Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-12-03
sslsiunderA'' at the Opera House,

LECTURE by MIR. COUCH sIIaHr FIRE
AND PART OF THE AUDIENCE TERROR -sTnioK.
EN-.
John b. Cough lectured at the Opera House
last evening, under the auspices of the Young
Mems Christian Association OF Hanover Church.
As usual, he WAS greeted by an audience which
hlled every seat OIL the main floor, and the most
Of the seats in the balcony were also occupied.
We do not remember to have seen at any time
since the Opera House was opened 90 many
country people as were present last evening,
showing that Mr.. Coughs fame and popularity
are not waning in this part of the country.
Shortly after the lecturer began speaking, and
while lecturing on the duties men owe to their
Government, fright seized the audience
which almost produced panic. Those
who were seated in the centre of
the building had for some moments detected
an odor of burning wood, and when the first
gush Of smoke burst through the registers in
the main aisle several Of those seated in that
vicinity sprang from their seats and hurried
from the building. Their action was not at first
comprehended, and those in the circles were in
doubt as to the cause OF the hasty exit. The
smoke continued to pour through tho registers,
but many persons were still under the impress
sion that it was dust raised by those who were
retiring. Every one had by this time sprsng to
their feet and AZ the smell OF smoke had pre-
vaded the whole atmosphere, the cause of the
u
for the doors by part Of the audience.
The ushers began to cry out that tho fire was
all over, but this did not suppress the excite
ment The terror-stricken continued their pre-
cipitate retreat, and slight jam WAS created in
one OF the passageways in which little daugh-
ter OF Rev. j. W. Weston. of Mount Salem, was
knocked down and tramped but not seriously
hurt. Mrs. O. O. King, of Newark, tainted and
was borne from the Opera House to the store of
Mr.. deNormandie, over the way where she again
A af In nd xpar
10th to leave the building and remained standing
at their seats and this with tho repeated efforts
of the ushers to calm the excitement and the
announcement OF Jno. il. Adams from the stage
that the fire had been extinguished had the ef-
feet to check the outward rush. The bulk of
the audience did not get outside tho auditorium,
but the side aud main halls we're full, and a vast
crowd was gathered about the door. Almost all
returned to their seats when the excitement
had subsidized, and tho lecture went on.
Tho fire originated in the office OF Mr.. Jesse
X. Bayli-s the agent, at the upper end of the
main hall on the right 1t WAS caused by a su-
perheated steam pipe setting fire to the floor
i'll q corner of the ROOM An early detection of
bucket OF water, put stop to their progress,
and they had been extinguished before the au-
dence was aware that the fire had occurred.
The damage to the building was trifling.
MIR. Cough resuming, said in language some
thing like this " was instructing you in your
duty to the nation. You consulted your own
duty and that of your familIos," and then he
went on with his lecture, which we cannot be
expected to eptomize. Less than the full pub
lication of his numerous jokes, his pungent hits,
his severe arraignments, his beautiful rhetoric,
would 30 mar tho whole as to destroy its effects.
And even if these were all printed separated
from their author they would lose much OF their
interest. We may remark, however, that there
is an expression of .opinion that Mr. Coughs
new lecture is less entertaining than his old
ones. 1t does not seem to give him
that opportunity for gesture and pos
ture OF some Of those which he has formerly
delivered here. and his witty and instructive
portions were in too solid chunks for some peo-
pie.