The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-19

hind the stage for bucket Of water went through
the box and the stage door"
'.Iu front of the houseY' asked tho HERALD re-
Eyes; through the front of the house,
Then tho audience your
s.some Of them could see me, but don't think
attracted their attention..
.Is il usual to 20 tho stage that wayY'
the stage by thar way. tho opposite side of the
house there s an entrance leading into Twenty
street"
when you came back with the water had the fire
Il think not. 1t was mostly smoke. There was
head usher, and he Immediately put all the ushers
at their posts. 80 that the most perfect order pre-
vailed"
..How many people were there in the houseY' 81 8
Probably Athousand. am not quite sure, but
think from eightshundred to one thousand"
''what was your idea in removing the ratlingr'
ITO give the people free passage out"
''rhen you thought there was dangerf'
'No, / did not. But 1t Is beat always to be pre-
pared. II the audience became alarmed there was
ample room for them to leave the house. The at
tacnes all cool and at their post. and there
no excitement whatever. Some OF the men the
stage had heard Of the fire. or had 1t almost
did in front. One of them was on his
way to the front with bucket OF water whom went
behind. He was going round the house. that is
through the street. They were under the impress
sion that the smoke had come from tho opticians.
next door, and they went in there to see about it.
some Of the people in the second tier came down
the stairway and passed out here. There
coed many people there and the gallery was
How do you think the IRE orieinatedY'
81 don't know how 1t could break out there unless
some ono threw . cigar or cigarette out of his hand
as he entered the house without distinguishing it.
aud il wentDthrough one OF these holes and ignited
some of the old paper there.
smoking is prohibited in the lobby
eyes; there are notices hung up to that cffcct."
Insn = person gong INTO the theatre IRE wouid
got Inside the buildingr
mot always. They hing them aside just as they
about to come up STAIRS and have no doubt tho
trouble originated IN this way"
"Is there furnace or engine or anything Of that
kind under the stairway
''No. Ny office is there"
''what sort OF rubbish had collected beneath the
ss:p:Y am. ,,,,..
''RusHINo NADLY THROUGH THE LOBBY"
Foreman Keever. OF Engine Company No. IA.
way told reporter that signal box No. 37s. which
Is located Mt Twentieth street and Broadway. was
sounded at precisely i've minutes to nine p NJ. Upon
receipt OF the alarm the entire company turned
out, aud one minute and half later tho
engine made fast to the hydrant nearest to the
the crowds of people who were rushing madly
through the lobby into the street. The hallway.
was partly allied with smoke. and 4 took
was coming from. Assistant Foreman Shay
was the nrsr to discover that it was
Hremen were set to work with to cut through
the woodwork. by this time Engines Nos. and 10
and Hook and aadds. Companies Nos Nos and
the flames which had been slowly eating
their way toward the second stairway were got at.
Two streams turned upon them. and in few
minutes they completely extinguishod. 1t
the opinion of the fireman that the packing around
the heaters had become ignited and communicated
with the stairway.
ALWAYS READY.
Mr.. Donnelly. the chief usher. said :-'.As soon as
was told there smoke In the lobby " ent round
to the Twenty-second street entrance and pulled
aside the damask hangings that the audience
woul have trouble in getting out No sort OF
rush would block that passage and we were
ready in the fre increased As it was the audi
left the theatre quietly and were all out inside
Of q few minutes. always stand by the double
doors and keep my men in the aisles. Every on
the ct age ~ well in front of the house per-
fectly collected. and don't think there was any
cessity tor excitement"