The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-02
The Fifth Avenue Theatre Com
pletely Destroyed.
PROGRESS OF THE FLAMES.
How the Fire Originated and How
TT Proceeded.
BRAvERY.oF HE4eFIRErIEN.
List Of, the Losses Of the Actors and
the Management

AT atquattcr to five O'Clock last night fire broke
out IN the Fifth Avenue Theatre that completely
<leatroyed that building and all its contents The
sSirst indication OF the IRE was noticed by Mr.
Aaron Appleton, the treasurer or the theatre. AS
he was counting up the house after the matinee, In
che box ONCE, he felt quantity Of smoke rushing
through the register. Being DESTROYS Of Anding out
where the smoke came from, he called to Charley,
che ONCE boy, and directed him to look into the
theatre and see what was going While the
boy was away the smoke grew dcnser, and Mr..
Appleton, realizing that o fire had started some.
where beneath him, hurried TO the moor below.
Rushing down the narrow staircase that led to the
vault where the furnaces were situated. he was
met By a volume Of smoke and fame that
yreveEsed his penetrating beyond the door lead
tpginto the space under the auditorium. In the
excitement Of the moment and being without any
ether MEANS he pulled down the sign that used to
stand over the box once and commenced to batter
down the door with 1t. In few minutes Kelly, the
machinist, arrived with an axe, but before they
could burst open the door
TIE FLAMES BURST OUT
over 1t and compelled them to fly. Seeing the
theatre was on fire, and nothing could save the
body Of the building, Mr.. Appleton dashed back TO
the box office and tried to get the money ont OF the
safe. Through the binding smoke and burning
name he pulled out drawer after drawer and
emptied the contents into his pockets He sue
cecded in getting the receipts Of the matinee and
some other moneys. and was going back to take
out the valuables in the safe when the flremen
arrived and prevented him from going again into
che building. The fire broke out, from what can
be ascertained In the furnaces underneath the box
once, in the front Of the theatre. 1t then passed
underneath the floor OF the auditorium and
SWEPT WITH TERRIBLE RAPIDITY
70 the stage. The draught from the front of the
house was very strong, and gave q double fury
70 the names The Waterman had gone to supper
only q few minutes before the fire broke out. He
had carried with him the key of the door that led
into the back Of the house, which Mr.. Appleton
tried to break down. The curtain was down, the
stage was set and everything was in order for the
evening performance. When the names burst
through the noorng Of the parquet they caught
up the chairs and soon dashed into the orchestra.
The woodwork ofthe partitions lent additional aid
and with renewed vig0r the flames dashed over
the stage The drop curtain lasted but O moment,
and the opening caused by its fall created great
current for the sweep OF the fire. The handsome
set that revealed Summer life at the Bryan Gyls
Falls lasted but q moment, and all
THE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY
che theatre possessed soon followed. At the time
che flames attacked the stage Nj Roberts, the
frame on the scenery for the new piece Two Of
his assistants were with him. Finding escape cut
or from the front Of the house, they pulled the
frame mp to the nies and, scaling the ladder
ahaI led to the ROOF, got away over the
filth Avenue HOTEL Mr.. Roberts was
dressed in his canvas painting Clothes
but when he got into the Fifth Avenue Hotel
Mr. George Dc We're procured him things to 60
home in. He narrowly escaped with his life. The
failing OF the flies created rightful noise and for
the first time the people in the Filth Avenue Hotel
became alarmed. The thunder-drum smashed with
a.report like cannon, and the bursting Of the
Tain-box creaScd a
PANIC AMONG THE PEOPLE
iAvag in Twenty fourth street. The machinery
that held the scenes over the sounding board tore
RM ny great portion Of the roof when II fell and
p aranght was created through the building. The
heat IN the theatre was very fierce. The dressing
sOoi MS under the auditorium seemed the root OF
Lbeafre and the property room added considerable
fues.to the name. current of air passing through
Oh prompt entrance the left hand
sid , OF the stage cansed the various
bel VITO ring, and the people on the opposite side
Of ~ street thought the fairy scene In the merry
Wivt u,Of Windsor was being again enacted. As
The ell syantsets piled against the side walls tum
bled pom the burning mass the flames dashed out
In new directions, and In few minutes the rear
wall fe In. The report made by the crush
Ing OF this wall upon the burning heap
beneath GOke the windows In the ncighborhood
md the &npants OF the houses
RUSHED INTO THE STREETS
fearing for S,ther lives. When the rear wall had
fallen larh e portion OF the mass OF fire was for
The moment Ntopped. The flames were for several
secOnds bin, Gq, but the smoke increased In Dense
ness. Soon ter tho side wall adjoining the Fifth
tear q
The hotel wall. ghe ice house OF the hotel ran
Dus almost t., the theatre, and the roof
Of that building vas entirely taken OIL. The names
then started into the hotel, and part OF the wall
left standing when 1he side wall OF the theatre fell
iumbled in, and Nj Darling, the proprietor Of the
hotel, narrowly escs ysd being killed. One OF the
Kitchens and the lar, w. e. 81 HOTEL
are situated just Oh ttthis noos and against the
vail. and was Sny ,n Though SIamd the most most
se S",e, e Tas ga W while the rear
Of the theatre was bel ~ consumed the flames
~ ncon'e Gathered on the corners and the
most intense interest wa, inanliesLed IN the nre
dessrs Rnggold and ss"e S weo n aoPear IRE,
we're the centres OF a go oil deal Of attention
rom the hosts Of tn " All ad% sIses an and
iced the Are was Mr. George ps vereA He made
nse or iG Of se 70 bS e
repelied by the danes. 'ihe los Ys.sf the actors
and actresses are very severe, ant noNe vi tlem
lad any insurance. Several theon es were anoat
last night about
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE. \, a.,
Some Thought 1t had originated en- the
stage; others were sure the scenery WAYS tne
cause or the catastrophe; and az Nm some
were inclined TO think the IRE was the WoIk
of incendiaries The almost simultaneously BURST
ing out VI the flames all over then house
looked so strange that numbers felt col Ul0ced
some Inancl0us persons had set fIv 10
me theatre. The fremen were soon on, hanoya
the alarm was given. and the men, as Npsuals Qld
good service. Commissioners Hennessy and Gal.
way were on the ground and VOWED
These gentlemen held consultation WITH
Engineer Sullivan at the start OF the hyc.n.
and Commissioner Galway started up into the Fift Y
Avenue Hotel TO direct the movements OF tho mon
On that side, while Commssioner Hennessy re.