, 1881-04-03
Marrow Escape from a Ca
tastrophe at the Union
Square Theatre.
Fire in a Hotel Adjoining
Communicates to the
Auditorium.
Nh Di1ninution Of the Desire to
Talk Finance to Secre-
tary Window
The Impressions Made upon the New
York Bankers by the Two
Visitors.
'story Of the Sharp Game Played
on Collector Merritt by
Conkling.
The Revised New Testament
Will Cost Subscribers $40
for Each Copy.
American Publishers Will Furnish he.
prints Of 1t Shortly Afterward
for IS Cents.
Enormous Shipments of Grain to
Europe, and All in For
:. eign Vessels.
ssto,r Of the Sharp Game Played
on Collector Merritt by
Conkling.
The Revised New Testament
Will Cost Subscribers $40
for Each Copy.
american Publishers Will Furnish Re-
prints Of 1t Shortly Atterward
for IS Cents.
Enormous Shipments of Grain to
Europe, and All i'll For
eign Vessels.

ALMOST A HORROR.
FIFE N THE UNION SQUARE THEATRE
Special DlpateA to The Chicago TFtouns-
NEW YORK, April 2.-The large audience
which gathered this night in the Union
Square Theatre to witness the performance
of tsFelicie,'' were compelled to be content
with one acronly, as the play was ,1lter1u ptea
by fire which broke out in the basement OF
the hotel adjoining, and communicated ~
the theatre building. Fortunately, Tie nfe
caused but little damage That no person
was hurt was due in great measure to ene
good sense of those endangered. and also 10
The prompt action and coofness OF at
taches Of the theatre The fire was
discovered at precisely y O'CLOCK
during the intermission between the
first and second acts Of the play. While the
audience were listening to the music OF
waltz, persons seated in the last rows OF the
orchestra seats, near the northwest corner OF
the auditorium, were surprised py
smoke which was making its way
through the interstices Of the flooring
beneath their feet As the volume
OF smoke increased some persons became
alarmed and started for the doors. Their
movements naturally attracted the attention
OF those in front, and
THE EXCITEMENT SPREAD
to the rest of the audience They rose to
their feet, and, seeing the smoke pouring
into the auditorium, made simultaneous
rush toward the exits. Some cool-headed
persons who grasped the situation at
a glance called out: "Sit downw
"Sit downF' and the audience in
stinctively took their seats The commotion
attracted the attention Of a[r: E. C. Chamber
lain, the doorkeepers, and OF the ushers.
Mr. Chamberlain threw wide open the main
doors leading from the orchestra and sum-
moned a policeman who was standing
in the lobby. Accompanied by the
policeman. Chamberlain went down the
central aisle, which was already beginning
to be filled by excited persons making their
way toward the street. He cried out that
there was no danger, as the fire was next
would all get outsafely. The officer stationed
himself at. the head OF the aisle near the
main door, and by voice and gesture reas-
snred those who were inclined to be panic
stricken. The ushers had opened the extra
exit door at the head of the eastern aisle, and
were assisting the people TO leave as rapidly
and quietly as possible.
THE SMOKE WAS BECOMING DEN6EE AND
DESSEE,
and the fact that there was fire in or near
the house bad become known to the occu-
pants OF the dress-circle and the upper
gallery. The ushers in charge Of the dress
circle threw open the doors Of the extra exits
leading to Broadway and to Fourteenth street
and stood at them, calling, ''This way out-" :"
The usher In charge Of the upper gallery. in
Which there were probably 800, opened the
exits leading to Broadway, and the audience
der: Some thirty or OF forty off the persons who
occupied the front seats on the orchestra
climbed over the railing separating the
musicians from The audience and climbed
upon, tha. stage. The curtain was
gosd ac2ose aside sSa and they we're at LED 81
The rear of the theatre An excited in
diyidual jumped into the private box on the
!eft-hand side of the stage and knocked out
Ine panels of door leading to the stage
lie then escorted several Of his friends
ACROSS the stage.
DrESG ALL THE EXCITEMENT,
which at no time amounted to panic, the
ms subordinates in their places. continuing
the strains Of the waltz until all the audience
Lad left the theatre. The house was
cleared in about three minutes, and
aM a.1x+! coincide IL saying 1t was never EYE;
etinptled as quickly, and se1dommore quietly.
Scarcely had the house been cleared when
tongues Of flame began to make their ap-
pea1ance through the parQuet floor. The
building was filled with dense smoke The
nfe originated in some manner, at
present unascerrained, in Z: small cupboard
aa]olnlng the Offices in the basement of
tne Morton House, the hotel next to the
theatre The cupboard was filled with
waste-papeI, rags, etc. It was built against
all unused fireplace, from which q fl,1e runs
up Through tie hotel. 1t is believed that
SOME BURNING SCOT FELL
through this fue and set fire to the waste
, pape!, or that 1t was set on fire by burning
Hatch tt or cigar being carelesly thrown into
ae cupboard. At the time Of the fire Mr..
MI; II Cazauran was standing inside the
nam entrance Of the theatre in
conversation e!'ll with Nj. McVicker, Of
tIhnlcaRo, when lie noticed smoke tillering
through the cracks of the floor, not more
1hsan, ha1 Mh teet distant from the door leading
h.ot hha.ouRh Ar. Morton's private Office into the
1lotel other persons III the rear part OF the
aaultolun lad smelled the smoke and were
SSla1lns S1lns their necks to discover its source
ooaneoody IN the body of the house
SHOUTED "FIRE,"
ataa TWO or three voices took lip the cry. Mr.
~azaulan ,.s.a Immediately cried out that there
Mas no lire III the theatre: that 1t was III the
""hh}|o'4lng hotel. and that it would be adSls-
1p.e th Tor the audience to pass quietly out, rs
~ fe'e was no present danger. The doors
~ ~ Me middle and right hand exits
~. 'at 81 Immediately thrown back and fastened
~. ~ ue nshers. The audience then passed
~. ~ Without .]ostii1g or confusion 1lr.
a;tt;aulan sr;t; attributes the remarkable celebrity
NJ. ",tn which the audience was enabled to pass
ut 1aH " tne tact that every one Of the aisles
+ea straight out to door, and thus directly
10 the street