New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-02
VARIETIES THEATRE DESTROYED
Loss Of Life and Property
SEVERAL fIReMEN BADLY INJURED


Varieties Theatre discovered it to be on fire.
as smoke issued from the doors and win
dOws fronting on the alley. In a very few
| minutes after the discovery, flames burst
forth with greatly fury. Apparently the fire
originated in the property room, or some
where about the stage, where there was
plenty of combustible material to feed the
fire.
An alarm was promptly given, calling to
the scene firemen and policemen, but all
their efforts seemed Of no avail. At first
water was not plentiful. but Captain Davis
came to the rescue with his tugboat Tyler
at the head of Common street, when he sent
down sufficient water TO supply several
steamers. The iremen labored manfully
and increasingly, but water appeared to
have little effect on the burning building
The devouring element soon destroyed the
theatre, leaving nothing but debris and
skeleton walls. Scarcely any property was
saved
Members of the dramatic company are
sufferers in losses of portions Of their ward
robe. All the properties belonging to the
establishment were lost. Scarcely piece
of furniture seems to have been rescued
from the club room on the ground floor, or
from behind the scenes above. When the
fremer arrived smoke inside the building
was SO dense. as to prevent any one from
entering.
The flames passed to the rear. catching in
~. oT ra'
store-room, making sad havoc with the
house and articles within. Mr.. Hawkins
| loss is heavy. the extent Of which is as>yet
unknown. His saloon was not harmed.
| Buildings on the river side of Theatre
alley suffered. The Office of O'Fallon &
Hatch was terribly scorched and damaged,
and had not the tiremen been particularly
| active lust there, the fire would have
| worked its way through to Carondelet
| street, causing immense losses. All the
stores fronting on the alley, next to the
theatre, suffered much, although they did
| not blaze.
The unfinished new three-story building
| fronting on Gravier. street and the alley,
| property OF Mrs. Denman, was badly injured
from excessive heat, as there was little
| about it to burn. The side wall at the top
| fell in. and the front cornice. of Frear stone,
| was rent asunder. The loss here is not very
| great.
! The FIRE seems to have burned toward Ba-
rome street. and of course found plenty of
material ia Liners large livery stable, an
| old dry structure. The scene there was
terrific. .sas hundreds of men using great ex-
ertions to save the horses, were compelled
| to screen themselves from heat and prevent
being trampled down by the animals All
the animals were saved, the police capturing
most of them. Carriages and buggies were
wheeled out while the flames were roaring
| around and above the fremen.
1t is here that the saddest portion OF
our record is to be made. Several Of No.
1Fs men were inside fighting the fire, un-
conscious and thoughtless of the great
calamity then impending over their heads.
A portion of the theatre wall fell on the
stable roof, crushing everything in it's way.
John Connors, foreman Of Philadelphia.
was struck down by brick and timbers and
injured, but not so seriously as to Jay him
up, as he was out during the day. One Of
his hands is burned. Near him stood j. d.
Nicholson, member of his company. Tn
fortunately his position was just
where the greatest weight fell, and
he was buried beneath the ruins,
killed so suddenly that he could not have
been aware Of intense pain. He had been
member Of the company only two months,
and was from New York, where his parents
reside. Colonel Roy, Superintendent of
Streets, learning that some men were buried
beneath the rubbish, soon gathered gangs
of iaborers aud put them to work on the
heated piles. They soon found the body of
Nicholson, which was so charred and
bruised as to be unrecOgnizable. 4 small
badge on his coat was partly melted. The
body was taken to a house on BarOnne
street. and an inquest held. He will be
buried to-day by his company.
1t is related of him that when he arrived at
the building, the police would not permit
him to pass, as they did not see his small
badge. This was repeated two or three
times, but as he persisted, the officer allowed
him to pass
Mr. Lennen, another of the same company,
was badly bruised, and may die from his
wounds. He was near Nicholson, and saw
the latter crushed to death. He was sent
to the hospital.
MI. Clavier, of No. 5, was standing in
the same part of the building, and was
nearly buried beneath mortar and brick,
which struck with great force, and it is
wonderful how he escaped instant death.
One of his legs was broken, also some OF his
ribs, and his entire body covered with
bruises. He is an employe of the Bulletin
press-rOOm.
These are all who were badly injured,
which fact we make particular mention OF,
as so many rumors were current to the con-
trary. Last evening, just after dark, Chief
Engineer OCOnnOr informed us that he
knew. Of no other person being harmed.
This gentleman displayed untiring energy
in his department until the conAagration
was over. There were members of the fire
department lost sight of during the day,
when the belief was created that they were
buried in the ruins. 1t is unnecessary to
mention names.
Next to the Varieties, in portion of the
stable. was neat little bar-roOn,, kept by
Mr.. Schilling, which was entirely ruined.
A shOemaker's shop, beyond the stable. was
badly used up by fire and water. The brick
walls Of these buildings prevented the
flames extending nearer Baronne street.
Mr.. Eichorn's tailor shop did not receive
much injury.
1t is quite impossible to correctly ascer
tain the amount of loss or of insurance.
Insurance on the Varieties building,
SAB, 500; on furniture, stores, fixtures and
club room, 5000; insurance on wardrobe,
stage fixtures, furniture, etc., $l4,500. This
amount is divided among the various home
insurance offices, averaging about $500
each. The original cost Of the building was
between $75, 600 and $4,000. 1t is estimated
that the association is covered by insurance
to the amount of two-thirds OF the property
destroyed.