The New York herald., 1876-12-16
THE THEATRE FIRE.
Continuation Of the Inquest Into the
Brooklyn Calamity.
THE GALLANT FIREMEN.
Chief Engineer Nevins' Report-The Re-
lief Movement.

OF the ruins Of the Brooklyn Theatre yesterday
Early in the morning the workmen began to take
down the end wall OF the play house. which towers
acarly thirty feet tho station house Washing
ION street. Tho side wall Is well supported
,bovc the Hotel Deter that there would be
but little tear OF its falling. The undertakers box
ofncc has been removed from tho grounds. A large
number OF persons dclvng among :hc ruins for
rslica
THE INQUEST.
Coroner Simms and jury last evening resumed their
Investigation In the Chambers Of the Kings County
Board of Supervisors County Court House There
were but few people present during the examination
Mr.. Joseph II. Thompson, stage carpenter, was tho
first witness called He testified that he had been in
tho employ of the late Mrs +. b. Conway two
years and half; there wero water buckets
md fire axes distributed about tho theatre at
that timc. and had charge .of the
drc apparatus; on the stage the hose screwed
the hydrant ready for immediate use and used in
johnson street daily, in the summer time; it ire
quenty let down In the winter, found TO be good
working ordcr, ana replaced; the fire buckets wcre
always full OF water; drops and borders in
lately shnu when he was connected with the the
atre in Of Gre supposed to
and assist In every possible way extlnguishng
In Of fire man supposed TO get his and
use his hose; sign put over each pail. 40 bo
used only In OF nrc;' there regular sys
,cm about It, but each TO jump for whatever
DO could get to extngush nrc; havo the theatre
smptied inside Of three minutes; that was At time
when tho house pretty well nllcd; Mike Sweeney,
The janitor is the only one that employed there
urdcr Mrs Conways management
Leopold Edlitz architect testified that he lad built
several churches in New York, the Academy OF Music
in BROOKLYN and the Academy OF Music In Pittsburg
tho capacity OF the Academy in the latter city was
about 1700 have nevcr been in the Brooklyn Theatre
The Jury desired to show tho plans OF the Brooklyn
n
ns his views MS TO tho safety Of that building. They
.fchcct OF tho theatre, Mr. Jackson. Mr.. Eidts
look tho Plans and the testimony OF tho latter gentle
and retired to examine them.
Mr.. William II. Hazard, builder, was then sworn.
He testified that he had examined the walls OF the
ruins OF the Brooklyn Thon'rc and found the material
mortar and brick-very good; tho foundation walls
stand unhnrmed, except lar the nro
has cracked tho stone and the brick Wit,
said II he had been building that theatre he should
they. were; That would not, however, have
witness would prefer TO have made the walls
twenty inches instead OF sixteen nchcs thickness
lar. running back from tho entrance; a STAIRS that
straight up and down would be safer than turn
very little difference between straight or platform
turning stairs; strong iron railing run down the
sey OF an audepcs w0ua % ne ad %. Of
Hre, as II would divide the pressure from behind; tho
two lower floors Of the house that Is the balcony par
deliberate, easy way; the mode Of egress TO the
Brooklyn Theatre was bcter than could be found in
lwo-thrds bf the houses used for large audiences
nars, with an opening OF seven feet should
DO ample to permit Of the exit OF $50
70 question from one OF the jurors to the safety OF
public schools, Mr.. Hazard said that for the past
twenty years he had contended that every public
school in the city should have two three iron bal
comics round them, with iron staircases running down.
there not one public private school in the city
which, II it caught fire during ool hours would not
cad to great loss of life among tho children
Il n
gat,on is present
Mr.. Eidil,z then resumed the witness stand. when
mr. Ropes inquired, "Are you willing, Mr. Eidlitz, TO
tate TO the jury your opinion OF tho statement of Mr.
Jackson in view OF the planss''
Mr Eidhtz-l he statement agrees with the plans;
The statement is reasonable and proper.
Mr. Ropes-Arc they consissent with safetyG
Mr. Eidltz-No building is exactly SAFE this theatre
safe the majority OF theatres in this country
which not saying much; this theatre the
Academy OF Music and Booths Theatre arc con-
I'd with three walls this system might add from
utrc as compared with tho Brooklyn Theatre; think
there is only iron curtain in use in Europc Ia
arc IRON the audience In any theatre in New York or
Brooklyn; the opening to the gallery tsix feet eight
iDchcs1 in the burned theatre vas sufficient for
audience OF $50; II would have been better to have
,ad two openings, one at cnch end, but the plan
soud not admit OF such; do not think tho lots on
shich the theatre was built was proper pncc for
iuch a structure.
Prcsisen, Frederick Massey, of the Department OF
fire and Buildings testified that he had superntcnde ded
construction OF the building ir 1871 and considered
safe the walls built four inches thicker than
The law required them 10 be; there was pipe extend
,ng through the northwest corner or the building
capable OF throwing strong stream OF water; don't
OF that gallery, because believe they dead in
very fcy minutes
Robert McNaIly house and theatre carpenter testi-
dcd thn, he had been employed IN building the stairs
under the direction OF Mr.. Ross Of New York. He
oescribed IN dcan the size OF the steps and said he
did tnink the could Eavo .ssacgcd' in any
wny by reason of the weight upon them; thinks tho
stairs we're burned pretty badly before they fell.
4 n ho WINS adj cd nnfn Inn
day next, at four +. NJ
CHIEF ENGINEER xEvISs' REPORT.
A; a regular meeting o! the Board OF Fire Comns.
Iioncrs Brooklyn yesterday the following interest
Ing detailed report OF Chief Engineer Thomas f.
Ecvins received and ordered to be printed:--
HEADQUARTERS DrrAnrnrsr FIRE Asp BuILpiSes.l
OFFICE OF cHiEr ENGINEER. 367 JAY srRrtI. (
To rmK Board COMMISSIONERS or DFrsaTsrsr or rinR
GrsTlrars-0n Tuesday. December 8 1876. a, twenty
scene OK most EXTENSIVE ana disastrous conagrson ac-
as%1s % ri s'S has
Brooklyn Tsarc building ,hs. had been cons.rqeea
dience Of occurring during performance wns
entirely se.Tcysd By ire and terrible TO state nearly 400
from the burning building Tho following is detailed
receiving the alarm until the body
ircd.
pas, ss,sa the ground II
position directed my driver send a second
aud third alarm tho house Engine No. Tile
the theatre johnson street and the side floods
alley we're MI nirht and at that there
possibility Of saving portion of the theatre and
time the station house, Post Office and
Args all Washington running througa Floods
alley. In great danger District Engineer Farley
whose district the dre in, had arrived carly tho
ground and after making energetic efforts and
then in clearing the lobby Of
ef its occupants had turned his attention stopping tho
progress of tho fire. Engine NJ, . located the
sorncr of johnson and Adams strccts stretching
shcr hose psst tho rear. ana took ther
nreOm. Immediately into The front Of the build.
ng Washington street., and afterward 10 the roof
T Deters Hotel Engine No. U had the hydrsnt at the
Junction Of Fulton and Washington and had their
pipe the front In charge OF District Engineer
Farley they affcrw ard taken TO the Post
Office, in order reach the fire In the cnpoa Engine No.
took the hydrant the OF johnson aud Pearl
streets. and rendered good In preventing the
from crossing the other side OF that street
The second eaIl Engines Nos T. and 10 and
No. rruck-wcrc promptly hand. and located FOL
.tngne No. at the of Fulton