The New York herald., 1867-06-21

Farther Particulars Of the Destruction Of the
American Theatre-History Of an Unfor-
tunnfe Building.
From the Philadelphia Age, June 20
TIM ORIGIN or rHE rfRE

Il
| tunafc Building.
| From the Philadelphia Age, June 2ol
TIM ORIGIN OF THE rfRE
About ten minutes past nine last evening Of the
property OF the theatre in compsny with the stage
carpenter had occasion visit the stable. Is at the
rear END OF the theatre fronting on sansom street. and
tnree ssores high built against the theatre Of the
same materia-brick rough cast In imitation Of free
stone It Is numbered sos and sl0 The lower stories
second story sos residence by the gasmsn Of the
theatre and by the ballet girls for dressing room, and
tslOl as hayoft for the stable. The third story In
the sole occupancy OF the stage carpenter When they
entered the stable tsio Lane remarked that he smelled
| smoke, and moments observation revealed TO them
horses the property OF Mr. Fox the proprietor which
we're resoued Mr.. Lane immediatsy extinguished
smoke ssssd pou1sS out o. ss %ounss the
second story OF No Sl0 which, before stated,
occupied as hay lon he found the hay shoap Of Are
10 extnguish u deaed all his eorA II made its way
towards the STAGE for between the stable and the stage
was only slight pine partition The hrst persons he
the demon .sc the % scenery merry was s.ss SCI,
but with presence Of mind, h6 went immediately
TO inform Mr. Pilgrim, the stage manager who was nesf
flames In the stable had begun to cracke and gain head
way and already their fiery tongues had begun to lick
the top and end Of the inclined plano which Msnen
| and other masculine artists play Mazeppa and the
''perilous ascent" This inclined plane level
with the third story Of the building fronting SAMSON
street. caught fire when the hay began 70 burn, and
moment by moment brought the flames nearer the
scenery which, like As much powder boded the dessruc-
~ m oooLxnss or TIM xAsaann ~ -A
M Pilgrim, so far from exhibiting any trepidaticn,
pace Lane 40 al ne cona % esnguisn the mames While
wore all silent and expecant awaiting the chief charm
| Of the evenings entertainment. the "Demon Danca."
calmness Of tried actor who is about enact part
With which years have made him familiar, and said -
adjourn the play a this moment and You would obse mo
macs e AZ ra eS s earn p. Is your
What say will explain at another time Ladies and gen.
This curious speech, made a. il was 10 the very mids.
Of tho performance and Immediately before the very
attraction that bad brought about twoths OF tho
full audience, at first occasoned surprise When the
curtain did not rise again. despite the camor about
na arose Ts ana s ns ses @ ANA M s % dne
| OF smoke began 70 pervade the auditorium and the
pointed flames pierced the fimsy scenery, there
be. But through the exertions Of the parolmen and
officers OF the theatre no one suffered any scrons dam
age the flight The people poured out heller skeer
however despite the most iaborous exertions Happily
there very few ladies' children in attendance
that even panicky retreat was conducted without In
| jury TO its participants.
| THE ALARM souspEp
| AT about twenty minutes after nine the alarm was
sounded and quickly fire companies were on the ground
| An immense crowd gathered on Walnut and Eighth
sreels extending on the latter street from Chestnut to
Spruce and on Walnut from sixth 70 far beyond Ninth
street. There considerable delay In pro-
| curing water. The flames ragged aercely from
tho SAMSON to the walnut street B front OF
crre Tss e many oysr widow
scene on the Walnut street front was apart from the
S - and o truly and ys
the building and united with the fre that In lengthsned
sheets reveed out OF the Walnut street front windows
Look out for the WALL look out for the wall ~ the
constant cry Of the spectators and nrcmen The wall
seemed curved and every moment threatened to fall
against it, and dragged up the hose 70 save the sur
rounding property The people on the opposite side Of
% .s sn0 Dns e ne D.ssa as
theatre long resisted the sncrcaching flames II frs
inclined the west aAd then 70 the east until at last It
outspread which surmounted the front OF tho theatre
was little longer an unwilling victim. u.
THE PROGRESS on FIRE
The flames fierce that by the time the remen
were ready TO apply water 70 !hern, all hope Of saving
the theatre was given up All the moveable properly
pigeon holes for chsckA the Office furniture the money
taken 10, and few pictures were all that escaped the
sternaton prevailed The nrsmsn and citizens invited
carried out myrads Of tumblen and gasses, and
many kegs Of lager barrels Of beer and barrels Of wins
key. Many Of the latter three items broached
the sidewalks and partaken OF BY the thirsty.
OF the mobiles. Of daring were performed,
ton Or surrounding property. 10 the east, Eighth
street, above Walnut and on SAMSON street the
mncnt danger rne sparks--ths size OF mans
handall incandeecsut fell IA profuson, aiRhtng on
+. Dalton Ssnsismsn's 1arnishlns goods; i4o, Mrs
BEanson gentemens furnishing goods; 13S, Charles
rick basket maker Isl Reilly's tavern; 1872 IAuers
cigar store 100 Tebrcks private residence and 1913
tavern kept By vaicr 4 Brennan. All Of these were
damaged by water and slightly by fre. with the sxcep
ton OF Sauters picture store the back building OF
which had the roof burned OF On SAMSON street tho
This building flooded by water rs well
as injured BY fre. II Ia totally ruined.
the theatre above the rst story fell outward on Walnut
with terrible crash, buryng In ts ruins
Der OF fire men and citizens some we're instantly killed,
others taken out In nsensbc condition, badly
wounded fThe names OF the killed and injured were
published in the HERALD Of yesterday
From the Philadelphia Press
THIS building was originally cree ed for General
Welsh for the exhibition Of MS national crcus and me-
haved badly nearly killed his keeper and caused great
deal OF CONSERVATION In Philadelphia. rhc excitement
at that time considerably increased because Of tho
appearance OF two nxpouud cannon the street. un-
der the command ~ Colonel John X. Murphy. IL
subdue his royal hgbness coinmbas Herr Dricsbach,
The celebrated lan tamer however, subdued the ele
phant by milder measures, and tho cannon were
remored Thousands of people congreeated in the
vicinity OF the circus, majority Of them securing good
ieirest " such should bo necessary.
At n later period little gir got behind the scenes,
during matinee afternoon, and commenced patting
Bengal tiger the head by extending her hand through
the bars of the cage The animal made pass at her
with his huge paw. and her shockingiy lacer-
rcd His hold was only released by The free use Of an
| ron crowbar. t
ehtod for theatrical purposes and during the manage
nent Of Mr. Wheatlcy slight re occurred in the dress
room. ana tn1fceu OF Daiiet girb were
| most OF whom died Among the latter were the four
| Bale sisters very accomplished dancers That sad cal
unity occurred during the shipwrcck scene In Shaks
bearc's play Of ss1he Tempest
From this time for several years the building was
only occupied at mes by different parties and finally
degeneracd from exhibitions of the legitimate drama
down 70 what may be called varieties, the audiences
there being composed generally OF dsoute young men,
ing one Of those periods that Maggie Baer was shot by
drunken young man named Mcguire, who Is now In the
IPenitentiary for committing that crime.
MA rfs< Int fhs rf ha ha
low and vulgar end depraved OF both congregaed
there nightly, and 40 bad the effect upon morals
that the Legislature passed Law abolshing the waiter
gr system Finally the place passed into the hands or
LIS present lessee, Mr. Fox. who had the building en-
Itrcy renovated, both inside and outside and for
season condDed with strict rcgard to morality
Some very beautiful show pieces were produced but the
expcnse was 30 heavy Chat they were abandoned be.
Icaure the patronage was not sufficient
Mr. Fox rcintroducod the variety syslem, and en-
poyed colored 10 wait upon tho audience. The
rions pieces produced durng the present season
well arranged. and the best artists were