The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-12-30
BURNING dSs rspEa' / Fu1r, rnrArpr

BURNING d6s UNDER i FULL The ArRE-
AN EXCITING SITUATION AND HAZARDOUS
EXPERIMENTAL :45 P. NJ. Saturday the
gas escsping from o break in the Manhst-
tan Gas company's main pipe on Broad.
way, New York, forced its way into the
vaults under the sidewalk in front of the
Olympic Theatre and the adjoining store OF
No. 622 Broadway. An employee of the
theatre was directed to find where the gas
came from that had already manifested it's
presence in the ticket office and lobby. Az
the workman, with torch, entered the
vault slight explosion occurred, and the
man WAS slightly burned. Several en-
ploy es OF the theatre, also engaged by the
gas company, went into the vaults and
lighted the gas that came in jets through
the masonry of the wall.
number Of the fire department and one
from the insurance patrol remained to
guard against the further spread of the
DANES, and as the time for opening the doors
Of the theatre for the evening performance
had arrived, tickets were sold ct the box
Office, and at q few minutes after 8 O'Clock
an audience of more than fifteen hundred
persons were seated in the theatre, laugh
aiS a. ahS RbhtoAuAu1Sy Uu1lc uEG WIS
burning that might at any moment, IL the
break suddenly enlarged, cut of the main
exit from the theatre. Several gentlemen
acquainted with the peculiarities of burn
ing gas said there was not the slightest dan
ger of any further spread Of the flames in
the vaults but had any person, even with
the best Intentions, suddenly told that i'm
mense audience Of the state of affairs, in
all probability panic would have en-
sued and many valuable lives been lost.
In the vault under No. 622 Broadway,
opening into the basement adjoining the
basement of the theatre, the gas was burn
ing in twenty different plarrs and assumed
all shades Of color, from IL purple of the
small jets to the orange and red of the large
flames, and coming from between the Gre
vices in the granite and brick. work, had the
appearance Of smelling furnace in full
blast. The largest flame in this vault was
about three feet in length and several
| quite hot.
In the Olympic vault the fire was burning
IN five or six places, the largest fame be-
ing in the lower corner and about six feet
in length, running up toward the roof. This
vault opened into basement property-room
separated from the other basement by q
thin board partition, and crowded with old
canvass properties" bee-hives, swans,
donkeys, SC. ltwas apparently impossible
to clear this place without disturbing the
audience. It is but justice to state that such
precautionary measures as seemed proper
we're adopted to prevent further accident.
A fire annihilator stood on the floor, and an
employee watched the flames. Inspector
Walling, Captain Copeland of the Broad
way squad, Captain Garland, and Fire
Marshal Bracket, were present during the
evening, and made such arrangements as
were possible to prevent any alarm getting
to the audience. The engineer of the gas
works was sent for, and with q gang of men
built large fire on the street to get the frost
from the pavement and uncover the main.
The vault-lights on the street were opened
to ventilate the vaults, and after the theatre
closed the gas in the main was turned off.
The gas was burning during the entire per-
Torrance in the theatre.