Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-01-06

Destruction Of the Theetsr and ether yalua.
bic Buildings.

Destruction OF the Thep ter and 9th er Nalua.
bic Buildings.
From the Richmond w hig Of Friday we make
up the following account of the great confagra-
ton In that city on the morning Of the ID inst,
destroying the Theater, Marshall Hotel, ard
other property:
The FIRE broke out in the Theater about
O'Clock a. m e, and before the bells were rung the
flames burst out through the windows, envelop-
ing the whole building. The manager Of the
Ogden, a member of the dramatic Company, &C.
cupied room in the front part of the building,
and were aroused from their slumber by the ex-
plosien Of musksts in the property room, and the
efforts OF Lieut.. Cone, OF the night watch, to
break open the front gallery door. They seized
their clothes and ran into the street TO escape suf
location. After dressing hastily, they returned
to the apartment to save some Of their valuable
effects, and while engaged in this effort, which
was only partially successful, Prof. Hewitt burnt
his right hand badly, and had bis hair and NOUS
tache singed. box containing several hundred
dollars, and sundry account books, papers, etc,
were saved; but, with thisexception, the contents
Of the room were necessarily abandoned to the
devouTing fire.
The loss sustained by Prof Hewitt cannot be
calculated by dollars and cents. OralOrios, playa
songs, etc, of his composition, the production of
a lifetime, together with the library and manu-
scripts Of the establishment, which cannot be
replaced, were all DESTROYED. Behind the proce-
MUM were the costly wardrobes, furniture, see
merry and general appointments, valued at thou
sands Of dollars, and In various parts of the
building was the Less valuable but rare collection
OF portraits Of professional celebrities and repre-
sensations of dramatic scenes. Much Of this
property formerly belonged to Messrs Kunkel 4
Co. but had passed into the possession Of Mrs. r.
Magill, the owner Of the building The members
Of the orchestra lost all their Instruments inclu
ding base viOl, three violiRs, two French horns
valued, collectively, at $500. Prof Loebman, the
Leader, lost large collection of music, the accu-
mutation Of years, estimated to be worth 800
All Of the company and attaches suffered more or
less by the disaster; but Miss JEANNE Taylor
talned the most serious loss, her wardrobe, Jew
elry, &c, being valued at 81 200.
The theater belonged to Mrs. Elizabeth Magill
having been purchased by her, at public auction
on the 10th OF May, 1855. The building was in
sured TO the amount Of S25 900, IN the following
Offices Richmond Fire Association, e, 600; Able.
IS 600; and Merchants, 81, 900. The contents Of
the building, which, with the exceptions men,
toned, were all destroyed, were uninsured The
loss Is estimated at the round sum Of sos oOO but
this probably embraces the eXtrinsic value OF some
Of the property.
The Marshall Hotel caught from the tbeater
and was badly burned, besides seriously injured
by the foods of water poured in. A military
button factUiy was crushed by the falling walls
Of the theat0r and other buildings In the vicinity
were either destroyed or damaged to a great ex-
tent, the whole amounting to several thousand
dollars The Wing Gays:
1.-The fire was undoubtedly the work of a mali
ciOus incendiary. Various speculations are af oat
but there Is no clue we believe 10 the perpetrator
We have heard II stated that The fire was predicted
week ago. The prOprietress has already, we
learn, resolved 10 rebuild the theater on an i'm
proved plan"