The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-02-16
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE
SKETCH OF THE BUILDINGS.
TIE LOSSES AND ASSURANCES.
SCENES AND INCIDENTS.


eleven NJ and was extngushed In about three hours
ORIGIN or TnE FIRE.
The flames supposed broke out In the saloon of
| the theatre and wore nrst discovered by
who had been engaged to cleanse the the dancing
hall, In preparation for the ball Of tho Highland regi
ment which was TO have taken place there last evening
They attempted put out the ncpent conformation by
throwing pals full OF water upon but without success
IL having thus carly gained too great Roadway be
vsbly affected by their ancient but not extremely
olllcacious fro department Something more was
needed, and tho alarm which tho women sounded
soon brought the required assistance to tho
place. And still the Metropoitans no, able
to the edace liz valuable contents.
Another statement II that the fire caused by a
s,ovopipo in the property ROOM becoming detached
the thimblc through which II passed 10 the chin
ney nue, communicated the spark to the light and in
nammabe materials collected there and that the men
in the theatre although they tried hard 10 do So
unable TO extngush the fire. Some mistake In the
fittings OF the hose pipe to the hydrant prevented them
from at putting in the appliances furnished
expressly for such emergencies or all the Stage
properties of the theatre, with the wardrobes Of the
actors and actresses. were quickly consumed
SPREADING or THE FLAMES.
While tho attaches Of the theatre persons attracted
by curiosity the spot busly engaged In saving
such property they could carry out the Unsuitable
ncnd within the building did rest. Licking W,
with single movement Of ia a-consunng tongue the
combusblc wings flats and drops of tho stage rushed
s way into the oors the surrounding wood work and
the seats Of the auditorium. Thence II glded towards
the ceilings, and then through these climbed upon nvsi
bic ladders TO tho dancing room, only To- penetrate after
brief period to the roof and TO burst from Granny
and corner into the foil leht Of day This
pshed, the flames had II nearly all thor way The
water thrown upon them seemed only to make Thorn
mere rayenous and destructive. The wind catching
them bore them aloft and continued until new ma.
| grew the times heated furnace below, upon
which. by this time, tho brave 1rcmen throwing
dozen different streams Working toward Crosby street.
was in less than hour evident that the walls 81
the building must inevitably give way and preparations
ton Of this wall did fail At about twelve o'clock II gave
| the nrcmcn entrance and the heat an exit, Which
eventually brought about the conqueng OF the clement
which accomplished at about three O'Clock In the
afternoon
THE CITY ASSEMBLY ROOMS.
| Alker's Rooms, better known the CITY Assembly
Rooms were built In 1896, by q. W. Miller, on
TIE site OF the former building aes.royea 10y c ~ 20,
ball ROOM spacious supper dressing and retiring rooms
The ball room Was certainly the nes: one In tn" city
| In addition to its dimennona which were very large
the noor the best for dancing Ia the coun
try. Il capable Of anordng dancing facl
there was no overcrowdns |, was well ventilated an
handsomely decorated. Each year made these room
the OF larger number OF reunions than any ote
room in the city. 1t necessary, great was the d
msnd FOR them, 10 engage them one year ahead and tn
year they rented every night the
fnent Of April some Of the most fashionable ball
given were held here; and tho uniform consideration
with which all gatherings were treated by liz poprieto
Insured the this extensive patronage In addition
10 their usage for bali purposes concerto bazar fame,
fars and other smusemeDs held there through h'
| summer months Their admirable position on Broad
| way made them great favoritcs with all parties Las
evening the annual ball Of the Seventy ninth Highland
10 have been held there but their present
dton hardly conducive Ia Tcrpschorean exercises the
ball has been postponed 20 the LIST proxirno, when will
have been held there this and next week
were those Of the Henry Clay Asfociaiion, Mutual
Base Ball Club, Second regiment, Odd Fellows &c To
these bodies the loss will be- great one A. y In very
dhcult 10 procure premises for holding tall NJ tnch
advanced period u the Many Of our fair New
Workers viii remember with pleasure the many ENJOY
able evenings they have spent ROOM VII ch from
time honorcd recollection they had begun 70 look upon
the most like home Of any the city Tho property
estate, but was recently purchased by Mr. y Matthew
| THE aasKIcAs THEATRE.
The American theatre situated almost Underneath
The balrugn oi the CITY Assembly Rooms Beigf. mo
IRE n 1854 the prrnises usrd minstrel hnli.
! at various times being occupied BY Chnstys, woods
and Canpbcllz COMPANIES
| rHg scySg OK RRoADvAY
~ one O'Clock the scene broadway was ~ p~cu
har character Tor this crowded thoroughfae Prom How
ar strot ~ Grand street occuItrd ~ The engine
with their hose and workers The hiysnx q tIe ~aisr
as u fell on the burning building, together nth The
I voices of tho engineers A. they issued orderf
Il 10 their asristantS A. times the entire block
would be- onvcloped in smoke which cleared sway only
At0 di'cosc the banning mas which the numerous
Ftroains OF water we're playing The Htare- eitLcr
idc OF the way aloag The whole block Of
y.cd, aud the Sidewalk the Not sfe covered W
he proirty saved protected from the water ~ huge
'arpauins The police admitted none hot tho'e on
lps al bnsnes pass acro.s the blOrk and i'm
.r.c crowd ~ spectators reached from Grand
Jon tho side and from Howard ~ Canal on the
lother. The police kept back the pressing crowd Al
either end effectively, and 40 the Gfeusn enabled
% work for the extinction u The hfe without obstruc
ton The centre of the street presented complete not
bon their through rents thus rendering The ct
lmo-phsre rayther damp In fact ne position = spec
aiors IN this neishborhood was anything bu inviting
Az asuafss fscfDsSr.
Over the door u The No 90, kept by " El-s
Imam dealer In boots and shOrs, LArge gt rr1fr.
ls.u,siion q The trade Of ~ proprietor u VS. ON
petsiy isolated and stood out 10 peculiar relief from tba
lbackenei wall In the upper vnd0vr nntBbsr q IRE
men we're engaged throwing oot The ehs'i and bls1ng
beams which capable - detsr hment A. zach
cssaivs beam fell from the window umsl ately the
boo, ~ Derrnabency fearfuly leotsriEsd specu
ttfon vastfe among the crowd and
small bea wcrs made 70 how long world maintain
IL position NE beams fell around and about IN iafss
hurni,ers bot thef. ssSsi 'm,aosaas . y ~ ING
chair dd what the beAa could MT acos~npisb struck
the upper leather. In Ne fall. and boss a. mid shosi
i from The spcctators W the ground
1 rRoIEN CRsTgH.
A. urse ocock, the flames having be~n completely
got under the sssDe pfsssnted uA pecalisry nrsins
cles hung from the shafts u tho rnnehiDs and The
ooax and bats u the rremsn we're thcsly sncrgsssd
-,h ". .Aas sso.ne Ins ~ w vys
| had played rnoe the outbreak o. the trs
verted into Voc and coDpsts msnil~ u that Material
ooated the vail. lcclss soBe u graf sngth, kgng
from the vind0~ sIis, pillars kAbkrnens and every
available syot While within the roi'ing votunes n
smoke showed that the tsnp~rai8rc thsre 80 gate
| ~ ny<srste. The coping the TOY q the buldifg
heavily ornsmsntsd BY TIE rss'sfiat athouh
Al frequent intervals smoke aud aane~ mMasd funn
a. proebis that the ~ bsrr-r nos formed hD4ed
| srcsiiy 10 tbs preservation a tha frps vail
The uassEr asD NOV rHEr wohrgp.
Too ns,h credit canno - lsatO~s ~ ul<s ne tfrnfn
ebeAred IN the eftinc,on ~ NJ fans seldom a. soy
oonnagrnton have sseh rea sssane and spds'nhca sn
erhlbted The coif lrpersfufs II tho sknlaesfa ~
h.,etx ee,s.,et, "a, ..~t -. -. .nd tst Al vSrtsf