Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-23
PARTICULARS OF THE FIRE.

NEW YORK, December ga few minutes before
eight o'clock this morning Harrigan Harris Thea
Ter Comique was found to be on fire. police OH
Ger saw heavy clouds OF smoke coming out of the
large windows on the second floor. He sounded On
alarm at once, but when the engines arrived three
minutes later, the entire building was one mass of
flames. SO hercely and quickly did the flames lick
UP everything that came in their way that the fire.
men could do but little more than direct streams
OF o.n, water from various points ON the
several heroic attempts to get the small safe out Of
the treasurers office to place of safety, but each
time he was driven back by the flames. The tire
had gained such Roadway before it was discovered
that In an hours time the building was in ruins.
When IL was found that the theater could not be
saved the water tower and two engines left at
work On the front OF the building, While the other
engines were sent to the rear, on Lafayette place.
90 sae adjoining there The Col
south, as well as the building next door on the
north side. caught fire several times during the
progress OF the cOnfagration, but the flames were
put out by the energetic efforts OF the firemen.
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE IN DOUBT
Just where the fire originated Is not definitely
know ut, IL IS claimed by some that smoke was
New York hotel as early as O'Clock, and that it
broke out somewhere in the rear OF the stage.
Others claim that 1t had only Just begun when 1t
was discovered, and that 1t started In the neigh
borhood of the rooms of the actors fund assoc1a-
ton, on the second floor. From the herceness
OF the fire when the fire department arrived, the
nremen incline to the opinion that it had been
burning at least half an hour before the alarm
sounded The regular company OF the theater was
busy rehearSiDg Mr.. Harrigan's new play, ''McAl-
listers Legacy" up to O'clock this morning, as
this play was to be put on the boards on
perfectly safe. The building was then left in
charge OF the night Waterman He went home
this morning about O'Clock, at which hour the
building was seemingly well protected against
all dangers A gas Jet is left burning on the
stage throughout the night and, as the wind was
blowing quite brlskly this morning, ii Is supposed
that piece Of paper may have been thrown
against this light and the fire started In this way.
Mr. Harrigan says he is sure that the fire broke out
on or over the stage. Fifteen minutes after the
fire was discovered the roof fell in with loud
crash, which was followed in a second or two by
LOUD EXPLOSION
in the rear structure Twenty minutes later all
fallen in; Nothing was saved from
belonging to the Actors Fund Association
floor, are supposed to have been totally destroyed
The safe in the treasurer's Office Of the theater
contained besides the books OF the establishment
some g 900 in money and the manuscript of several
OF Mi. Harrigan's plays.
PANIC IN THE CoILoHApE HOTEL,
The excitement in the CollOnade hOtel was for a
time intense. The walters had gone through the
building and aroused the guests. Many of the lat
ter became so terrified that they ran down stairs
put On their habiliments. The proprietor and his
clerks, however, succeeded In quleting them after
while Considerable damage was done to the
building No. 7as Broadway, which adjolned the
theater
THE THEATER COMIQUE
occupied two lots on BrOadway-NoS 72S and $780,
1t had frontage Of Is feet and depth OF 100 feet,
and was separated from the wing or the Colorado
hotel by q small YARD. The ground Is owned by the
Stewart estate, and was leased by Messrs Harrigan
& Hart. who erected three-StOry brick building
on 1t at cost of 100000 1t Is supposed that the
total loss by the fire will be about 100000.
The stage settings in the house were valued at
ss5 900. The expensive properties and the ward
robe Of the entire company were also destroyed.
The loss to Mr.. Dave Braham. who had his original
manuscripts of all the manuscripts OF all the music
which has made the names OF Harrigan & Hart
famous throughout all the land cannot be esti-
mated. The insurance policy on the property ran
out only short time ago, and in the press OF bus
ness its renewal had been neglected.