Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1891-01-05
FIERCE FLAMES.
Fifth Avenue Theatre, New
York, Destroyed by Fire,
And Hermann's Theatre Con-
siderably Damaged.

n Loss Estimated at &b67,OOO, With an
Insurance of Over Half-Had 1t Oc-
CURED n Few Minutes Sooner Whom the
Houses Were Crowded Many Lives
Would Doubtless Have Been Lost.
NEW YORK, Jan. 5.-A careful esti-
mate of the fire here Friday night,
which destroyed the Fifth Avenue and
Herrmann's theaters, places the total
loss at 1861 goo, more than half of
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 explanation given
of the origin of the blaze, which broke
out not over fifteen minutes after large
audiences had left the theaters. There
is a supposition, however, that cigar
thrown carelessly away while still burn
ing was the cause. Then, again, it is
said that there was some smoke seen in
the Fifth Avenue theater during the
evening which could not be accounted
for. but this Mr.. Miner positively
denies
Professor Hermann says the fire
started in the "supes room of the Fifth
Avenue theater. When the fire was at
its height Hermann's theater was given
up for lost, but now it is found that the
building is not so badly damaged after
all But Ii tie fire entered it and the
greatest loss is by water. Professor
Hermann says the total damage will
not exceed $55, 900. Repairs on the
theater will be begun as soon as it is
possible.
A rumor was started to the effect that
there were some lives lost, but a careful
investigation by the police and tiremen
happily failed to confirm it.
AT daylight Mr.. and Mrs. Hermann
stood together on the stage of their thea
ter and ordered the electric lights
turned on. Instead of finding the thea
ter wreck as they supposed, it looked
comparatively safe except that it was
trite damp, there were only two places
where traces Of fire were at all visible,
and these We're at the windows.
While the Gilsey building, which
covers the ground on the Broadway
side from the street, does not appear to
be verv badly damaged, the interior is
in dilapidated state. The stores be-
low, while they escaped the flames,
The walls of the Fifth Avenue theatre
still stand, but the interior is one mass
of blackened timbers. 1t was the thick
ness of the wall of the Fifth Avenue
theatre which secured from complete
destruction Hermanns s play house, and
which, therefore, saved the entire block
between Twenty-sighth and Twenty
ninth streets,
Dramatically opposite the theater on
the northeast corner of Twenty-ninth
street the S,Urtayant house showed the
effects of the blaze, for the rooms on
the northwest corner of the mansard
roof We're burned out and the roof itself
at that corner was gone. No other part
Of the hotel was damaged except by
water and the part that was touched by
the fire included only eight rooms, from
which the guests had ample time to
escape without the semblance of dam
age to themselves.
The following is a complete list of the
losses as estimated by the police: Fifth
Avenue theater, owned by the Gilsey
estate, a total loss, damage $3.50, 900.
Henry c. Miner, lessee of the building,
loss $4,000; Fanny Davenport the
actress, loses $50 000. The Gilsey build
ing, No 1885 to 1903 Broadway, owned
by the Gilsey estate 100000.
l. B. Crook & Company, sporting
goods, loss by water $4,000; S, Spero,
tailor, similar amount H. Graham,
dealer in furnishing goods, f., 600; E. A.
Books. shoes, $1,000; Herrmann's the
ater, 5,O00 Sturtevant house by fire
and water, $25, 600; Nos. 33 and 35
West Twenty street, known as
the Gilsey mansion, $4,000 In addition
to these there are number of smaller
losses, ranging from $500 to 81 600 1t
was not until 6 o'clock that all danger
was over and the reserves dismissed.