Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-03-25
VOL. 4---NO. 1873.
DAILY VIRGINIAN.
TERRIFIC AND EXCL TING SCENES.


Grand Bal Masque under the Patronage 81
Pro fessor Ande, son An the Scenery, Ward
robe and Property Destroyed -paiuabte Dra-
matte Library Burned-Ihe Queen and Prince
Aibertrisit the Ruins.
At mn early hour on Wednesday morning. the
5th calamtous fire originated in Coyent Gar
den Theatre which speedily reduced to mass OF
sbapeless ruins that magnificent buldng-
During the whole night the theatre had been the
scene of Bal Masqne, under the management
of Professor Anderson, the so called WIZARD OF
the North, and the revels Of the dancers had not
concluded when the conhagration broke out MA
NV Of the dancers left between two and three IN
the morning; others remained much later; ana,
as five o'clock approached, not more than 2oo
persons wero assembled in front OF the Temporal
ry orchestra, which, on this occasion was thrown
back To the extreme end Of the stage. The last
orgie was completed, and Mr. Anderson oDserv-
ing the tagging spirits of his guesis.s gave the
signnl to his master of the ceremonies TO Close
the revels with the usual finale of '6 od save the
Queen" At this moment n man, who WAS en-
gagged in conversation with Castle, the fireman.
observed n bright light shining through the
chinks and crevioes of tho flooring in the car
pcnters shop, high overhead. In an instant both
Of them left tho stage and hastened up towards
tho point Of danger. Neither their departure
nor their errand had been observed and the crowd
below them still kept ny the chorus to the music
of the National Anthem.
! he Orchpstru ma not CeuStu p'u)ipk t"o
tinnnl Anthem when the sudden descent Ipon the
Stnge of ono of tho beams. round which part OF
| the scenery was rolled, gave the first intimation
Of danger to the assemblagc below. MIR. An
dcrson himself was tho first to give the alarm OF
| '.Frein aud the terror aud tumult which ths an
nouncement occasioned may be readily im"gh-'
! ed. The few naming masquers rushed pre-
| cipitately to tho various cutrances-o of which
the police took immediate possesson, and were
thus enabled To rescue from the self sh alarm ot'
many of the stronger sex their terror s'rcsen
| mariners Several women were trampled on,and
some were carried out fainting, but none were
seriously injured. There was something hideous
in this sudden change from mad revelry to
CHASTITY ieor
Already the rush of air towards the roof had
famed the fire into brighter life and hercer en-
crgy Nrouihs of white smoke, with here and
there n ambcnt flame, began 10 curl from un-
der tho prnsct mum into the body of the theatre
The musician leoped from their seats and He'd,
in ,nany cn~cs without even saving their cherish
cdinstrnnpnt4. The interior of the theatre was
n,mos, inmc lately cleared of tho yisiters,--
Thrrc wns no time for thought or plan. The
anmes rushed forward. md whirling round the
The interior made it their own A body "f ON
GERS under the direction OF Supenntehaaht
Dnrkin took curly possession of the various
doors nnd ontrnucrs, and by judcious efforts
prevented tho excited multitude from forcing
,hcir why mldly into the burning house -
The proceed. of the night, which lay in the
treasury were rescued from danger.
1t was now hurdly ) o'clock,and yet in the few
minutes which hnd elapsed the doors of the thea
ire bpa been sealed. The flames had burst through
tho roof rending high up in the air columns OF hre.
which threw into bright reflection every tower and
spire within the circuit of the metropolis brill-
nnty illuminating tho whole fabric OF St Paurs
and throwing food of light across Waterloo
bridgr-.which sci out in bold relief the dark out
1 , IL, Al, III 0l
operated Us n speedy messenger in bringing up
the fire engines which now proceeded IRON every
quarter of London at tearing gaop to the scene
Of the eonlagration. There was no want OF wa
ter, but neither the engine nor water were OF any
avnil in saving the property. The theatre olazed
within its four hollow walls like fufnac"'and at
huff past Il O'Clock the roof fell in with trenen-
dous crash Showers of fiery sparks and burning
charcoal were thrown up and then poured down
upon the streets, which were now crowded with
people.
In Bow street the Royal Italian Opera Hotel
and the adjoining houses were almost on hre sew
eral times and il required the constant applioa-
ton Of largo volumes of water to cool their bis
tered fronts. In Hart street,a narrow thorough
fare bounding the theatre tho north great
danger was apprehended and incessant vigilance
required. At the south sido of tho theatre, IN
Bow street the back of the police office had at
one time ignited. Thu Piazza, Tayistock, and
Bedford Hotels were all moro or less injured by
the fire; and had the wind set from the eastward
nothing could have saved that side of the mar
kot. OF the theatre nothing remains but the
skeleton and ruined walls. All the scenery
the exquisite productions of Grieve and Telbin--
the splendid properties of the theatre-the ward
rohes.the mountngs-the dramatic library
the valuable operate scores-some OF which can
never be replaced, as the Etisir d Amore, OF
Donzeiti, and the Oberon Of Weber-all are
} gone.