St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-29
Unexpected Scenic Effects at
the Union Square The
atep, New York.
The Famous Play House Al
most Entirely Destroyed
by Fire and Water.
SIX Persons Badly Injured
While Fighting the
Conag1ration.
Partial Destruction of an Ad-
joining Hotel--Panie-
Stricken Guests.

NEW YORK, Feb. 2S.-The Union
Square Theater was this afternoon par
TALLY destroyed by fire, and the work
of destruction was completed by water.
The outbreak occurred shortly after 1
o'clock on the top floor of the Morton
house, and directly over the theater,
which is built into the hotel. Although
an alarm was at once sent out the
flames made rapid progress, and soon
burned their way down into
the theater, which was doomed
on account of the infam-
mable material with which it was filled.
A panic ensued among the guests of the
hotel-a majority of the guests are the
atrical peOple-as soon as the fire was
discovered, but it is believed that all
escaped without injury. A large num-
Der of engines were summoned to the
spot, and later three ambulances were
called. Although the fremen lost no
time and worked heroically, they found
1T impossible to save the theater. So
they sent out
A SECOND ALARM,
calling more engines to their assistance,
and directed their efforts to saving the
hotel and the Star theater, the stage of
which is in close proximity to that of
the Square-the two playhouses stand
ing, as it were, back to back. All the
contents of the Union Square were de-
stroyed, including largeEamOunt of
valuable scenery, as well as the ward
robes of Robson and Crane and their
Henrietta company. Soon after this a
third alarm was sent out, and in a few
minutes eleven engines, four hook
and ladder trucks and the water
tower were congregated at the scene.
Sheridan Shook, eX-leSSee of the theater,
ano Mr.. Hill, the present manager, were
both in the Morton house cafe when
about twenty chambermaids rushed
panic-stricken down the stairs shouting
fire" Both gentlemen rushed out to
sound the alarm, but the policeman on
the beat had anticipated Them The
top of the theater is protected from the
hotel by sheet of iron roofing, but this
did not serve its purpose. The place
where the fire originated is devoted to
servants. They. as well as the guests,
fled III all directions, falling over each
other on the stairways in
the greatest confusion. The cooler
baggage of all sorts from the windows.
This work greatly endangered life on
the street. The clerks rolled out the
big safe, leaving all other property be-
hind. Great crowds gathered in Union
square and the neighbOring streets to
watch the firemen work-and they
worked with superhuman energy. Sud-
denly cry of horror went up from the
throng. A stairway that was crowded
with fremen fell with a great crash,
burned off at the top.
SIX FIREAIEN WENT DOWN
with the hotel wreck. They were taken
were black and unrecognizable. They
were removed to st. Vincent's and the
New York hospitals. They are:
Assistant Foreman ALEXANDER EAKIN,
of Engine Company No. 13, face and hands
burned.
Fireman FRANK McGRADE. Engine Com
pany No. IS, bad bruises and back injured.
Fireman ROANE, Engine Company No.13,
badly burned.
Fireman THOMAS TEDDY, Engine Com
pany No. ii, badly burned and bruised
Fireman O'C0NNOR, Engine COMPANY No.
Ia, general burns.
Fireman FRENZIC, Engine Company No.
Ia, badly burned about the face and hands;
ankle broken.
On the way to the New York hospital an
engine containing two injured tiremen
capSiZed, throwing the victims out into
the street. The ambulance was wrecked
and they were carried off in a horse car.
The police drove the crowds in the
square away from the burning theater
with great difficulty and cleared a space
for the firemen to work in. Fifty en-
gineS were at work throwing water into
the burning pit at 2:S0. During the ex-
element rumorS were in circulation of
mis- n
San Francisco was last seen in the
burning building and was thought to
be lost and another that one of the
girls was missing. The police say that
there is no foundation for the rumors,
and that everybody escaped. At $50
o'clock the flames
WE'RE UNDER CONTROL.
The theater and the part of the hotel
which is above it was destroyed inside,
although the outer walls were only
slightly damaged. The Morton house
proper was only slightly damaged by
fire and water, and the Star theater,
though at one time in great danger, es-
capped injury, and was open as usual to-
night. No one seemed to know how the
flames originated, but the theater at
tendantS blame it to defective fiue in
the hotel. The decorations and tapestry
in the Star theater were injured by
smoke, which filled the building, but
fire was kept out of it. The rooms below
the twoWpper stories of the Morton house
were tenable late in the day. The dam
age by fire to the hotel building is con-
fined principally to the two upper floors
and the furniture. etc., on the lower
floors was damaged by water. The
servants lost all their clothing. The
loss on the theater is heavy, as about
six months ago it was remOdeled and
redecorated. The costumes and all
properties of the Henrietta company
were destroyed. Mr.. Hill places his
loss at Sl25,000. The members of the
company lose about $1,000 on their cos
tunes. The theater will probably be
rebuilt. The loss on the Morton house
will probably amount to $4,000, and ON
the property $4,000 more. Both build
ings were old and far from fre-proof.