Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-06-24

H. FIRE
Another Landmark Destroy ed-The
Old Theatre Burned

Another Landmark Destroy el-The
Old Theatre Burned.
The old land marks Of the city are slowly
but surely disappearing. A year and month
ago the old market house was destroyed, and
now it is the reporters mournful province
to chronicle the destruction Of the Old Alex
andrla Theatre, more recently known as Lber-
ty Hall, around which chung many revered
memories, About halt past eleven clock last
Saturday night. while many persons were yet
on the Streets smoke was seen issuing from
the burnt building, and the alarm being sound
ed the fire department was speedily on the
ground and at work, and the expression is uni
versal that never was a fire better u.anaged,
and that to the Alexandria fremeu Is cue the
preservation ola great deal of valuable property.
1t asimposslble, owing to the combustlble ma
teral stored on the lower floors, and to the
strong draught occasioned by the plan Of the
ing in which the flames orig inated but that
they were confined to that building is consider
ed the best evidence that can be afforded Of
the efficiency of the fire department. The fire,
it is supposed, was the work of an incendiary,
though there is no clue by which the criminal
can be detected Nlessrs. u; r. Shinn and
James p Coleman, who were among the first
to discover the fire, saw light in the basement
of the building occupied as feed store by W.
f. Henderson. They kicked open the front
door and found the flames on that floor, con-
fined to straw and litter within circumscribed
space near the wall dividing the floor in the
front aud rear apartments, and Immediately III
front Of the steps leading up to the second story.
They attempted at once to extiuguish them,
but bag which Mr.. Coleman had picked up
for that purpose, and which, it is now thought,
was saturated with infamable oil, caught fire.
and the flames ignitiug some hay, whirled by
them rapidly, and fastening upon the stair steps,
the whole ceiling was soon In blaze. while
flames were also seen issuing from the windows
of the second story, and in u short time the
whole structure, large three story building
commanding by it's superior size all the houses
In the ueighborhood, was enveloped in sheet
Of fire, the flames sometimes-upon the ex-
plosion of barrel of oil or MISUNDERSTANDING
to distance of two hundred feet from the
ground, and leaving only the charred and black
ened walls which now mark its SITE The build
ing adjoining that burnt on the east, and used
as the office of the Virginia Sentinel, was on
fire several times and though not much
injured by the flames, was considerably dam
aged aud its contents partially destroyed or
rendered useless by the hurry in which
they had to be moved. Nearly all the
other buildings in the immediate vicinity
were also on fire. some of them several times
during the conAagraton but none of them
sustained any serious damage. The burnt
building was owned by Mr. Joseph Brod-
crs, and was valued at $l2O0O. Its lower
floor was occupied by WE. Henderson, as
feed store, and by Kelley Il Carter, ms II grocery
and liquor store The second floor, American
Hall, had been used since the destruction
of the old market house, as the Mayor 5 office,
police headquarters, and chambers Of the City
Council. The third story was widely known
as Liberty Hall. The Theatre building and the
Sentinel office, which also belonged to MIR.
Broders were insured for $1,000, $500 in
the Virginia Fire and Marine insurance Co.
of Richmond, and the same amount in the
Associated Firemen's Insurance Go. Of Balti
more, of which S. II. Janncy 4 Son, are the
Alexandria agents
Mr. Henderson was insured for ST 900 in the
Lynchburg Insurance Co., Of which Wise Il co.
are the agents in this city, and $500 in the Old
Dominion Co. of Richmond, of which Wilmer
4 Go. are the Alexandria agents, and 500 in
another Company Kelly & Carter were in
surcd for 81, 500 in the Albcmare Co. Of Char
lottesve, of which Wilmer & Go. are also the
Alexandria agents. The Sentinel Office was in
sured for s., 900 in the Alexandria Insurance
Co., but the loss to that Office, it is estimated,
will not be more than 5000. The building OF
Harlow e Bro was damaged to the extent of
about two hundred dollars, which is covered by
insurance, and the stable and carriage house OF
Mr.. james Entwistle, which were injured by
the falling walls, were. insured for 5000 in the
Continental Co. OF n Y, of which Wise & Go.
are the agents.
Fire ropes were stretched around the burning
building soon after the flames were discovered,
and as no one was allowed within them but tho
fremen, nobody was hurt, though James Smith
and AL McCuin, who were on Mr.. Entwislcs
stable in charge of one of the pipes OF the Hy-
draulion steam engine, made a narrow escape
from the falling of portion Of the rear wall Of
the theater, jumping off just as the root upon
which they were standing was crushed IN.
At one time there was great danger Of the
flames extending and in anticipation OF such
contingency, Mayor Latham sent a telegram to
Washington for assistance. and In response No.
steamers, and the Metropolitan Hook and Lad
der Company, arrived here on the steamer City
of Washington, but too late to go into service
The Alexandria theatre was built in l797 S.
The ground was conveyed by Thomas ". West
to VIM. Herbert and others, in trust Tor the
subscribers to the theatre in 1871 At that time
the ground was partly in the branch of the Po-
tomac which dcbouched on the north side Of
the w ashiugton and Ohio depot, and extended
up to King street, where there was tannery
This branch was navigable for river craft up
to Sutton & Vaudeville warehouses which
stood between Queen and Cameron streets.
The building burnt was a very neat structure,
and was run by Wood T. Warren, old Jefferson,
Caldevill and others The last regular dramatic
performance in it was the stranger" the
principal charactersrepresented by Fanny KEN
bic and her father The regular performances
were by T. P Coleman, Howell, Corbin, Ray
mond, Bukerton, Deakius and others, formerly
the Thespian Society a few of these after
wards devoted themselves to the dramatic pro-
tesson. Their performances were excellent;
equal to most regulars. Among the members
of the Thespian Society the following names
Will