Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-01-08
BIG FIRE IN NEW YORK.
Fifth Avenue Theatre Completely
Quilted by the Flames.

The Gilsoy BLOCK Badly Damaged
Serious Cnnfiagration Narrowly Averted
--"CIeopatra" Loses Her Crown, Cos
TUNES and Courtly Trappings--Loss
S567,OOO.
New York, Jan. 3.-Flames burst
forth from the Fifth Avenue Theatre at
midnight last night. The theatre is in
the Gilsey block, on the west side of
Broadway, between Twenty-eighth and
Twenty-ninth streets.
A careful estimate of the loss places
the total at 1857 900, more than half of
which falls upon the insurance COM
panies. Never in the history of the fire
department Of this city were the mem
bers called upon to battle with such
fierce flames.
So far there is no positive explanation
given of the origin of the blaze. There
is a supposilion, however, that cigar
thrown carelessly away still burning
was the cause. Then again, it is said,
that there was some smoke seen in the
Fifth Avenue Theatre which could not
be accounted for. But this Mr., Miner
positively denies. Prof. Hermann says
the fire started in the "supen room of
the Fifth Avenue Theatre.
When the fire was at its height Her
mann's Theatre was given up for lost,
but now that the fiery tiend has ex-
hausted itself the building is not so
badly damaged after all. But little fire
entered it and the greatest loss is by
water. Prof. Hermann says the total
damage will not exceed $4,000. Re
pairs on the theatre will be begun as
soon as possible.
A rumor was started to the effect that
there were some lives lost, but careful
investigation by the police and iiremen
happily failed to confirm it.
Crowds gathered around the scene of
the fire as soon as the sun was up to-
day and all the morning the neighbor-
hood was filled with people who gazed
curiously on the ruins and watched the
engines. Streams of water were still
being poured on the burning building.
Save for the charred and blackened
walls of the Fifth Avenue Theatre and
for the burned northeast corner of the
upper story of the Sturtevant House on
the opposite side of Broadway it would
be hard to realize that the city had been
only few hours ago visited by con-
flagration which threatened to wipe out
almost the wealthiest portion Of the
town.
Prof. Hermann and his wife worked
all night like beavers in their efforts to
save their valuables and pets at the
stage door on Twenty ninth street. AT
daylight the two stood together on the
stage and ordered the electric lights
turned on. Instead of finding the
theatre wreck, as they supposed, il
looked comparatively safe, except that
it was trifle damp. There were only
two places where traces Of the fire were
at all visible and these were at windows.
While the Gilsey Building, which
covers the ground on the Broadway
side from the streets, does not appear to
be very badly damaged, the interior is
in dilapidated state. The stores below,
while they escaped the flames, suffered
greatly from water
The walls of the Fifth Avenue Theatre
still stand, but the interior is one mass
of blackened, smoking timbers. 1t was
the thickness of the wall of the Fifth
| Avenue Theatre which secured from
complete destruction Ilermann's play
house and which therefore saved the en-
| tire block between Twenty-eighth and
| Twenty streets.
| riroll,- o,,roeito tbn tboo4ra IN
,ha nnrtb.oost cornor of Twe MINI ~,
$780, ~ ~ Str,oant tIao .h
offects of tbo ba,a Gov tSa a"j IN t ti,o
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nara hnrnod nnt and tbe 1T ME so ".
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M MAJ Vas damaTed avca,t 'Jt ~ 40 te y
and No rart tbnt 7yos t0ndhaS' Nv, - ~
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nb;ch No a,osis ho5 en, o5'' t;rl ,ao ~
esnana With , tbo 5 S,,ne =,
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os,ata t,t,I iass a. d,,, X 'H sosn no3
49, ~ NJ ' Isa, N'' ~ gg.;I siVoo'
La sSn 900. T 1850 ~ .iie ou,'Ni ~
actras S iasas s5n onn T., ~ ~,
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~ Ill any im ~ " iaE r. iaSo
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