Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1856-04-05
Awful Conf lagra SION.

the dancers had not concluded when the contia- |
grafton broke out 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
wrapped, gave the FIRST intematio OF danger to
the assembage below. Mr.. Anderson himself
was the first to give the alarm of fire, and the
terror and tumut which this announcement oc-
casioned may be readily mag lined. The few re-
mainidg masquers rushed precipitately to the
various entrances. of which the police took i'm
mediate possession, and were thus enabled to
save from the selfish alarm of the stronger sex
their terror stricken partners 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 fear.
Already the rush of air towards the roof had
famed the fire into brighter life and fiercer en-
ergy. Wreaths Of white smoke, here and there
a lambert fame, began to curl from the prosce
mum into the body of the theatre. The musicians
leaped from their seats and fled, in many cases
without saving their cherished instruments.
The interior Of the theatre almost Immediately
cleared of the visitors. There was no time for
thought or plan. 1t nearly 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
cnlumns of fire, which threw into the bright re-
Election every tower and spirc within the circuit of
the metropolis, brilliantly illuminating the whole
fabric of St Paul's, and throwing flood of light
across Waterloo bridge which set out in bold relief
the dark outline of the Surrey hills in the distance
This glare operated as a speedy messenger in
bringing up the tire-engnes, which now proceed
from every quarter of London, at tearing gallop,
to the scene of the confagration. There was no
want of water, but neither engine nor water were
of any avail in saving the property. The theatre
blazed within its four walls like furnace and at
halfpast six o'clock the roof fell in with trenaen
dous crash. 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
robes-the mountings--the dramatic library-the
valuable operate scores, some of which can never
he replaced, as the "Elisir d'Amore' of Donizett,
and the "Oberon" of Weber-all are gone.
TIL. value of property destroyed is something
fabulous. An approximate estimate may be formed
from the fact that in producing the several operas
contained in the repertoire Of the theatre, when
under the management of Mr.. Deafeld no less
than 100000 were expended of which the four
operas, the Prophet, the Hugenots, Lucretia Bor
gia, and La Donna del Lago, cost twenty-five thou
sand pounds
The valuable dramatic library belonging to the
theatre, unique of its kind is gone in tine general
wreck. The original manuscript of the Scoo for
Scandal, the Miller and his Men, the opera of the
Slave, and hundreds of other cufions works were
here preserved. The armory containing more than
A hundred suits, and occupying series of rooms,
is wholly destroyed In fact, nothing is spared.
Four original pictures by Hogarth, representing
the seasons, which hung upon the walls Of Mr..
Guves private room within only few PAGES of
the box Office, could not be saved so rapid the
a., IL, e ~,
lamity, nothing is known at present.
1t has been stated that the building itself is I'M
insured. This is too true and the loss will be ter
rible to those propretors who hold large number
Of shares Among them NAV be mentioned the |
kemble family. The only assurances known to |
exist in connection with the building are two-one
of $4,000 upon a portion of the properties, and |
another of f20O effected by Mr.. Anderson, when |
he entered upon the occupation Of the theatre for
three months, which insurance would have expired |
on Saturday next.
The proceeds of the night, which lay in the
treasury, were rescued fom danger.
NOTES on THE MIssIssIprI-Tbe story is IA
miliar of the man who took passage in fat
boat from Pittsburgh bound for New Orleans.
He passed many dreary, listless days on his
way down the Ohio and Mississippi and see
med to be Responding for want of excitement.
he was quiet and inofensive
practically, he good natured and kindly
disposed. In the course of time, the craft up
on which he was passenger put into Napoleon.
in the State Of Arkansas, 'sfor groceries" At
the moment there was general fight extending
all along the 'front of the town." which at the
time consisted of single house.
The unhappy passenger after fdgethg about
and jerking his feet up and down, as If lie were
walking on hot bricks, turned to a ''used up
spectator and observed:
stranger, is this a free fight ~
The reply was prompt and to the point.
g 1t ar, and if you wish to go in, don't stand
on ceremony"
The wayfarer did ego in," and in less time
than we can relate the circumstance, he was lit
orally chawed up. Cropping his was down to the
fat. his hair gone, his eyes closed, his lips swol
len and his face generally 'smopped out" he
sat himself down upon chicken-coop and SOL
iloquized thus: "s
$50 this is Napoleon, is it!-upon my
word it's lively place, and the only one at
which have had any fun since left home"
New METHOD OF RAISING FRUIT TREEs.-The
Patent Office is in receipt of information from
England, in regard to raising fruit in what are
termed orchard houses, by planting small trees
in potts. The writer says that few old sashes,
Il loor ollx 49,