New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-05-23
DESTRUCTION BY FIRE OF THE
ACADEMY OF MUSIC.

The Academy Of Music Fourteenthst. was
totally destroyed by fire on Monday night, as our
readers were informed in tho full report in the Post
script of yesterday mornings paper. Grau's COM
pany had that evening performed Haleyy's grand
opera La Juve,' and the house had scarcely been
cleared Of its occupants before the janor and the
gas-man going their rounds to that all was safe,
discovered smoke issuing from underneath the left
side of the parquet They hastily tore up the
seats when a volume Of smoke issued which drove
them from tho place; and, rushing from the build.
ing TO call for assistance they perceived flames burst
ing from the upper windows on Fourteenth-st This
could not have occurred accidentally. The janitor,
Mr.. Rullman, Immediately returned to save his
family who lived in the building: among them, his
mother nearly 90 years Of age. lie rescued
them all, but with great difficulty. Before
any effective aid could be rendered the fire had
gained such Roadway among the combustible mate
rails on the stage that nothing could check its
The Academy was entirely burned out, as were the
Medical College, lines pianoforte manufactory, and
the large restaurant the corner of Thirdave. Sad
to say, two Gremen lost their lives in their en-
deavors to save the property.
The destruction Of so prominent public building
is unquestonably severe loss and great nconyen-
ence to many people; yet we have reason to think
that from this calamity ultimate public good will
arise The Academy was built by party Of gentle
men, headed by Mr.. James Phalen, who owned the
ground on which il stood leach taking certain amount
of stock the possession of which conferred privi-
leees very favorable to the holders, but highly
prejudical TO the interests of the manager and the
public II gave the stockholders exclusive possession
A.. all o-f.,r
ances, with the right to dispose Of them by gift or
sale on the nights when they did not wish personally
to use them. In consequence large number Of
stockholders seats were constantly on SALE to the
serious financial injury Of the manager These gentle
men procured State act Of incorporation under the
pretentious title of "The Academy Of Music" which
was to cover not only plan for operate perform
ances, but school for singers instrumentalists
theory, &c, &c. We need not say that this was all
pretense. No school established; nothing was
done for art excepting TO provide place where operas
could be given.
The cost of the building ground, &c. was, we be
lieve, nearly 100000, and the rental necessarily
30 enormous considering the stockholders exclusive
privileges that almost every management became
bankrupt in eudeavorng to sustain ITSELF The house
was wretchedy designed in every particular. The
auditorium was too large and the stage too small
while there was not decently proportional room in
the whole building. Before certain alterations
were made in the auditorium II was found that
there were several hundred seats from which view
of the stage could be obtained. The enormous gal
lery called the Ampheater calculated to seat many
hundreds of people-two-thirds of whom could not see
the top Of the curtainwas ridiculous waste Of room
and did not nothing TO swell the receipts of the house.
There we're no supper.rooms to render the building
realy available for Ball purposes no small hall for
Concert purposes ana 10 suites Of rooms to &C.
commodate the pupils of the mythical Academy
Of Music Its acoustic capacities were BIZ no means