The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-01-07
APLAy-HOUsE DESTROYED.
The New Park Theater at Cleveland Burned
Losses of Pantomime Company.

The New Park Theater at Cleveland Burned
Losses ola Pantomime Company.
CLEVELAND, Jan. Sat S:15 o'clock this
morning wild shout of fire" was heard to is
sue from the northwest corner of the Public
Square, and momenG later the agonized screams
of several women We're heard near the stage door
of the Park Theater Then there was slight
puff of smoke from the doors and windows lead
ing from the north end and west side of the build
ing near the stage, followed by hasty and gen
eral exodus of employees from the building The
excited crowd which had been attracted by the
cries were not left long in doubt as to the cause
of commotion, for in almost less time than is re
quired to write it long tongues of fame were
leapitg from the windows and doors of the Park
Theater, tapping everything combustbe in
their fatal touch The smoke was intense
and f9zlrcd out of every crevice in the building.
and formed complete bar to effective work in
saving property in the theater. A general alarm
was turned in and promptly responded to by the
department, but before the men could bring their
apparatus into position, the entire interior of the
theater was mass Of flames, which soon com
munlcated to the remainder of the block of
which the pretty little Biiou was part There
was furious rush for the doors in the hope that
something might be saved but the rescuers were
met at every hand by the smoke and intense heat
were ranged around the block at every plug and
streams were playing on the building from both
Frankfort and st. Clair streets in a very short
time, but rapidly and fercey did the
fire urge its way through every crack and
crevice of the building that in less than half
an hour after the first alarm was given the rear
wall of the theater had fallen in on the roof of
the stores fronting Court Place and st. Clair
street. This formed a complete draft, and the
front part of the building was soon the center of
destruction. The intense heat cracked and then
burst the plate-glass windows one by one until
the streams from the engines seemed not to have
the slightest effect The loss is. $125, 600, with
the insurance divided as follows: Connecticut
Fire Insurance Company and Springfield Insur-
ance Company, $25, 900 each; Royal Fire Insur-
ance Company S., 900; Liverpool, London and
Globe Fire Insurance Company, 50. 500; New York
Alliance s., 500; Milwaukee Mechanics, 81, 500;
Firemen's Fund, of San Francisco. 81, 800 On
the Wick Block-Ktna Fire Insurance Com
pany, $1,000; Providence, Washington Fire
Insurance Company and St. Paul Fire In
surance Company, 81, 200 each; Germania, $3,-
800; Norwich, 81 500; Firemans Fund 81 500
The pantomlme property of the Humpty Dump
ty Company, which requires great care and cap
ltal to construct, was entirely destroyed. This
will compel the company to cancel their engage
ments far in the future, as it will be long time
before the trick properties, scenery costumes
etc, can be reconstructed. The band lose all
their instruments and the performers their
wardrobes. The principal members of the com
pany will be the heaviest losers. The Leslie
brothers, Louis and Fred, and the Martinetti
sisters Belle and Paul, will lose 81 900 on their
personal property and stage wardrobe, with no
insurance George Bernadoe will lose $780,
with no insurance; Mrs. Tissott, 81, 900, with
$l25 insurance; William Eunice, 800. with no
insurance. The total loss of the company is
$4,000. Manager Hartze, of the theater, loses
$40, 600 personally