New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-02-28
THE DAILY OR ESCENT.
TUESDAY MORNING. FEB'Y Is, 1854.

PROFESSOR DfMrTRy AT BAToN ReuGE THIS
able and nest pleasing as we'll as learned lee
turer does not discourse, tonight. in continual
ton Of those themes Of Greek policy and letters
which he makes SO delightful and Instructive
Ii is necessary that he should, tor 2 A." o'iys'
suspend his course here, in order 10 comply
with the highly complimentary request OF cur
T,ecislatnre. TINT he would deliver before them
nm address on the subject OF Popular honcetion-
That honorable duty performed. he wall re-
turn. and, on Friday night next, resume his
oourss THIS second series Of lectures will be
AZ bat richest and finest Of subjects, the Liter
ature and Art of the Greeks, Let those hear,
who never before heard, and those who have
heard him now, hear the more.
--------s-------.
The ACCIDENT AT THE ORLEANS THEATRE. =
We ascertained yesterday that the loss Of life
BY this unfortunate affair was not So great q.
had been stated, only two persons having been
killed but from the appearance of the interior
of the building, short time after the accident
one would have been inclined to credit almost
any exaggeration; and every one acquainted
with the circumstances expresses surprise that
more harm was not done. The Coroner's Jury,
yesterday, visited the Theatre, for the purpose
of making thorough examination of the pre-
misses, and ascertaining upon whom should rest
the responsibility of so terrible an occurrence.
The upper gallery, it will be remembered'
was attached, at the front part, by IRON rods, to
the rafters Of the roof the second gallery was
attached to this in the same manner, while it was
entirely unsupported from below; consequently
the weight of both galleries was borne by the
rods connecting the upper with the roof, and the
strain must have been very heavy upon them.
Where these rods we're fastened into the timbers,
we are told, they had been bent, in order to Sc
cure them; and the iron, being of an inferior
quality, had cracked in many places and bro
ken in others, at the time when the work was
performed. The jury, therefore, attribute the
accident to the worthless quality of the iron
used in the construction of the galleries, and
charge the responsibility upon the contractor
or contractors who furnished the iron, excul-
patng the proprietor of the theatre entirely from
blame A number of builders, of high standing,
accompanied and assisted the jury in their in
vestigations, and entirely conourred in the de-
cision rendered.
!. Whilst we heartily share in the sympathies
Of the public for the accident which occurred
on Sunday last, at the Orleans street Opera
House, we extend ours to the gentlemanly
directors of that truly excellent establishment.
On none, more deeply than on them, has the
deplorable casualty--one from which we en-
tirely absolve them-made narrowing i'm
preston. We are pleased to learn that, in the
midst of their own deep regrets at SO untoward
an event, they have not failed in their proverbial
activity; and that, out Of the sad ruins, the
galleries will soon rise again to adorn the only
well organized Opera in the country.
The loss which must accrue to the public
spirited managers, from the suspension of the
Opera, can scarcely be calculated now. We
are, however, satisfied that this, far from de-
pressing their activity, will but give an addi-
tional impetus to their zeal in restoring, at
every cost of money, and with every considera-
ton of security, a temple of art, which is not
only an object of pride to the city of New Or
leans, but also source of pure enjoyment TO
all visitors, both from our midst and from
abroad.
The inquest, held by scientific men, as will be
seen by the subjoined certificate, accounts ra-
tionally for the accident whilst it gives every
assurance, to the community. that no appliance
will be spared to make this the favorite resort
Of both citizens and strangers a place, as It has
always been, Of refined amusement, combined
with every element OF safety:
We, the undersigned, having been requested
IN orrv ft,Y oT +l
Orleans Theatre, after the painful occurrence of
Sunday, 18th February, 1854, do hereby certify
that the said Theatre, as lately repaired was
constructed on TWO different and distinct prin-
ciples, to wit That part of the Theatre con
sistlng OF the parquette, pit, dress circle or first
tier Of boxes, lattice boxes and front boxes, on
the principle of iron columns raised on brick
and walls resting on the soil /; and
that the second and third tiers of galleries on
each side, on the principle of suspension iron
rods, hooked and adapted to the frame of the
roof
Now, we, the undersigned, do hereby further
certify that in our opinion the second Of these
two principles was and is entirely detective, on
of the bad quality of the iron used and
of its unskillful workmanship, and therefore do
reject the same, as dangerous and unsafe
But as to the portion of said Theatre still sub
sisting and constructed on the first enunciated
prlHcipIes W VIII: bnaJ q HnunS ltS feStnp point
on the solid soil below, we unanimously declare
that no construction of any kind can offer
better conditions of safety and solidity to the
public, and that no citizen of New Orleans
should be afraid to trust his own life and that
of his family within its walls, being satisfied in
our conscienees that the said remaining portion
can bear. one hundred times the weight which
the fullest house could bring within it.
In faith whereof, we have delivered this GER
tifcate at the city of New Orleans, on this 9th
day of February, 1864.
Louis II PILE, City Surveyor
j. A. DHEMEcoURT, Deputy Surveyor.
J. Il. CoMMUNY, JAS CALLER, Jr,,
JOHN TuRPN, ]. MooRHousE,
II. w. COLLINS, w. FRERET
To CHARLES BouDoUsQuIE, Manager Of the Or
leans Theatre. New Orleans
The same principle of suspension may be car
rled out and be safe for ten times the weight of
the people that can stand on those galleries. with
q proper application and proper quality of iron
j. Mo0RHousE,
R. ". COLLINS.
IMPORTANT TO IMPORTERS We have been
requested to publish the following important
notice to importers, emanating frolo the Custom
House, and which will go into effect on the 1st
March next:
Forms for making impost entries of merchan-
disc, etc, (similar to those now in use at the
Custom House in New York; having been for
we rded from the Treasury Department, where
BY the present system OF deposit is abolished,
and the IJnited States ara IA no arad;tad d,;l,,