Arizona weekly citizen., 1884-02-16
OPERA HOUSE FIRE.
Tine Finest IT atre in Arizona Burned
 Last Night.
4 Loss of Twenty-one Thousand Dollars Only Partly Covered by In
 surance

tructlOn Of the Opera house, last nlgnt, appeared iu the 9 a. ID. edition of the CITIZEN, many additional particulars have bee1 gleaned by the reporter, that could not be obtained early this mOrn- ing.
 About half past nine last evening W. W. Booth passed th,- Opera house on bis way to Col. Beans residence, situa- ted directly behind the destroyed build- ing gz At that time there was no sign of fire, and be did not notice any doors open. He had been in Col Beans house hardly five minutes, before the latter in stepping upon the porch of his house discovered flames breaking out from the rear caves of tue Opera house. A CITIZEN reporter arrived with in a few minutes after the first alarm and found the side door of the building standing wide open. Inside was total darkness, but the smoke had already filled tho interior to sutOcatIOn. The fire departm sur arrived as soon as pos sible, and did all in their power with the
 
 at once apparent that the Opera house could not be saved. Being constructed entirely of wood and plaster, the walls and ceiling mostly of Iaths,the huge pile melted like 50 much wax over flame. Hundreds of people had quickly gathered and stood for an hour watching the work of destruction proceed. Tue tiremen devoted their entire attention '. the Lexington stables that aOiOined the Opera HOu-e. A strong north wind blew the flames upon the roofs of the stables, and for long time their safety was very doubtful The fire iaddies, how ever, worked hard, and the only loss sustained by AIr. W. l. Perry, the owner of the stables, was GU about two tons hay, and some sheds situated in the rear corral. The main building of adobe walls and iron roof sustained no material damage. Col. Beans residence was unlnjIred.
 CAUSE OF THE FIRE
 Last night the source of the fire was in dOuht, and hence many pronounced 1t of incendiary origin. However, facts have since come to light which show that 1t was purely accidental. Barney Kinney, a timer, has for the past two weeks been employed, off and on, IL repairing the roof of the Opera House. Yesterday afternoon he quit work about half-last three o'clock, leaving his charcoal pot, and othsr utensils on the roof. He asserts that he took every precautlOn t0war ds preventing a fire, aefOIe leaving. Besides thoroughly wetting, and, aS he supposed. extiDgUishing the burning charcoal he sprinkled the tin roof around the pot, and also went to the extrG and seeming ly unnecessary trouble of throwing water upon the stage, clcse to he seen cry. He does not deny that the fire was possibly produced from smoldeIing coals left by himself.
 LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
 The Opera House was erected about a year and half aEO, at total cost of about S2i.Ott-s This includes Sl, 500 for the lot. S3O00 for scenery and other furniture, and the balance for the struct- ure proper. Insurance policies were held by the bondhOlders as follows: A. D. Ou- and associates, SlZ0J in the Springfield, Mass, Insurance Co.,: Ger man American Co, Sl,U0O: Hugh Farley and aSSs- -CIates. ID the Standard of Lon don, S2.C0O. in he New Orleans. S1 500. Thomas Fitch, ID the Standa q, Sl.OOO, in the Teutouia, of New Orleans, S1.O0u, and the Orleans, Sl000. The associates Ot A. D. Otis mentioned are Albert Steinfeld. who has $500 interest in the policies; Chas. Hudson, $500; T. L. Stiles, S2OJ and W. k. Gleason, S7OO. Ar. Ols having the other $500. l.. M Jacobs has $500 of the policies credited 70 Mir. Farley. Mr. Wn. \. Scott, Jr.. Is the agent for the above companies. The loss as seen above is about SIPS
 NOTES.
 \ yard locomotive was run upon siding as near the Ire as possible, and a h se attached tO her pump for the pu - pose of extinguishIng the flames. The hose, however, was both t)o short and too rotten. The stream that was thrown had at least twice the force of the hy- drsnt stream.
 Within fifteen minutes after the alarm l Nr Fried. secretary of the gas company, had man on hand to dig down to the 1 street main and turn off fhe gas leading to the Opera house.
 Mrs. W B. Hopkins distinguished l herself m leading fourteen horses from the Lexington staO,Fs during the time | 1i the great st danger. She took eight | out at one time. She Is an admirable | hOrsewOmau.
 MT. Donnie Fl. Armstrong lost a box of roller skates vGiued at $50 They | were stored in the Opera house.
 The wires of the Western Union com pany were SD influenced by the flames | that temporary transfer Of the town | office was made to t e depot
 The electric light company suffered | some loss by the destruction of wires running near the burning building.
 It is estimated there were five hun- dred spectators present including scores of women.
 There has been DO suggestion made to | rebuild the Opera house.
 The first performance in tue Opera | house was by a local amateur company, | as was the last.
 The firemen complain that work was l greatly impeded by too many volunteer bosses. They believe in only one. of ! their own choosing.