New-York tribune., 1873-01-03
FIRE-WRECKS.
THE FIFTH AVENUE THEATER FIRE,

THE FIFTH AVENUE 1HEAIEh ftNE,
PART OF THE LIBRARY sAvED-rHE GLOBE
THEATER AEAsED BY MR.. DALl-TBE lNNES-
TIGAT1oN ABANDONED.
The members of Augustin Days comedy
company met in the green-room OF the Grand Opera
House at 10 a. m yesterday, and unanimously resolved
20 support him his present misfortune by fulfilling TO
the letter the engagements which be had made with
them for the ensuing year Many of the company had
received most tempting offers from other theatrical
managers. The company will act three days in Brook
lyn during the coming week, aud three DAYS in Newark
N j. after which they win proceed to Philadelphia aud
oct in city for week In the time the thea
ter now known the "GlObe" opposite the New-iork
Hotel az Broadway and waverley place will be prepared
for their occupancy Mr. DAILY has leased the theater
from A T. Stewart until next July, and intends to pro-
duce the series OF society plays which gave rep
utation TO the Fifth Avenue Theater. Mr. DAILY hopes
have model theater for his company built upon one
Of the most prominent sites in the city.
All day yesterday workmen digging among the
ruins OF theater late in the afternoon succeeded
On reaching the prOmpter's room. There portion OF
the library found and greatly TO Mr. Days delight
large number Of manuscript copies OF old and modern
comedies. The manuscripts, although charred on the
outside in many cases found 10 have majority oi
perfect and the writing legiDe IDe manu-
scnpts were taken to the Grand opera House, and VIII
there be deciphered Several witnesses OF the nre
which DESTROYED the Fifth Avenue Theater were exam
ined, yesterday, by Fire Marshal Mcspedon All OF
shem affirmed they could not account Tor the rise OF
She ire, inasmuch rs seemingly every precauuoh
had been taken No one was III the rooms
beneath the theater al the moment the fire dscoy
cred and Mr. Appleton, the treasurer, who gave the
alarm said that cellar so full Of smoke that he
could not perceive any special point where the fire
,nsbt be thought 10 have broken out The true origin
of the fire will doubtless always remain mystery mas
much as person in the building knew nothing OF
It's existence until the entire space beneath The heater
.lfr Ohio for where
The fire originated sprang from the testimony OF the
wachnan OF the theaer who said that before leaving
The theater did examine several OF the dressing
rooms although it his usual custom TO do So The
following is a abstract Of the testimony
Aaron Appleton testified: live at No $40 West Thirty
St. and Treasurer OF the Fth Avenue Ihealer
the theater at the time Of the nre was IN the
Office the dressing rooms OF the tneater are uheI
neath< auditorium there Is no direct communication
between them and my office there was no one IN my
office the time the fire was discovered except uy Doy
Charles NJ. Patterson, and my sell ho0eIis' Dhe Scent
RTtIs.. Charles Doust his assistant William Kelly car
yenter. and man with nun Were IN lne ed.eI @ oi 20
Kelly the gas man, the theater; Chapman one OF
The company. at the front door OF the theater the
matinee was over nc D. N; had just finished counting
my money and put It INTO my safe turned AROUND
the fdu of the door III the east sde OF my once
and the same instant the gas IN my once Weilt C ou.
gradually though turned OF at the meter; the gOlue
ont al the gas caused look up, and then saw the
suokt lie register in my Office open and little
6et comm through; up 10 the the gas went
out had observed no increase or heat nor had sneed
anythiug burning ON observing the smoke opened
dor leading the yard below, with the view OF getting
met by volume OF smoke ana naine
drove back atterward made an attempt y get
stage door, out couId Ret uOWn Vtu9 a 1oM
seps gDeters are III the frOnt part OF the mouse
Itink there are Of them the dressng-TOOus are III
The center of the building with passages on the east ana
esf sdes no tell where the fire started; was
The first discover II, and II had then TOO lnuch
beadwav person 70 conjecture ts Orlgn we nave
watchman night aud day but he was not III the bulld
William HesSon testified ] live at No 439 East
Twenty biri-st and Watchman at the tlth Ave
Iue Theaer: at the theater yesterday AFTERNOON;
thc curtain dropped at J.. m my post was near the
foo of The stairs, the stage entrance and between
fhe two furnaces remained there until oil the MEM
hers Of the company had passed out my business asO
L. 10 come IN there no strangers
paed me Yesterday after the members OF the company
had passed out put out the lights IN the gieen-rOoh
then went stage and asked Kelly the stage car
penieT. how soon he would be through; uhueIstOOd
IRON him that he would not be through for some tlme
work there TO go out through the
auditorium, going TO lock the back door and 90
home. l passed through both the ladies' and the
Reutcmans III attending 10 my duties every
fhmg was an safe them so far cOuld see before
leaving the building told Kelly, the man, TO remain
the carpenter had LETT so as 10 look after the
gasucHts Il was after 4:SO when lett the theateT
the park and through TWentytOurtnst. 10
Tourth-aVe. / stopped few moments, and then went
nome through Twenty yfourthst had got half block
heard the alarm OF IRE as the members OF the
company 20 they give their keys; some or the
10 yesterday and went and turned on
iher gas and locked up their rooms dd not enter any
of the other which were used yesterday usually
them all all the appliances Tor eXtlnguisnlDg
nres were kept constantly in order; am day-watch
man aud am relieved after the evening performance is
over wac down stairs through the passageways about
hve minutes before leit the theateI observed no
smell OF anything burning.
Fire Marshal Mcspedon announced tbat probably he
wonld not take any testimony, asit useless
the IN regard 10 the orglu OF the hI> to
continue the investigation.