Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-03
NEW YORK THEArERs BURNED.
The Filth Avenue and Verrmann's Con-
sumed by the Flames last Night.


The Filth Avenue and Uerrmann's Con-
sumed by the Flames Last Night.
Loss OF OVER HALF 4 MILLION porLARs--
FANNY DAyENPoRrs CLEOPATRA" SCENERY
AND COSTUMES DEsTRoYEp-HoTrL GUESTS IN
THE VICINITY ALARMED AND sToREs DAMAGED
Shortly after Fanny Davenport. in the char
acter Of Cleopatra. had left the stage of the
Fifth Avenue Theater, in New York, last night
and the audience had passed out Of the Broad
way and 2sth street entrances Waterman Finn
ran out Of the theater screaming ..Firer" A
few seconds later IRE engines were dashing mp
Broadway and until nearly o o'clock this morn
ing new detachments were still responding to
additional signals for help. What was at first
| believed to be a false alarm proved to be one
that destroyed a whole block upon Broadway.
besides the Fifth Avenue Theater, Herrmanns
new play house, dozen stores and threatened
| the Sturtevant House. on the east side of Broad
way between 18th and 18th streets.
PERIL OF THREE FrREMEv
There were a dozen or more narrow escapes
and at one time it was thought that three fire.
men, who were caught upon the roof top,
would perish. For two of these brave fellows
| II was very lucky that a line of hose ran from
the roof To the street The daring firemen took
| advantage of this fact and when their comrades
on the street gave them up as lost they slid
| down to the street; but the other scorned to
escape that way. He stood his ground and was
| soon lost to sight in the smoke. Ladders were
hastily raised, but the searchers failed to ind
| McGinnis-that was his name. it is said-but to
| the surprise of his comrades. half an hour OF
so later, the brave man made his temperance
| on the street He had crawled along the roof,
which was almost furnace. until he
reached a hatchway, through which he had
| made his escape.
HOTEL GUESTS ALARMED.
The fire had been burning less than half an
| hour before the flames shot through the roof,
causing the widest CONSERVATION among the
guests Of the Brewer House, on the northeast
corner. and the Sturtevant House. To add to
the confusion there were six explosions in the
Fifth Avenue Theater, which blew the blazing
the roofs of the buildings surrounding the
burning theaters. At 1880 a flaming brand,
borne by the strong northwest wind. fell on the
Sturtevant House, across broadway from the
Fifth AvenueTheater, setting that hotel on fire.
The guests were hustled out amid great excite
! ment, and conveyed to other hotels. The fire.
men now devoted their best efforts to saving
the hotel While the fremen were powerless
to do anything toward saving the play house.
they worked nobly in preventing the dcstruc-
| blaze.
The property burned belongs to the Gilsey
estate, and the total damage to the building
and ITS contents Is roughly Estimated at
| $1,000
| Manager Harry Miner was early IN the
scene, as was also Prof. Hermann. While the
former saved nothing from the wreck. the pro-
| lessor and his wife worked like beavers.
HERRNANN's TRICK APPARATUS LOST.
Mrs. Hermann saved her four pet doves, but
her husband sorrowfulls said that his favorite
trick apparatus, worth $4,000, was lost to him
forever.
The occupants of the stores on the west side
OF broadway from 2Sth TO 29th streets, which
number from 1855 to 1908, were as follows:
side entrance to the Fifth Avenue Theater
No. 1889 was occupied by the Cash Register
Company; No. 1871, !. 3. Crook & Co.. sporting
goods: No. 1913, /. Spero, tailor; No. ll95, en-
trance to Herrmann's Theater; No. 1877. A. L.
kirch, florist; No. 1899. ]. b. White, jeweler;
No. 1901, Wessman, florist, and No. 1908, Han
man & Son.
THE GAS EXPLOSIONS.
The first of the series of explosions, which are
thought to have been caused by the bursting Of
gas tanks. came very near being a serious affair,
| for a dozen or more firemen, under the leader.
| ship of Battalion Chief ''Ducky McCabe." were
| at that moment working in the auditorium OF
| tue rHtn Avenue 1nSater. 1Eev were almost
blown into the street, together with several re-
| porters. At intervals of every few minutes ex-
| plosion followed explosion. The fremen did
not know what was coming next and they we're,
| for the first time in the history Of the depart
ment. more or less frightened But they soon
| tower" and several MOBILES with .-SiaIaese four
wnys'' were doing their best to stay the spread
| Of the fierce flames.
The stiff breeze which was blowing from tho
northward got in its fine work and there was nc
stopping the fire. 1t had simply to burn itseli
| out.
HERRMANN's THEATrR.
Herrmann's new theater which has recently
been rebuilt at considerable expense. was fc, d
to he afre after the fourth explosion. In n ID
building years ago the San Francisco Minis
trels-Birch, Wambold and Backus-kept many
an audience in roars Of laughter. And the place
on the northwest corner of 2Sth street and
broadway is well known to the gamblers OF
twenty years ago. In the basement johnson
kept his pool room, and it was there John ].
Scanned murdered Tom Donohue.
The Fifth Avenue Iheater, or Old Apollo Hall,
famous for politics and plays since il was re-
modelled by Mr.. DAILY, has been run by Haverly,
| and at the time of its destruction was being
managed by Harry Miner.
FANNY DAvENPoRTs LOSS.
On December Is last Fanny Davenport made
her nrst appearance IN Sardous play OF Cleo
patra," about the title of which at present there
is some legal trouble. The actress has been
greeted by large audiences and it was expected
that Cleopatra" would have long run. But
in half an hour the scenery costumes and
building, worth probably $4,000, vanished in
fire and smoke.
1t was very lucky, indeed. that the fire did
not break out during the performance, for it is
claimed that the play houses were well patron
lied, and it seemed odd, too. that in SO short a
space Of time the fire could have gained such
headway. with a Waterman inside the building.
This is the mystery which Fire Marshal Mitchell
will be called upon to solve.
And what caused the explosions is another
puzzling question for the same official. Then.
again, it was said that the firemen. when they
first arrived, undertook to fight what was APP
parently dangerous fire with too small a
force.
FORTY YEARS HENCE.