goldsmith, one Of 1
survivors, is quite corroborative of obi
statements /; he adds, that while on the sts9
and speaking to Mr.. Wyman, another Of q
company, he removed from some kind
presentiment to the right-hand stage ba
Immediately opposite to which, Mr.. P. FL
rem, the stage manager, was sitting, %
casting the parts but scare had he arriVs
there, when he perceived a tremulous mott
about the lustre, and the crash immediate
followed. He says, there were at the tim
Mr.. Wyman, and at least "a Others on b
! 0rPn h4l