Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-03-27
The Burning of Pixies Opera House, Cincinnati
from the Commercial


The first spark of fire which presaged the terrible
catastrophe we are about to chronicle, the most de-
structiye perhaps ever witnessed in this city,
communicated to the scenery back of the stage,
the immense mass of which, of canvas, oil and
paint was all in a mass of flames in two or three
minutes. In five minutes the flames had wrapped
the whole magnificent interior of stage and audito-
RUM and burst through the rear portion of the
roof On the wings of the draft thus provided, the
flames shot up to great height, and Tapped over
upon adjoining buildings. The night darkness was
Illuminated with the immense sheets of flames,
which hung over the doomed ornament Of the city
the palatial seat of the drama and of music
Soon huge masses of black smoke burst from the
cornice of the Fourth street front Windows
Gradually the light like the rays OF the morn
ing sun in midsummer, cleaned through the win
dOws, and told the story of utter and com
plete destruction they burst through the glass and
shot out their forked tongues and spit huge flakes OF
flaming substance high in the air. AT a quarter OF
twelve the scene was exciting in the extreme. The
half square bounded by Fourth, Vine, Baker and
Walnut streets, had a dome of luridly cleaning
flames, through which columns OF smoke shot up,
and from which showers of sparks and punches OF
flames foated upward and then descended upon the
burning mass below, and upon the brightly illumi-
mated streets where tens of thousands were congre-
gated, gazing in awe upon the terrible work OF the
destroying element. The dome and ceiling with
their gorgeous and artistic ornamentation, upon
which the ewes of citizens and strangers have gazed
in silent admiration, fell, with the roof with ter
rife crash and there burst upward dazzling light,
binding in its intensity. Then fell the ornamental
portion of the surmounts of the front wall, and the
total destruction of all was plain.
Mr.. PIXIES LOSS
is over million of dollars, on which there is an in
surance of not $4,000. Nothing is left to him
of all that magnificent property, save the smoking
ruins and fre-coyered grounds. ..
When Mr.. Pike heard the alarm he was in his
room in the Burnett House, fronting Vine street.
Looking out, he saw the flames rush in flood
through the roof in the neighborhood of the CHM
ney-sfack. While he was upon the street. for few
minutes, some scoundrel picked his pocket, taking
his watch. This Mr. Pike described as adding in
suit to injury" He viewed the tremendous scene,
in which million of his property was vanishing,
from the roof of the Burnet House. with more calm
ness than the majority of the multitude specta.
tors. Whatever dauntless spirit and unwearied
energy on his part can do to repair this great loss
will certainly be DONE He is entirely unable to ac-
count for the beginning of the calamity, and, 1T
were not that he is unconscious of having an enemy
in the world, he would think it must be the work of
an incendiary The private Waterman, constantly
on duty in the building is unable to account for it.
He thinks the first appearance of fire in the up
per part of the house, near the roof.
Mr.. Morris Simmonds, acting manager of the
house. passed the stage after the audience
had retired, and there were no signs Of fire. he had
not left the building, when, hearing noise like the
rushing of mighty storm, he ran into the audito-
rum to find it a whirlwind of flames.