The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-06-13

On tuesday afternoon, the Gath of May, FIRE
broke out in the Adelphi Theatre, Edinburg h,
which ended in the entire destruction of that
building, and nearly all its properties and Access
SORES. The fire discovered about a quarter to
hve O'Clock by carpenter, who observed smoke
issuing from the omnibus box and the co,ilisss on
the left OF the stage, and coming apparently from
the music room Immediately below. The mana
ger, Mr.. Wyndham, who resided within the build
ing, was Immediately apprized of the fact, and an
alarm was speedily conveyed to the fre-engine
stations.
Within very short space of time the fire caught
the scenes and proscenium, and before quarter
OF an hour elapsed the flames had traversed the
whole area of the interior, and sought egress by
several windows at the side and by the roof rhe
work Of destruction was fearfuly ra Did, and the
beams of the roof and wooden galleries ripened
TOR combustion by age and the drying heat Of the
gas, were quic KY encompassed by general blaze.
In little more than half hour after the fire was
discovered the roof fell in, and the flames burst
forth with intense strength and fury, causing
great alarm for the security Of contiguous build
lngs SO great, indeed, was the mass of fire that,
though the wind was light, it caught the window
frames OF a house the opposite side of Little
King street, fully sixty feet distant
The Adelphi Theatre occupied a site in the COR
ner OF Broughton street and Little King street,
these streets being respectively TO the east and
south. On the west was high and THO KY popu-
lated tensment, into which, by a gable window
overlooking the theatre, the flames obtained &C
cess On the north was st. Mary's Roman Caho-
small coister or ante-chapel. The roof of. the
cloister and the asragals of the Gothic windows of
the chapel took FIRE, and considerable apprehen-
sion was entertained as to the safety of the
Grated edlnce. The atar-piece. a painting of the
Virgin, valued at nearly f5, 900, was disod ged
from the wall, and all the sacred vessels and pro-
Pertes removed TO place of safety. By the
praiseworthy and well-directed exertions Of the
hre-brlgade, however, the chapel was preserved
and the hames which caught the two other build.
/ ings were extinguished before they had gained
strength, or had caused much damage. The eff.
forts to conhns the fire to the building in which il
originated were thus happily successful; but
| though the hre-engine5 had arrived very soon,
and the supply of water was most abundant and
we'll applied, the progress of the flames could not
be stayed till they had left the theatre a complete
| ruin. The building was about one hundred and
thirty feet long by sixty feet broad, and the front
Of it towards Broughton street occupied as the
managers residence. stone wall separating the
house from the theatre, the manager able tc
save a large portion of his wardrobe and property
as the fire did not Immediately envelope that por
/ ton of the building which contained them. On
either side OF the box entrance and corridor and
under MIR. Wyndham's house were shops, large
| part of the stock in which was saved.
| The AdeIph Theatre has for sixty or seventy
years been place Of public entertainment in Edin-
| burgh. II was originally known as Corri's Rooms
and subsequently as the Caledonian Theatre. Lat
teriy, and for long series of years, it leased
| by the late Mr.. w. II. Murray, along with the
| Theatre Royal, thus preventing dramatic opposi
ton. Since Mr. Murray's retirement, however
| nearly two years ago, the two theatres have beer
let to different managers In the competition which
| ensued MIR. yndham was able to keep his grouno
| against successive lessees of the Theatre Royal
and, the latter having become for the third tim,
vacant since Mr.. Murray retirement, Mr.. Wynd
ham offered himself of the candidates, anc
! was accepted as the lessee; and it is a som ha
singular coincidence that the Adelphi Theatr,
should have been destroyed the day previous tc
| that on which Mr.. Wyndham was to enter on tn,
lesseeship of the Theatre Royal.
The Adelphi Theatre was insured to the extent
! we believe of E3 900 or e., 900 on the building
| and the manager was Insured to the amount o
+ 200, sum which will not, it is feared. be ade
quate TO meet his losses. Unfortunately, the whole
wardrobe of Mr.. Wyndbam's large and respecta
Bile dramatic company was destroyed; several o
the musicians likewise ost their instruments
1t ia truly fortunate the FIRE did not three
assembled. The quick destruction of the building
would in such have been most frightful anc
calamtous, for the means Of escape were 90
:. :. --.o ueen needed for a crowded
auuiehce' such as would probably have assembled
on the evening of the Queens birthday.
lne engines confused to play for above fou
nours upon the building. There was no accident
| except to fireman, who was scorched and brni.ef
oy iall. The Lord Provost and the civic autbo
ntles were present at the scene and the orounf
was kept BY the police and a detachment Of In,
4th regiment from the castle. The confiarratior
attracted many thousands of spectators the crow
| being all the more numerous as the davvas
| holiday.
The origin of the fire las not been ascertained.
London ITuass Nn,. o6