The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-03-07
The Old Theatre that was Burnt
Down In 1871.
WHO OWNED IT, AND WHEN DUILr--cHIEF JUSTICE
MARSHALL A sTocKuoLDER, &C.

Few calamities have occurred in the history
of this grand old Commonwealth that excited
more commisseration and heartfelt mourning
than that Of the burning of the Richmond
Theatre on Broad street, on the night of the
26th of December, 1911, tffty-nine years ago)
for in the flames perished some of the braves,
and best of men-the flower, beauty, and
sweetest oil Virginia's maids and matrons, who
shed around the society of that day glow OF
social grandeur that has come down to the
present generation,-their descendants
lowed with memories sweet and holy, chal-
longing the hearts warmest emotions of love
and veneraiion.
| THE OLD THEATRE.
| Some account of the origin of this unfortu-
nate building may prove of interest even at
| this late day:
Ii will be remembered that the Monumental
| Church now stands on the lot commonly sup
posed to be that upon which the theatre stood.
The deed which conveyed the theatre lot to
ceftain trustees Is dated In 1907, and made by
| Mrs. Msrgaretta West. 1t constitutes the fol-
lowing well-known citizens of that day trus.
tees to hold the property for theatrical pur.
poses, viz: VIM. Marshall, Robert johnson.
John Dunsmure, Patrick Gibson, VIM. Fens
wick, Walter McClurg, and John Richard.
THE PLAN OF ORGANIZATION.
The deed recites that Mrs. West is owner of
lot of land in the city of Richmond, or "adioin.
ing thereto," whereon new brick building
designed Tor theatre has been lately erected,
being the same tenement, &C., whereon a
| wooden building was formerly erected by
Alexander McQuesnav, which was also used
as theatre. Mrs.. West not finding it con-
venient to erect the building Sat her own ex-
pense and risque," did, in order to procure the
nf hare r.,
follows: "Proposals for building by subscrip-
tion theatre in the city of Rich hmond, respect-
fully offered to the ladies and gentlemen of
Richmond and its vicinity BY Mrs. NJ. 'West.
widow of the late Thomas Wade West, many
years manager of Virginia theatres.'
The buildings and decorations we're valued
at t2,OO0; the sum solicited is .el 500 by thirty
subscribers at ESQ apiece--tbe remaining e5O0
to be furnished by Mrs. West The BUILDING
is described as of brick, 90 feet in length 80
feet in width, and 80 in height, to have stage,
upper and under boxes, offices, dressipg-rooms
and green-room. The subscribers were to re-
ceiye per cent per annum of their money! with
ticket of admission to every part of the
theatre, behind the scenes excepted, and eyery
performance, benefits and charity plays ex-
cepted.
1t was provided that the establishment should
De vested In trustees for the security of the
subscribers, and be insured in the Mutual AS
surance Society. 1t is farther stated that the
proposals of Mrs West had met the approba-
ton OF sundry persons who had agreed to SUBJ
scribe $50, or 5000, instead ESQ.
WHO BUILT THE HOUSE.
The following citizens are named as subscri-
bers: John Marshall, James Brown, George
Picket, James Hayes, VIM. BurweiI. John
Wickham, DR.. james Currie, Casper Fleisher,
VIM. Temple, Marcus Ecan, James Lyle, Jr..
Joseph Darmsdatt, VIM. Cook, Samuel Pleas
i r. I.k~
Fisher, Thomas White, Robert Gamble, Jr.,
Thomas Taylor, Joseph Gallego, Samuel TYLER, |
Or. James Greenhow, DR.. James Drew Nc |
Cav, John w. Green.
THE SILVER TICKET
And the subscribers agreed among them |
selves "that the silver ticket to be given shall |
only admit some one of the family of the sub |
scrioer, or some person residing at that time
in his family"
In her deed Mrs. West conveys beside the
ground covered by the theatre, whose dimep-
sions nave already been stated, "forty feet to
be appurtenant Herewith at each side and
end" Among the trusts are that Mrs. West
her heirs, &C., "shall use and appropriate the
aforesaid building as theatre after the same
shall be finished, forever, or will cause it TO
DC SO, and no otherwise used" Four years
after this the theatre being in full blast burned
oowh ana the lot, vacant for long time, was
into the Monumental Church lot.
which title it now retains.
The deed dated in 1907 was first proved as
TO Mrs. West in 1916 and finally as TO her in
1924, and admitted to record after a church
had been built on the lot.
ooNFLAGRATIoEs IN RICHMOND.
= IL is singular fact, that most of the large
hres which have at various times afflicted this
city, have occurred in the month of December.
For instance, the theatre was burned. with
sixty or seventy persons, December 26. 1911
ne Eagle Hotel, with the loss of several lives.
December %, 1889, and the Spotswood Hotel
December 20, 1870, with loss of eight or ten
persons.
THE PLAYERS.
/, Among the actors playing on the boards of
the old theatre the ever memorable nioht of
rs destruction, were Harry Placide, Hon.
Sooertson, who died quite recently in a New
ork alms'house, and the mother of Edgar A.
roe, the poet, who persisted in the famee.
THE PLAY.
The play on that night was sRaymond and
> gnes, or the Bleeding Num- The theatre
tood principally on the lot now covered by
he residence Of the late William Beers. in
luding that occupied by the Monumental
hurch. we are assured by parties present on
ne Iatai night tnat the names of at least a
ozen known to have been burned, are
united on the monument in the restibule of lbe
monumental church, though those of many a J
arr maiden and gallant youth are inscribed
hereon. J
MISCELLANEOUS.
The old structure was built with sharp ga. J
lie root, and the end fronting FBroad street J
'as adorned with tour-foot "bull's eye" win :
ow. Several saved themselves by iumn;no !
ut of this window. To account for SO MANY +
urning up, it must be remembered that hand |
ngines were as much novelty in those davs ?
steam hre-engines were ten years ago. ]
Gather buckets passed from hand to hand :
lied with water, were used to put out fires. = =
THE SURVIVORS.
But lew survive who escaped with whole
Iins that eventful night. Among them NAV
mentioned Mr.. Thomas Ii. Drew, aged s6:
Irs; John G. Blair, who lost her sister and
larke, aged II Robert c. and John smear
ichoias, the two latter of whom now reside q
Baltimore.
Police Court--The following cases were
sposed of by Police Justice White this