Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-01-02
turning OF the Fifth Avenue.

New i ork, i. The Fifth Avenue Theatre
was burned to the ground this afternoon. The
hre commenced shortly after four clock. II
was about quarter past four when the smoke
was frst discovered ascending from near the
roof in the rear OF the theatre. although the
fire must have started long before that time
! somewhere in the lower portion of the build
ing The matinee audience which attended
the play of False Shame" had scarcely
more than dispersed. Passers-by Witnessing
the smoke gave the alarm, and crowd OF
several thousand persons were soon gathered
nearly filling up 2+th street, from Broadway
west TO 6th avenue. The theatre adjoins Fifth
Avenue Hotel on the 2ith street side, and is
the first building west on that street. toward
9Th avenue on the Broadway side. The ho-
tel shuts it out from view, aud hence the
flames were net to be seen from that direc-
ton In scarcely more than Is minutes after
the discovery OF the fire. The whole s.ruc-
ture was ablaze in ell quarters burning like
so much straw. The flames assembled with
great fierceness, and lit up the surrounding
squares az if they enanated from q we'll ar
ranged bonfire. The crowd which had ass
sembled to the number of 10000 or 90. 900,
had almost wholly blocked 24th street and
took possession of the door-ways and pazas
Of private dwellings on the north aide Of the
street to witnes the condagration. i lie
streets at that hour were we'll filed with men
men making New Years calls, who, as they
neared the vicinity, added to the thro pg
There seemed to be considerable delay in the
arrival of the fire department. rs fully fifteen
minutes elapsed from the time the fire was
well under way before any engine ncared the
spot, ard even upon their arrival the usual
alacrity seemed - be wanting in getting the
hose on.
There was great excitement in Fifth Ave
nue. Hotel, at this time, "a it was feared the
fire would spread to that edifice. Nothing
but the strongest eXerti0ns saved the hotel
Had the high winds lately prevalent existed,
the whole block would doubtless have been
burned; Is it was, there was not a breath
Of air stirring, and hence the fisemen were
more easily enabled 10 checl; the devourng
element. After the arrival of the fremen,
the police drove the crowds Oh Twenty-fourth
street clear back to Sixth avenue, and even
prevented many who were residents Of the
street from getting to their homes they acted
at times as the quelling Of riot; the crowds
however were very orderly, and rotreated
quietly. The engines at : o'clock were still
playing upon the ruins.
The fall Of VIM. II. MARS paper mills, ut
Brooklyn, on Tuesday night, caused DANA
ges to that building OF @l5 900. A portion of
1t crushed the roof OF f. \. Smiths -four
mills adjoining, destroying II wagons and
trucks. killing two horses, and injuring qey-
eral others.
Another account says thu a; quarter Of
i've this afternoon, Mr. Appleton, the Treas
urer OF the Fifth Avenue Theatre saw fire
come up the register, but before he reached
the street to give the alarm the flames had
run through the whole building and envelop-
cd ii in n ma Of ,rh;.b j., l., ,l,,., - -
hour completely destroyed the entire build
ing.
Meslames Gilbert Il Davenport are report
cd to have lost their diamond jewelry valued
at several thousand dollars while Messrs
Rockwell, Devere 6 DAILY, Ringold & Clark
are also heavy losers. All the musical in
struments Of the orchestra. the library and
music were destroyed. Mr.. Daley Lls no
insurance on his property,