The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-02-26
FOx's Theatre Entirely Consumed at
One O'clock in the Morning.
The Mercantile Library IRE
trievably Injured.
The Largest Variety Theatre in America
and the Largest Library Building
Losses Over 1926, OOO-A Fire
man MOrtally Hurt.
PHILADELPHIA. Feb. 25. 1871.

indeed when Saturday night came around without
bringing an immense audience to -Fox's American
Theatre, the great variety show OF Philadelphia, seat
ing 5000 people and giving them more for their
money, Ia point OF time at east than any rival cstab-
lishment In town. Saturday night was always great
night for tho "boys, and IL was always midnight at
the earliest before the green curtain fell for good.
Last night was no exception TO tho rule largo and
heterogeneous audience assembled under its lofty
dome; the performers had done their best; the
had enjoyed themselves and appiaudcd IN their
usual vigorous fashion; tho long bill had been
successfully Como through with tho 'patrons Of the
drama" had dispersed 10 their homes--or somewhere
elsc--nnd the last member of the company had bid
good night" TO Charley Charlton, the night watch
man, as ne dragged himself wcariy homo to bod.
The watchman locked the stage door after the depart
ing song and dance man, completed his rounds OF tho
building set his clock ut quarter to one O'clock and
had Just taken a seat when he
burst from the property room, situated on tho
prompter's side, and level with The flies. He
was tho only in the theatre, and at turned
on the two fire plugs on the stage, and tried to
tingush flames with patent fire cxtinguisher but
his efforts werc in In almost less time than it
takes write 1t tho whole mass OF finder and milan
mable stuff on the stage on nre beyond the hope
Of saving them. Within a few minutes the fire burst
through tho root the stage and being the
streets alarm was given, which brought the fire
engines to the spot. stiff breeze blowing from
the west and great golden pillows OF smoke rolled out
toward the front of the theatre Chestnut street,
carrying pieces of burning wood and canvas, which
fell in
A SHOWER FIRE
on roofs and awnings for at least two blocks away.
Everything outdoors had been soaked in a twenty four
hours rain and snow, which had just ceased falling;
but this did not prevent the fire breaking out on tho
roofs Of dozen different buildings, while II PROBABLY
saved the entire block bounded by Tenth, Eleventh,
Market and Chestnut streets from total destruction
paratus In the city, was speedily sent but was soon
evident IN spite of all their efforts, that the confagra
ton could not DO confined to tho theatre.
FIRE
Tho auditorium AMI stage OF tho theatre were stu
atcd back from Chestnut street. approached by wdo
passage about fifty feet In length barroom and
cigar wcro either side OF this passage
way, facing on Chestnut street, and extending
back to tho front walls Of tho auditorium.
II OF the freaks Of the fire that neither
OF these stores suffered any damage except by water
while buildings Immediately adjoining them were in
jured, and during the fire two barkcepers kept
busy within ten feet OF the flames serving out liquors
Within half hour after the outbreak OF the nre
other buildings In the immediate vicinity had become
Ts 10 become was tho large douSc dwelling
ana store OF l.. G. Love. tailor, No lob Chest nut
street. The roof OF tho building caught from sparks,
the 1amos igniting tho cornice on the front. From
this heavy woodwork they spread rapidly over tho
roof, and in few moments the entire upper portion OF
found impossible to bring streams OF water to play
upon u IRON the adjoining roofs and order to
come the difficulty an extension ladder employed by
department wheeled In front OF the building,
from which the 1rcmcn played. The flames mere
finally put out before they had done very much dam
age ,
store, story structure. The fire passed this by
merely smuggling it, and also Mligan's tailor shop adj
Joining but the structure the large three story
and attic building ocCSpeH Sy william d. Rogers as
this lowered above the others that its roof
caught fre from tho clouds Of sparks with which tho
air was filled. II was burning some time before aten-
.tiUn was called 10 IT,
Tho building alIod wkh nnammable stock. In
the attic wool and hair, on tho third floor
pishos, paints, partially completed carriages and
similar materials On tho second floor finished
ragcs the first floor the slrow Tor
tho best goods. About $50 600 worth OF stock is said
to havo been IN tho place, although no one can be
found who knows definitely this matter, Mr.. Rogers
himself being sick and at the point OF death. Two
thirds of the stock was destroyed.
A FATAL ACCIDENT.
City Fro Marshal Thompson, George II. Bonnaforc,
Secretary Of the Insurance Patrol and George Freder-
lex Newman, a fireman in TIC employ OF the lnsur-
rectlng the preservation OF the carriages number
engaged in Wheeling out tho valuable sale car
riages that upon the first floor, when crash
heard overhead the whole building shook MS II rocked
by an earthquake, and the people engaged In the re-
ioar had crushed IN the second and the contents OF
both were piled upon the first, with flames darting in
all drections and dozens OF costly carriages In runs
The three men above named were buried in the
d6brs. and for few moments the widest excitement
~
a certainty that they were killed. The Fire Marshal
was dragged out with his face laid open on one side
one but not serious Mr. Bonnaiore was struck On
the head by timber and stunned, being partially un-
conscious when taken out. He wore heavy hreman's
helmet which broke the weight OF tho blow and prob
nby saved his e Both men were attended by a
physician ana sent home The other Of the three,
Mr. Newman, could not be found, and 1t was thought
that he had persisted. At ten O'Clock thus
morning however, nfer the fire had been completely
extinguishcd aud careful search was made, Newman
wedgcd into tho Debris still alive bui
dangerously wounded. lie was conveyed TO the Penn
syvania Hospital but will PROBABLY die OF internal in
jures. Several other bremen were also less
injured by falling cornccs and timbcrs before the cx-
tinvuishment OF the fire, which was not until alter
ihs Rogers establishment marked the boundary of
the ire on the cast but there would have been DIFF
erent story to tell had not the massive granite build
ing OF the Now York Mutual Lite Insurance Company,
on tho northwest corner of Tenth and Chestnut
streets, stood and dehcd the further march OF the
GREAT LIBRARY IyJuRKp
Tho southern wall Of the Philadelphia Mercantile LII
brary Is directly opposite the rear Of the destroyed
playhouse, separated only BY narrow alley, called
Marble street. 1t Is mainly ono Story brick struc-
turc, with n high arched roof of grders and Tin,
and Is nearly lre proof The library buding nobly
wthstood the rain OF fire upon IT from tho roaring PIT
OF tho theatre but when the rear walls of tho theatre
fell upon its roof the skylights, with which IL was
were m sav S 10
end TO end along that side of the building Tho glass
from the now lies in powder and IN fantastic
which tho nremcn poured IN In liberal guam
titles to qucnch the flames on the root, has
done moro damage than the fire itself. No
books were burned nut the most valuable volumes IN
tho library have been destroyed or injured beyond
repair by tho About 5000 OF the choicest books
In the collection we're kept IN gallery under the root
the wall just III the spot where the greatest
damage done Here wcrc such volumes rs Audi
bon's 'Hirds of America" for which the company paid
ST. 900; and which badly damaged follos with val
liable colorcd prints In architecture, geography, MS
| tory and science. Many old and raro vcum covered
books now out of PRINT these shelves, of
which reduced almost to pulp Some OF those
| oil In rorIa n q Ia
loss IN dollars OF course, be under
| tho circumstances until careful examination IS mado
by expert. The president OF the library however,
nj ado the following statement TO the HERALD:-
|
Is as fully covered by such loss can DO
IN the following among other companies Franklin,
a naIa MINI Ass Inn