The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1856-04-05
pestrae.lon 81 covent Garden Ths..sr.

e " N0AAGH = AASaASks
In the London papers brought BY the steam
ship Persia, We have NE following account Of
he total destruction Of Covent Garden theater
,at an earlyhour on the morning Of tie 9th
inst:
At m early hour on Wednesday morning,
the 9th, a calamitous fire originated in Coyent
Garden theatery which speedily reduced to a
mass of shapcless ruins that magnificent build
fng.a During tie whole night The sater had
been the scene Of Bal Masque, under the
management Of Prof. Anderson, the so-called
Wizard Of the North, aud, the reveIs of. the
.sslancers had not concluded when the confagra-
Zion broke out. Many Of the dancers left be-
Tween aid 3 III the morning others remained
much later and az 5sd'clock hpproached, not
more than two hundred persons were assembled
in front Of thu temporary orchestra, which, on
this occasion was thrown back to the extreme
end Of the stage. The last orgie was compile
ted, and Mr.. Anderson, observing the tagging
spirits of his guests, gave the signal 70 his
master Of the ceremonies to close the reyels
with the usual finale Of g God save the Queen
AT. this moment q man, who was engaged in
conversation with Castle, the fireman, observed
q bright light shining through the chinks and
~crevices of the flooring in the carpenters shop,
high overheard. In an instant both Of them
left the stage and hastened to the point of
danger. Neither their departure nor their
errand had been observed, and the crowd be-
low them still kept up the chorus t.. the music
Of the National 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
give the alarm Of "fre /" and the terror and
may readily be imagined. The few remaining
masquers rushed precipitately to the various
entrances of which The police took immediate
possession, and were thus enabled to rescue
from their terror-stricken partners. Several
women we're trampled ON AMI some carried ont
faintipg. but none were seriously injured. There
was something hideous in this sudden change
from mad revelry to CHASTITY fear..
Already the rush Of air toward the roof had
famed the fire into brighter life and 6ercer
energy. Wreaths Of white smoke with here
and there a lambert fame, began to' curl from
under II, the proscenium into the body Of the
theater. The musicians leaped from their
seats and fed. in many instances without even
saving their cherished instruments. The iute-
rior Of, the theater 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 VIII. Aebody Of officers under the direc-
ton Of Superintendent Darkin took early DOS
session Of the various doors and entrances, and
by iudicious efforts prevented the excited null
titude from forcing their way madly into the
burning house.
1t was now hardly s o'clock. and vet in the
few minutes which had e]apsed the doors of the
theater had been scaled, The flames had burst
through the roof. sending hich mn in the air
columns Of fire, which threw into bright re
Election every tower and SHIRE within the circpit
of the metropolis. brilliantly Illuminating the
whole fabric of St. Paul's, and throwing a
flood Of light across Waterloo bridge, which
set out in bold relief the dark outline of the
Surrey Hills in the distance. This plare
operated as d speedy messenger in bringing up
the fire engines. which now come from every
quarter Of London. at a tearing gallon. to the
scene of the conHaeration, There was no want
Of water. Int neither eneine nor water were
of any avail in saving the property. The
theater blazed within its four hollow walls like
a furnace, and at half past 6 o'clock the roof
fell in with q tremendous crash. Showers Of
fiery sparks and burning charcoal were thrown
IN and then poured down upon the streets.
which we're now crowded with people.
In Bow street the Royal italian Opera
| Hotel and the adjoining houses were almost on
fire several times, and It required the constant
application of large volumes of water to cool
their blistered fronts. In Hart street. a narrow
thorougkseare bounding the theater on the
north, reat danger was apprehended and
incessanx vigilance required. At the south
side ofSthe theater in Bow street, the back of
the police Office had ut one tint ignited. The
Piazza, Tavistock and Bedford Hotels were oil
more or less injured by the fire and had the
wind set from the eastward nothing could have
saved that side Of the market. OF the theater
nothing remains but the skeleton and ruined
walls. All the scenery-the exquisite pro-
ductions of Grieye and Telbin-the splendid
properties of the theater-the wardrobe-the
mountings-the dramatic library--the valua-
Bile operate scores-some of which can never
be replaced, as the " Elisir d'Amore," of Don
izetti, and the " Obcron I" Of Weber--aIl are
gone.
The f" properties " appertaining to the Wiz
ards tricks were in an apartment very near