The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-03-27
GBe 9ailg gonruaL
EXTRACTS FROM FOREIGN PAPERS
Received BY THE PERSIA.


TERRIFIC AND EXCITING SCENES
Total Destruction of Convent Garden Theatre
I I'LL the Scenery, Wdryl1obes afta Properties De-
stroyed- Valuable Dramatic Library Burned
At an early hour on Wednesday morning,
the 5th,a calamltous FIRE originated in Convent
Garden Theatre, which speedily reduced to q
mass of shapeless ruins that magnificent build
ling. During the whole night the theatre had
lbeen the scene of Bal llasque under the
management of Professor Anderson, the So
called Wizard Of the North, and the reveIS oi
the dancers had not concluded when the con-
fagraton broke out. Many of the dancers
| left between two and three in the morning;
fothers remained much later; and as five O'Clock
approached, not more than two hundred per-
sons were assembled in front of the temporary
orchestra, which, on this occasion, was thrown
back to the extreme end of Of the stage The
last orgie was completed, and Mr.. Anderson.
observing the tagging spirits of his guests
gave the signal to his master of the ceremonies
to close the revels with the usual finale of
"God save the Queen" At this moment
man, who was engaged in conversation with
Castle, the fireman, observed bright light
Ishining through the chinks and creyices of the
flooring in the carpenters shop, high overhead.
In an instant both of them left the stage and
lhastened up towards the point of danger. =
Neither their departure nor their errand had
been observed, and the crowd below them still
kept up the chorus to the music of the Ma
tional Anthem.
The orchestra had not ceased playing the
National Anthem when the sudden descent
upon the stage of one of the beams, round
which part of the scenery was rolled, gave the
first intimation of danger to the assemblage
below. Mr.. Anderson himself was the first to
Al. u
tumult which this announcement occasioned
may readily be imagined. The few remaining
masquers rushed precipitately to the various
entrances-of which the police took immed-
ate possession, and were thus enabled to res
cue from the selfish alarm of many of the
stronger sex their terror stricken partners
Several women were trampled on, and some
were carried out fainting, but none were seri-
ously injured. There was something hideous
in this sudden change from mad revelry to
CHASTITY fear.
Already the rush of air towards the roof
had famed the fire into brighter life and ferc-
er energy. Wreaths of white smoke, with
here and there a lambent fame, began to curl
from under the proscenium into the body ofl
the theatre. The musicians leaped from their
seats and fed, in many cases without even
saving their cherished instruments. The in
terror of the theatre was almost Immediately !
cleared of the visitors. There was no time for
thought or plan. The flames rushed forward,
and whirling round the interior made it at
once their own. A body of officers under the
direction of Superintendent Darkin took |
early possession of the various doors and en-
frances and by judicious efforts prevented the
excited multitude from forcing their way mad
ly into the burning house.
The proceeds of the night, which lay in the |
treasury, were rescued from danger. |
1t was now hardly s o'clock, and yet in the
few minutes which had elapsed the doors of
the theatre had been scaled. The flames had |
burst through the roof, sending high up in the !
air columns of fire, which threw into bright |
reflection every tower and spire within the |
circuit of the metropolis; brilliantly illumina-
ting the whole fabric of st. Paul's and throw
ing flood of light across Waterloo bridge,
which set out in bold relief the dark outline of
tie Surrey hills in the distance. This glare
operated as speedy messenger in bringing
up the fire engines, which now proceed from
every quarter of London, at a tearing gallop,
to the scene of the conflagLation. There was
no want of water, but neither engine nor wa
ter were Of any avail in saving The property
The theatre blazed within its four hollow walls
like furnace, and at half-past O'Clock the
roof fell in with a tremendous crash. Show
ers of fiery sparks and burning charcoal were
thrown up and then poured down upon the
streets, which were now crowded with peo- |
pie
Of the theatre nothing remains but the
skeleton and ruined walls. All the scenery
the exquisite productions of Grieve and Tel
bin-the splendid properties Of the theatre
the wardrobes--the mountings-the dramatic
library-the valuable operatic scores-some of
which can never be replaced, as the Elisir d
Aesore, of Donizetti, and the Oberon of Weber
all are gone.
AN INCIDENT.
In Princes place, the courtyard by which
Her Majesty entered the house, one attempt
at salvage was successful. The properties"
appertaining to the Wizards tricks were in an |