Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-01-08

duO III l0SS bQan nall an nOQr from Gn6 time
of the first meeting, Winters was the hap
py husband of beautiful woman.
Cleveland Leader.
Burning Gas Under q Full Theatre-An Ex-
citing Situation and Hazardous Expert
ment.
At 6:45 P. M. Saturday. the gas escaping
from break in the Manhattan Gas Com
pany's main pipe on Broadway, New York,
forced its way into the vaults unoer the
sidewalk in front of the Olympic Theatre
and the adjoining store at No 622 Broad
way. An employe of the theatre was di-
rected to find where the gas came from that
had already manifested its presence in the
ticket Offices and lobby. AS the workman,
with torch, entered the vault slight ex-
plosion occurred, and the man was slightly
burned. Several employees Of the theatre
also engaged by the gas company, vent
into the vaults and lighted the gas that
came in jets through the masonry of the
hall.
A number of the fire department and one
from the insurance patrol remained to
guard against the further spread of the
flames, and, as the time for opening the
doors of the theatre for the evening per-
formance had arrived, tickets were sold at
the box Office, and at few minutes after
eight o'clock an audience of more than fif-
teen hundred persons were seated in the
theatre, laughing at the pantomime, while
fire was burning that might at any mo-
ment, if the break suddenly enlarged, cut
off the main exit from the theatre. Several
gentlemen acquainted with the peculiarl
ties of burning gas said there was not the
slightest danger of any further spread Of
the flames in the vaults but had any per-
son. even with the best intentions, sudden
ly told that immense audience of the state
of affairs, in all probability panic would
have ensued, and many valuable lives been
lost. In the vault under No. 622 Broad
way, opening into the basement adjoining
the basement of the theatre, the gas burn
ing in twenty different places, and assumed
all shades OF color from the purple Of the
small jets to the orange and red of the
large flames, and coming from between the
crevices in the granite and brickwOrk, had
the appearance of smelling furnance in
full blast. The largest fame in this vault
was about three feet IN length and several
inches broad. The wall around it was quite
hot.
In the Olympic vault the fire was burn
ing in five or six places, the largest flame
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 thin board partition. and crowded
with old canvas properties" behives,
swans, donkeys, &c. It was apparently i'm
possible to clear this place without dis
turbing the audience. 1t is but Justice to
state that such precautionary measures a.
seemed proper were adopted to prevent
further accident. A fire annihilator stood
on the floor, and an employe watched the
flames. Inspector Walling, Captain Cope
land, OF the Broadway 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 gang of men built large fire
on the street to get the frost from the
pavement and uncover the main. The
vanlt 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-
formance in the theatre.