Morning journal and courier., 1884-12-24
HARRIGAN AND HaRT,s LOSS.

HARRIGAN AND HARTsS LOSS. The. Theater Conique In Ruins- Burned To The Ground Nm An Ek6atss Ttme-HeaVy Losses To The
 Showmen.
 NEW YORK, Dec 23-Harrigail and Hart's Theater Comique on Broadway was 1 totally destroyed by fire this morning, the building being a mass of ruins in an hour from the time of it's discovery The theater occupied two lots 6n Broadway. Nos. 728 and 73o. If had $ frontage 6f about 75 feet; with depth of 130 feet, and was Separated from the wing of the Colonnade Hotel by a small yard. The ground is owned by the Stewart estate. Four years ago, when the old Theater Comique was sold over Messrs. Harrigan & Hart's heads, they secured five years lease of the property, which was after ward extended to seven years, and erected three-story brick building at a cost of $100,o00. The rental paid for the 1Hnd was s1e,000 per year.
 The fire was discovered shortly before 8 o'clock by Officer Cluen, who sounded the alarm, but when the engines arrived three minutes later the building was mass of flames. So fercely and quickly were the flames licking up everything that came in their way that the fremen could do but little more than direct the streams from their en- zines on to the burning mass from various points in the street and from the roofs and :. windows of adjacent buildings. The theater could not be saved, and so the fire depart ment directed their efforts to preserving the adjoining property. The Colonnade Hotel, which adjoins the theater on the south, as well as the building next door on the north, caught fire several times, but the fremen checked it. There were .6ne hundred and fifty guests in the hotel, who were aroused by the walters, and though they were much alarmed, there was no panic. Fifteen minutes after the fire was discovered the roof fell with loud crash, which was followed in second or two by loud explosion in the rear structure Twen- ty minutes later all the four walls except that on Bfoadway had fallen in Nothing was saved from the wreck.
 Just when or where the fire originated is not definitely known. It is claimed by some that smoke was seen issuing from the build ing by persons in the New York Hotel, across from the Theater ComiqHe, it broke out Somewhere iii the rear of the stage. Others claim that it had only just begun when it was discovered and started somewhere in the neighborhood of the rooms of the Actors Fund association, which are on the second floor. From the fierceness of the fire when the department arrived, the fremen incline to the opinion that it had been burning at least half an hour before the alarm was sounded. The regular com pany was busy rehearsing MT. Harrigan's new play, ''McA1lister's Legacy" up to 9 o'clock this morning, as the play was under lined for production January 9th. Every thing st this hour was perfectly safe. Tho building was then left in ehatge of the night watchman, Austen Hefferman, who is g brother-in law of the acting manager, John E. Cannon. He went home this morning at G o'clock, at which hour the building was seemingly we'll protected against all danger. A force jet is kept burning the stage throughout the night, and as the wind was blowing quite briskly this morning, it is supposed that Q piece of drapery may have been blown against this light and the fire started in this way. Mr. Harrigan is sriTe, he says, that it broke out on or over the stage
 The watchman; who it was at first thought was lost, was found in bed in his house, sleeping soundly. On being told that the theater was burned he appeared to be dazed. He said that he had left the theater at o'clock this morning, and at that time everything was all right and the cause was 8 mystery to him. There was dull explosion i1 the rear of the theater a few moments after the alarm was given, indicating all es- cape of gas which may have caused the fire Charles Gould, the manager of the theater, said: f'Mf: Harrigan saved all of his manuscripts and that in fact was all he did save Everything else is gone, the seen cry for the new play as well as that used in Investigation, the wardrobe of Harrigan and Hart and all the company as well as the ror1aiao1 011Tl toJ will to fully $120,O00, and we did not have a cent of insurance, There was between $500 and $700 in bills and silver in the cash drawer of the box-off1ce, which was burned, Some time ago just after we took possession of the building we were in negotiation with mum Der of fire insurance companies, but the rates demanded by them were so high that Mir Harrigan decided he would not take out any insurance. The scenery of tMcATlister's Leg acy' was worth S5, 900, and the other losses made up in the front building between the front wall of the old building and the new front on Broadway, with the refurnish- ing, refttihgs and wardrobes, all of which were owned by HaTrigan & Hart. Johnny Wild lost a wardrobe which he had been collecting for twenty-two years and which he valued at S1 ,000. Mrs. Annie Yea mans loses @ wardrobe valued at 3600 and tRe other members Of the company sustain indi- vidual losses varying from $50 to S100. Dave Braham loses all his musical scores, published and unpublished, and all of his instruments, including violin three hun dred years old worth $500 Braham never left this violin in the house before until last night. Ex Judge Hilton has offered to rebuild the theeter and have it ready for use in six months, and this offer will probably be accepted, and in the mean time we will secure some other place."
 MT. Harrigan said to reporter: "All our theatrical scenery and other valuable proper ty, the accumulation of years, has gone up in smoke and our loss cannot be far from S125,- 900, if it does not exceed that sum. We were not insured.'' The loss On the building, which belongs to the Stewart estate, is about $65, 1000.
 48th COngress---Second Session.