The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-19
GREAT FIRE IN NEW YORK.

sanu OOhars-Cause OF the FIRE Un-
known, Etc.
From the Neto York Herald of to-day.
Yesterday afternoon another great fire oc-
Cured in this city, resulting In the total de-
struction of one of our well-known places of
dramatic entertainment Between the hours of
4 and O'CLOCK P. M. the entire structure known
as the New Bowery Theatre was crumbled
into Tunous Masses leaving scarcely anything
to identity 1t except the supporting columns and
arches which formed the front entrancess
About twenty FIVE minutes past O'clock the
residents of Elizabeth street we're startled by
vivid hasbngs of light, which cleaned un-
steadily in the windows and glanced on the
dark grey clouds above. Immediately the
flames burst out from three windows in the rear
wall, wnen the alarm was given and thousands
hurried to the scene. Those living in the
vicinity OF the theatre on Elizabeth and Hester
streets were in a state of wild excltement-now
nervously watching the extending 1ames, and
then in furry of dread, hurrying their house
hold goods out to the pavements and away from
possible danger. Fire engines came rapidly to
the spot, and the streets and houses on all sides
were crowded with eager and excited spectators
attracted from great distances by the bright
glare, (which seemed 10 predict heavier conHa-
grafton than really transpired. strong posse
of policemen were promptly detailed to pre-
serve order, and the rushing, eager masses OF
human beings were with much difficulty forced
back to lines little north of Canal and Hester
streets, and considerably to the west of Eliza
beth street. Within this compass, policemen,
firemen, and a few others only we're allowed to
enter.
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE
is wrapped in complete mystery. Many and
very extraordinary theories have been started to
account for the sudden confagration. Zach
has its peculiar believers and supporters, who
insist earnestly that it was thus and so, but
careful sitting of the evidence upon which these
very positive assumptions are based discloses
the absence of any actual data justifyng such
conclusions, and resolve them into matter purely
speculative. The most general impression, and
the one which has the greatest show OF reason
and incident to suggest it, is that it was the
work of an lncendiary, although there is nothing
whatever directing suspicion in any particular
quarter, or evidencing the existence in any
direction of sufficient motive for such an act.
The fire appeared in the rear part of the build
ing at precisely half past O'Clock, and in few
minutes afterwards flames were issuing SEEM
ingly from every part of the root. Mrs. Lewis,
head sweeper of the theatre, who, with her SUBJ
ordinates, was in the building when the fire first
made its appearance, says that it originated in
the ballet girls room, under the stage, and
spread with such fearful rapidity that she and
her companions we're obliged to make extraor-
dinary haste to escape in safety.
1t is significant fact that there were no fires
in the theatre, it being heated by steam, sup
piled from boiler situated in a vault under the
sidewalk of Elizabeth street. Another account
states that the flames first appeared in the paint
room. son of Mr.. Iingard's and one of the
property boys were in the building a short time
before the fire, but saw no sign OF anything sus-
picious. They were in ia passage.way leading
III
search of q cat, but say they used no light of
any kind. They left a little after o'clock.
When Mr.. Lingard was first informed respect
ing the fire, he suffered great anxiety of mind
because of the information conveyed to him at
the same time that his son was supposed to be
in the burning building. Subsequent inorma-
ton of the boys safety relieving him of this
fear, made the material loss caused by the fire
appear light by comparison. So rapid was the
destruction Of the building that before five
O'Clock the roof fell in with tremendous crash,
a shower of sparks which fell like hail upon
the surrounding houses and into the neghbor-
ing streets.
THE FALLING OF THE WALLS.
The fire burst out suddenly from three open
ings in the rear of the theatre, and rapidly
spread and volumed until the whole building
was ablaze, the curling flames playing fantasti-
cally in every window. The alarm was rapidly
given, when scarcely ten minutes had elapsed
from the first discovery of the fire before the
rear wall gradually swerved back and came
laundering to the ground, splintering beam and
ratter, scenesl and dramatic paraphernaiia gene
rally, and strewing the adjacent street and the
lower floor of the theatre with its scattered
ruins. The flames then burst out high and far,
the sparks, small and bright, flying out in
myriad numbers, drifting and settling down in
showers on all sides, greatly jeopardizing the
surrounding property, on which, however, the
fremen, with commendable zeal, were incessant
in their eXertions.
From the Bowery the walls in front and on
and coiling curiously about the warped and fall
ing beams, and all the floors literally burning
away. Unexpectedly, little before six O'Clock,
the front wall began to sway, until suddenly it
toppled ever with fearful crash on the street
and paVements below, amidsthe excitement OF
the people, who rushed to the ruins, fearful
lest some one had been buried beneath. The
arches and columns of the first story still re.
NAMED The telegraph wires, lamp posts, and
awnings in front were broken by the falling
masonry. The northern wall still stood, unsup
ported, and threatening the houses near it, The
southern wall also renamed and was swune
around to the rear, bending outwards from the
| flames of the theatre. From this massive brick
structure the various beams of the floor were
| projected, and all ablaze. Abouu six o'lcock 8
! portion of the second floor fell with a terrible
| crash, when great volumes of smoke wheeled
| above the ruins, and the fire began to flicker
and rapidly give way under the copious streams
From the roofs O. adjacent houses two larg,
ladders were hoisted against the northern wall
| which were used in pushing the tall mass o
| masonry back and forth, with a view to topplint
it over INTO the debris of tae theatre: The wal
swayed to and fro, the surrounding people
breathless with expectancy. But it displayed {
tantalizing degree of elasticity. These effort
| were renewed again and again, until one OF th
| chimneys fell on the next house, crushing thu
roof considerably, the most of it, however, fall
| ing to the rear. The ladders were pushed again
when huge mass rolled sullenly off from the
back end of The wall and was lost sight of amit
myriad of wild and whirling sparks. Again
the ladders were pushed, when the wall swaye'
| to and fro over an arc of several feet, every ey
uptuned towards 1t, and anxtously expecting Il
| see 1t toppe over.
Shortly before o'clock a huge, massive see
ment rolled over and crushed and crumble
among the charring timbers, the people givin
a simultaneous shout of relief as 1t fell. A tai
chimney still remained, which was tumble
down into the glowing embers beneath. Th
adjacent house caught fire on the first floor, bu