Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-25

From the Cincinnati Gazette. March 81
The most terrible and fiercely destructive
FIRE ever known in the annals Of Cincinnati
history, took place last night. TIE beauti-
full art palace, Pixies Opera House, which
bat yesterday stood in all its splendor, is no
more, and the only yestige remaining of Gin
cinnatfs grandest ornament is pile of
blackened, smoldering ruins.
THE EXPLOSION.
About fifteen minutes past II o'clock,
those Of our citizens who were near. the
corner OF Fourth and Vine streets, were
startled by a loud explosion, followed al
most Immediately by rumbling noise like
that Of thunder. Almost before sufficient
time hal elapsed for those in the vicinity 10
realize that an explosion had taken place,
the whole heavens were brilliantly iliumin-
ated, and the flames were seen to dart forth
from the Opera House. and before the alarm
was given, the whole back portion of that
beautiful edihce was in flames.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
At the time the curtain rose for the per-
Torrance Of the last act of Midsummer
Nights Dream, the odor Of gas escaping was
evident to all, and when the curtain descen-
ded, after the play was concluded, the smell
was just as strong. The audience dispersed,
and the building was locked up. About half
past eleven o'clock, the private Waterman
Of the building, Michael Toohey, started
with lantern 20 go through the building,
TO make sure that all was safe. Since that
time, and up to the present writing, ] A. M,
nothing has been seen Of him. II is sup
posed shat upon opening the door of the
scenic room where the gas had undoubtedly
been escaping, il ignited, and the explosion
ensued. Many theories as to the origin of
this most terrible fire have been advanced,
but the one cited above seems to be the most
plausible, both from the fact that an explo-
sion took place, and that the Waterman,
Toohey, who ii is positively asserted went
through the building, has not since been
seen.
THE FIRE SPREADS.
In less than five minutes after the first
flames were seen to issue from the fourth
story windows Of the back part of the build
ing the whole back portion of the roof was
a mass Of flames. In less than five minutes
more the whole roof was grasped so tightly
in the arms of that furious fiend, fire, that it
at once became evident that no human
efforts would be successful in getting it under
way. The flames spread with fearful fury,
and almost before those who had quickly
gathered on the spot could realize that the
terrible spectacle before them was not
a dream, the whole inside Of the building
was in one mass of flames. The fire, in its de-
mon fury, next communicated TO the
rear portion Of the roof of the
ENQUIRER OFFICE.
From there to a small frame building on the
upper side of Baker street, occupied by II.
7. Hopkins, sign painter; from there 10 the
gambling house of Leur e Mead, immedi-
ately in the rear of the Opera House; then
Immediately east to the stable Of the Adams
Express Company; thence across the street
TO the roof of Whaley's gambling house, all
on Baker street. on the Fourth street square.
Ii spread from the Opera House to the two
three story buildings between the Opera
House and Sprague's building On the east
it communicated to the four story brick
building occupied by S. Holmes & Co. as a
wall paper and window shade establishment.
At the present writing-l:30 A. Nall the
buildings mentioned above are burning
iercely, and the excitement is SO intense that
it is impossible to get at the facts.
lsAAA-tN Ly1o O4N IOAAAh oAhEEis
Al $50 this morning, we learn the follow
ing particulars Of the loss on Fourth street:
Pixies OPERA HousE.-In this building
were the Adams Express Company; the
National Union office; Buckeye Billiard
Saloon Western Agent Wheeler q Will
sons Sewing Machines, and also Bradbury's
Pianos A. @. Peters q Co, music publish
ers; Strowbridge & Gerlach, photographers;
Bryant Stratton &c Del1an's Commercial
College; Harpels commercial printing Of
fee. East of Pixies were +. p. Hubby,
boot and shoemaker; S. Holmes & Son,
paper-hangers; d. ii. Baldwin, agent for
sale of pianos, organs and melodeons; John
Il. Wilson, merchant; A. I. Clark, gents
furnishing store. West of Pixies were
the +" DO You Smile" Saloon Niblett & At
kinson's saloon; j. w. Langley, dealer in
gars tobacco, etc, and gambling house.
Mr.. s. n. Pixies loss is estimated
at 100000, on which was an i'm
surance of only $4,000. Mr.. S.
Wilson's cloak house, on the upper side
of Fourth, caught fire and was damaged TO
the extent Of about $1,000; fully insured.
Messrs Niblett & Atkinson's loss is about
SlS,000 on which there was insurance of
$4,000 The "Do You Smile" saloon loss
is about $4,000, partly insured. Buckeye
Billiard Saloon-loss about $4,000, partly
insured. Harpels loss about $4,000, no in
surance. Bryant, Stratton & DeHan, loss
about $4,000, nc insurance. Strauss, artist,
loss in paintings, about $1,000, no insurance.
Strowbridge & Co, photographers, estimated
loss, $4,000. A. @. Peters, loss about $685.
600. Wheeler a. Wilson, heavy loss, as they
had large stock of sewing machines on
hand, could not learn whether insured or
not. Adams Express Company, loss not
known, papers and valuable documents
saved. s. Holmes & Son, +. p. Hulder,
John ]. Wise and A. j. Clarke were dam
aged more by water than 10y fire. The losses
we were unable TO ascertain. The building
on the corner Of Fourth and Vine, occupied
by Sprague, as clothier, w. b. Clapp & Co,
of jewelry, and number of
Others, was not damaged whatever, notwith-
standing the flames ragged on the east side
and rear Of il to fearful extent.
Philip Phillips, agent for Bradbury's Pr
amos, next door to Wheeler a. Wilson, suffer
ed a heavy loss.
r, w. Carroll & Co, book publishers
loss estimated at 100000 in stock, partly
covered by insurance. Daily National Union
oflioe--loss estimated at 81 900, on which
there Is no insurance.
VINE STREET.
The flames, as we have already said, from
the Opera House spread rapidly 10 the En-
Quircr Office, on the corner of Vine and Ba-
ker streets, commencing their ravages at the
back part of that building. They quickly
communicated TO the interior, and soon the
whole building was in a mass of fire. The |
upper portion of the back wall soon fell, and
was followed By the floor of the fourth story,
was used as che news room. The falling of
this floor neeessitated the falling of that of
the story Immediately underneath, and the
burning debris which descended with it, soon
fired the whole building. The fremen work
ed with heroic fortitude, but their efforts
were entirely Ruthless and at the present
writing, the whole building Is mass of
unsightly and blackened ruins.
Messrs. Farran & Mclean, the proprietor
of the Enquirer, estimate their loss at $780,
600, upon which they have an insurance Of
nearly 100000. The four cylinder press,
located in the cellar, is covered with the
debris. and il is impossible 20 tell how badly
Il is injured. In the stOreroom, on the third
Aoor were stored great number of valua-
bic cuts, Sl7 600 worth Of which were own
ed by Mr.. John Robinson, the circus mama
ger. Upon this there was no insurance.
RAKER STREET.
On Baker street the flames made sad ava-
ges. They first commenced At the stable of
Adams Express Company, located in the
r