, 1873-01-02
The Flames Discovered q Few
Moments After the Matt
nee Audience Had.
Dispersed.
The Fifth Avenue Hotel Narrowly Es-
capped AnnIhilatIon.
Thrilling Escape Of Two Scene Paint
CTS from Cremation.
Fires in Various Other Places.

AMu6D1uout Ill NbW IUIh ulhAppGutlu III Aaluea
to-day. Tho Fifth, Ayonuo Theatre, adjoining
the Fifth Ayonue Hotel on Twonty-fourth
street, was burned this afternoon about half M
hour after m immense matinee audience had
disperHcd. Tho fire broke out under tho box
ofico and onyoloped tho interior with grent
rapidity. In half nn hour nothing WAS loft but
waB bunglngly cont from three boxes, and tho
engines wcro luto in gotting to
work. Soon aftor their arrival
the cast wall Of tho thcatro fell
aud crushed tho Kitchen end ice-houHe OF tho
Fifth Avonuo Hotel, severely injuring hotel
porter named Daniel Delaney, Had tho fro oc-
curreu willis tho performance to-day waa in pro-
gross, tho consequences would hayo been fright
full, for the theatro had neither rcnr nor side ex-
It's. Two scono-pnintors, named Rogers and
Chapman, wore at work in tho tics. Finding
escape impossible by the doorway taoy chopped
y hole through tho roof With axes, and were res
cued from tho cornico With firo-lndders. h. r.
Emo, owner Of Tho building, loses ESQ.,
COO; insured. AuguBtin DAILY, loBsoot losos
e120, 1000, with no insurance.
:. Tho costumes Of tho "NIorry Wives Of Wind
eor" recently Bhe1yed, valued nt SIS, 900, wore
burned. The theatre was famous for elegant
toilettoH, md tho members Of the company arc
heavy losers in wardrobos. Mrs Gilbert lost her
diamonds md 1ewolry, valued at several thou
Band dollars. Miss Fanny Davenport, Hiss
Clara Morris, and Miss Mortimer lose s1,500
bach in costly dresses. Tho gentlemen OF the
sompany, MoaBrs. Ringgold, Rockwell, Clarko
Davidgo, Whiting, and Fawcett, loso $1,000
bach. Tho loss Of tho Fifth Avenue Hotel and
adjoining stable il about $4,000 each.
+, Tho Fifth Avenue Theatre WAS built Eoveral
gaars ago for tho now defunct Evening Do.rd of
Brokers. 1t was noxt converted into Christy's
Opera House. It was thoro Holly killed Sharp
toy'a brother. The building remained vacant for
term, and WAS ratified by John Drougham, who
Eavo it its present namo. Brougham's MANAGE
ment failed, aud james Fipl, Jr., bccamo tile
1essee, expending G0,000 in d futile effort to
mako it popular. DAILY thon took the establish
ment, and mado q hit iu such dramas aa Surf,"
"saratoga," and "Frou Frou." Ho rofltted it
recently Mt heavy oxpenao. Though not in
eured, he has very wealthy backors, aud will
doubtless rebuild at once.
From q Guest at the Fifth Avenue Hote1.J
New YonK, Jan. 1.-Tho vicinity of the Fifth
Avenue Hotel is freshly tho scene Of n serious
confagration which has just laid in ashes ono Of
the most elegant houaes of resort in Now York,
tho Fifth Avonuo Theatro, on Twenty-fourth
atreet, Immediately in tic rear Of aud an adj join-
Ing structure to the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Tho
Associated Press despatch gives tho main facts
Of the news, but your correspondent guest OF
this hotel, Gun add q few points aa to tic econes
and tho sensation created. For time 1t see1nol
Impossible flat tho "Fifth Avenue" could sur
viye this, its second imminent peril within tho
phst few weeks, und nothing but tho splendid
pluck and cnorCy Of the house fire forco Of the
hotel proprietors thomnolyeB avertod tho catas
trophe, and that only mado possible by tho dead
calm which prevailed. Tho fro broke out
juBt aftor the matinee, which was largely
Intended, though It is believed TINT it had boon
for some time secretly in progrosa, 80 suddenly
and completely did tho fire tako possession Of
the building, which is now total ruin, with no
vestige remaining. Tho Fifth Avenue Theatre,
leased by Augustin DAILY, wan at tho head Of tho
elegant comedy establishments Of this city, and
was widely celebrated for the beauty md costli-
ness Of it's properties aud stage foaturos. 1t
was hero that Saratoga was brought out, and
"Frou Frou" and other elegant sonsations hayo
Ind great run. Tho structure was built among
the early yoars of tho war us q Gold E3-
change and Stock Board, passing from
That to minatrel hall, and sono years
ago being transformed into thcatro which has
and roturns. A feature OF tho fire was tho I'M
mense aurgng mnss Of spectators Of tho botter
elass Of citizons not usually attendant on city
fires, but On Now Yoar's Day were turned aside
from their holiday observancos and social tours
on the avenues by a startling fact that at ono
time had worry gloomy aspect aud promised to
turn tho latey-disturbod guests OF tho Fifth
Avenue Hotol this time fairiy out Of doors. All ia
quiet ut present writing, aud tho hotel, minus
Its Kitchen badly wroehcd by n falling wall OF
the theatre, Is backed by an ugly and staring
gap on Twenty fourth street, concerning which
thoro are already rutnors TINT 1t will ba rebuilt
as much-needod extension OF tue hotel. which
has long coyoted somo such enlargement to
meet metropolitan demands, especially in the
features thus foaaibls to DO addod to the Office.
Qoor accommodations.
ITO The dssociaftd Press.} -
NEW YoRK. Jab. t,-The Fifth Avenue
Theatre was burned tllis afternoon. Tho nrt
noon. 1t WAS about 4:25 whom the smoke wal
first discovered ascending from near tho roof IN
the rear of tho theatre. although tho fro mus
hayo started long before that time somewhere IT
matinee audience which attended to Witness Tux
play Of "Fnlso Shame" had scarcely more thar
aispersed. Some Of tho p4sssora;by, "tnosH
Ing tho smoke, gAytc .t tho alarm. e1a,a and l.,
Boon gathered, nearly filling up Twonty'fourtl
Btreet, from Broadway west to Sixth avenue
Tho thoatro aajoins tho Fifth Ayenue Hotel
on the Twonty-fourth street side, and it ia th'
first building west on that street towards St1tl
avenue. On tho broadway hide, the hotel shut
1t out from tho riyos, aud hence the tamns Wsr
not to be seen from that direction. ln scarcea
moro than fifteen minutes after the discovnEy o
the fire, tho whole structure waB ablazo In al
quarters, burning like 10 much straw. Th
t1ampB aaceulel with great tlplcenoHB, aud Ii