The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-01-04
GOTHAM'S MIDNIGHTFIRE
THE FIFTH AVENUE THEATER A
COMPLETE WRECK.

One Corner of the Sturtevant House
Burned Off-Herrmann's Theater Es-
capes Serious Damags-Crowds of
People Looking at the Blackened
Walls-The Loss $567,ooo.
NEW YORK, Jan. 3.--A careful estimate
of the big fire here last night places the
total loss at S567. 600, more than half of
which fells upon insurance companies.
Never in the history of the fire department
Of this city were the members called
upon to battle with such fierce flames. So
far there is no possible explanation
given Of the origin of the blaze
There is a supposition, however, that a
cigar was thrown cRrelessly away while lit.
Then, again, it is said, there was some
fmoke in the Fifth Avenue theater which
could not be accounted for, but this Mr..
Miner positively denies. Prof. Hermann
says the fire started in the supe room of the
Fifth Avenue thearer. When the fire
was at its hight Prof. Herr
maun's theater was given up for lost, but
It is not so badly burned after all. But lit
tie fire entered it, and the greatest damage
is by water. Prof. Hermann says the TO al
damage will not exceed S25, 900. Repairs
on the theater are to be begua as soon as
possible. A careful investigation by the
police and fire department has failed to dis
close any loss of life.
CROWDS ON THE SCENE.
Crowds gathered around the scene Of the
fire as soon as the sun was up to-day. and
all the morning the neighborhood was filled
with people who gazed curiously on the
ruins and watched the engines Streams
OF water were still being poured
on the burning buildings. Save
for the charred and blackened
walls Of the Fifth Avenue theater, and for
the burned northwest corner of the upper
story OF the Sturtevant House on the oppo-
site side of Broadway, it would be hard to
realize that the city had been only a few
hours ago visited by a confiagration which
threatened to wipe out almost entirely the
wealthiest portion Of the town.
HERRMANN's HARD WORK.
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 theater wrecked,
as they supposed, 1t looked comparatively
safe except that it was a trile damp. There
were only two places where traces of fire
were at all visible, and those were at
the windows. The walls of the Fifth
Avenue theater still stand. but
tho interior is one mass of blackened
smoking timbers IL was the thickness of
the wall of the Fifth avenue theater which
secured from complete destruction Prof.
Herrmann's playhouse, and which, there
fore, saved the entire block between Twen-
ty-eighth and Tweaty-ninth streets.
THE DAMAGE TO THE HOTEL.
Diametrically opposite the theater.on the
northeast corner of Twenty-ninth street the
SturtevSnt House showed the effects of the
blaze, for the rooms in the north west corner
of the roof were burned out, and the roof
itself at that corner Is gone. No other part
of the hotel was damaged, except by water.
and the part touched by fire included only
eight rooms. from which the guests had
ample time to escape withous the semblance
of danger to themselves.