New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-01-03
TWO THEATRES BURNED.
A ABROADWAYBLOCK IN FLAMES
THE FIFTH AVENUE AND HERRMANN'S DE-
STROlED.
THREE HOTELS, THE GIDSEY, STURTEvANT AND
BRowER HOUSES, THREATENED - WALLS
THROWN DOWN BY EXPLOSIONS-GREAT
CROWDS OF EXCITED PEOPLE IN
THE sTREETs-NARROw ES-

CAPE OF FIREMBN
slight fire broke out in the Fifth Avenue
Theatre last evening and in some way it was
thought that there was little danger One OF
the two engines which had been called was sent
away, and it was thought that there would be
little trouble Soon after this however, a series
of terrific explosions followed in Crooks ammu-
milton and sporting goods store. Their
force was so great that they
tore huge fragments from the buildings
there and the draught caused carried the
flames with a sudden rush to the roof Of the
| Fifth Avenue Theatre. whence they spread rapidly
the length of the block, and at the
hour of going TO press there a solid sheet of
flame from Twenty eighth 10 Twcnty-ninth-st', IN
broadway. all the buildings there having caught
| fire.
William D. Moscman, watchman at the fifth
Avenue Theatre, saw smoke coming up through
the flies Of the theatre at II :45 o'clock last
night He hunted for the fire, but could not
find il. lie then went out of the
bnilding and sent an alarm. Engines came but
only little smoke was seem and most Of them
went away. the firemcn thinking the fire was of
| little consequence. At IL o'clock there
was a sudden burst of flame from
the cellar. and the scenery at
once caught in the blaze.
Some of the performers had been smoking
cigarettes in that part of the building in the
evening When the flames reached the stage there
were several loud explosions in the rear They were
| in the sporting goods and ammunition store Of
| J. r. crook in Broadway. and it is thought that
il was bombs thai exploded. The explosions blew
down one side Of the theatre, which made a ter
rife draft for the flames In few moments they
reached the roof
The namc, then extended 10 IIcrrmanns
Theatre. Four alarms were sent ont, and eighteen
engines. siN trucks and a watertower responded
Three Gr,men. Worth. McGinnis and North, were
on the roof Of Icrrmaun's Theatre over tho
entrance when a terrific explosion took pla'c, fol-
| lowed by a binding shower Of sparks This Was
about fifteen minutes after the first explosions.
! The hrcmcn we're thus hcmmcd ~, tc
! wall having fallen. Two Of them fastened
their hose to a chimney and thus descended
! Ia
Johnson and William Mccormack, Of Engine No
! l., went up scaling ladder 70 the roof and res
cncd him.
The excitement in the streets AZ tins
time was Tremendous. Tho flames appcasc !
f. lean 100 frct into the air Showers Of sparks
adc ip oi bis OF scenery three four fee, iare
were nling IN the west and were driven by The
wind aaains, the Stnrcyant House, the tdl>cy
House and the Brewer House. The awniGg G9dcr
these hotels caught fine The hrcmcn and police
It once hcgan pulling them down 10 cN'incuSh
the flames The window cappings of the Surtc-
yant House, opposite, caught fire
Chief Bonner a, his time sent for more en-.
zines Hermann had LEFT hiS thc1tr" before the
lire broke out bat hc got word oi II IN few
minutes He returned 10 it with his wife and
followed by her. he went into the bnl.d
ing The first thns that Mrs Hermann
caught up one OF her UH'i
doves She saying that she cared more Tor them
than for the building. Nh hermann was ir'n'I''
The police helped llu 10 save some oI ms prop
criy. bat much of hi- most valuable tlch para
phcrnalia was lost The value of tic articles
burned was placed al 10000, and was Sald 10 IL
cudc some of his bc.t tricks.
After the explosion at no li"l Broadway 'n'
flames spread rapidly up the street attacking IN
Spcro. tailor. 80. 1888; q. 10. kirch, Horst No.
llo;: Staten Island Dyclng Establishments No.
1889: Joseph + Wcssman, tailor. No. lE"l 3
IIonnn 4 son shoes lrland'N book store, ana
Satcr, boot and shoe store, al No. ll>3 broadway
The imminent danger 10 all dwelling houses III
the rear forced their occupants - N"cSt' tlc'n
The wind Was Lgh, and the shower "l
spark, and flaming brands WIS trrihc.
The guests Of thc Sturtcyant House were ordered
by Chief Bonner To vacatc their rooms. aS tic
wlnddrlycn sparks maze the burning of the hotel
momcntqrily expected. The police were III cnarle
of Inspector Steers, and the reserves from the
lower part of the city were called "ut. lhcN
had great diniculty i'm keeping back the immense
crowds which surscd mp and down Broa'"'N' an"
cholcd np the cross streets. The excitement was
indc,criblblc All ;hc portable property IN tie
Gisrv House and the Grower House was gathered
nm ready for instant evacuation of these hotels.
Aurustin DalV was sent for, aS "
was seen that a change in the direction ol the
wind would carry the flames to Days theatre
Miss Fanny Davenport lost her entire ward
robe, except - Few things saved by w'lchhhn'
At O'Clock the fire was rapidly spreading TO the
, north and twenty eight engines were iShtlhS It,
All atlcmp, 10 save the property on IRE was gwen
Up
I DESCRIPTION OF TIE FIFTH AVENUE
IT, g. Miner the present manager of the Ihlh AVohne
Theatre assumed control of II the first Of laSi NAV
| The previous manager wa Eugene lomphih'' Nh
Mncr Ia, A long lease aud his first act was 10 lm
prove and bcautlfy the theatre throughout f"r tli'
purpose he employed j. ID. Aen "f Phadelp"'' IL
architect and Emmar n Qnartlcy. OF Baltimore. a.
fdccoraiors I'M, work done last summer ana
lr hou,c I'm II, practically condition was ready Ia
open the latter part of August The auditorium
/ had twelve boNe, of Moorish design. the III
terror decorations being Of paper combined WIN
fc,co. The gallery fronts were chureH OF hc''''
the colors being alnminia and gold. The walls were
finished In pa Ter relief, In Elzabehan STYLE having
designs Of ntcrlaccd forms, with colors oi pea'h'
vogy alnnina and gold. The wanNcotS were COZ
orcd 70 harmonic with the rest and above them were
rich borders Of alumlnia and metals The dome was oi
alumina and gold. with oInamentatioh III coIors' i"o "