Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-10-31
ABBEY'S PARK THEATRE
Consumed by Fire Yesterday AMER
noon,
And With It the Gorgeous WardrObs Of
the Jersey Lily and Her Com
pany-The Loss Quarter
of a Million.
ANEMPL0YE PERISHES IN THE FLAMES

Theater took fire this afternoon anu was
totally destroyed. The fire started IN the
proscenium in the rear of the second tier
of boxes, on the right OF the stage. IL is
believed to have caused by gas explosion.
The flames spread with great rapldity,
caught the drop curtain and drove from
the building the stage hands who were
setting the stage. They had pre-
viously made a vain effort to put out
the fire with e1tinguishers, but, 1t is said,
they would not work. Henry Clarke, a
stage hand, was badly burned in an en-
deavor to lower the drop curtain. He
jumped from a rear window into Broad
way, from height Of twenty feet, and had
leg broken. VIM. Doran, aged q years,
scene painter, was badly bruised. Both
men were taken to the hospital.
Mrs. Langtry's costumes for "An Une-
quail Match, the play in which tonight
she was to make her first appearance in
America, were burned, together with the
costumes of all the other members OF the
company, and the very valuable scenery.
Nothing was saved. The loss is over
500, 900.
Mrs. Langtry and Mrs. Labouchere
watched the fire from the balcony OF the
Albemarle Hotel, two blocks off. They
were greatly shocked.
Later Particulars.
NEW YORK, October 30.-Atbey's Park
Theatre, on Broadway and Twenty-second
street. burned this evening, four hours be-
fore Mrs. Langtry was to make her debut
before an American audience. The build
ing with all its contents was destroyed.
The loss is estimated at S25O,OOO Scores OF
employees were on the stage at the time OF
the fire. but all escaped with the exception
Of Henry Clark and William f. Dorau,
who were driven to the upper windows by
the fire, and in jumping out were badly
injured. The origin of the fire is obscure.
1t started in a prOscenum box, and behind
private box, apparently in the partition
wall, perhaps caused by the bursting OF a
gas pipe. The rumOr that a scene painter
Had Upset a Lamp
was not subStantiated. The fire spread rap
idly, and was beyond control when help
arrived. Much delay was caused by the
failure of the automatic alarms on the
stage to work, and the failure of the fire
extingushers. Ten minutes elapsed be-
fore the arrival of the tiremen. and then
the flames were bursting through the roof
and the building was doomed. From the
balcony of the Albermarle House, two blocks
away Mrs. Langtry and Mrs. Labouchere
viewed the cOnhagration. Mrs. Langtry
had just finished packing her wardrobe, in
VIII ich she was to appear in the evening,
and was in the very act of sending it TO the
theatre when the fire broke out. AbbeyS
loss is a hundred thousand dollars. He
Immediately made arrangements to
Open on Monday Night Next
in the Grand Opera, with Mrs Langtry in
an Unequal Match" The theatre was
small and deliberately decorated. The main
entrance was on Broadway through a three
story building, in which were stores and
offices, and on the third floor was the
property room. This was an old building,
but the theatre itself was built
only in 1874. 1t. e8tar" way to
on Broadway The stage en-
trance was on Twenty second street.
1t had been newly frescoed and upholster-
cd in preparation for Mrs Langtrys debut.
The scenery for the play was costly and
elaborate especially that for the second
act, being
Painted on Satin and Hand EmbrOi-
dered.
1t was all destroyed. There had been no
rehearsal today but merely a scene
setting for Mrs. Langtry. The fire
signal boxes failed to act when the attempt
was made 10 pull them and the stage hose
and several fire cxtnguishers the employees
were unable to work. The fire spread so
rapidly that the valuable paintings could
not be removed from the office. Mr. Ham
ilton Weaver, the stage carpenter, says the
stage hose worked all right and the stage
was flooded, but the fire had reached the
flies.
Mr.. Abbey was found at the Brunswick
Hotel. His loss is over 100000 and the
insurance SlO5, 900. The buildings belongei
To the McComb estate. He was on his way
to the theater when the fire broke out an
he fastened to inform Mrs. Langtry OF his
misfortune. She is now
Suffering From Nervousness and Dis
appointment.
He has secured the Grand Opera House
for Monday, when Mrs. Langtry will make
her debut. Mr.. Jefferson was TO follow at
Florepces on Saturday week, but Mr..
Abbey thought, under the circumstances,
he would cancel his dates. Florence had
another week to run from Saturday next,
but surrendered his rights. In regard to
the tickets sold everything will be made
The other losses are estimated as fol-
lows:
c. II. George. mural decorator, who oc-
cupied a store under the theatre, $I6,OOOi
insurance $4,000.
Parsons & Scarett, occupying the second
floor, tailors, lose $4,000; partly insured:
The building suffered to the extent OF
S45, 900, insured.
Tonight, John Leo, a stage carpenter,
was reported missing. 1t is thought he
persisted in the flames.
A Wholesale Attempt at Murder.
PHILADELPHIA. October 40. - Casper
N-,,,,,r ,,ilI bave n hearing this afternoon