Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-08-27
WRECKED BY FIRE.
FATAL FIRE In WOOSTER STREET.
EVENTS OF THE FATAL DAY.
METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE

METROPOLITAN OPERA HOUSE
Ruined by a Destructive Fire which Broke
Out This Morning.
NEW YORK, Aug. 27-The Metropolitan
Opera House, one of the most magnificent and
expensive Of modern play houses. occupying
the block bounded by Broadway, 7th avenue,
99th and 10th streets, in the short space of an
hour this forenoon was ruined The Broadway
front was saved by the firemen, but fully three
quarters of the square was made havoc of BY the
flames. Just where the fire started is vet un-
known, but it must have been in the vicinity Of
the stage. which backs on It'll avenue. How
the flames managed to get such Roadway with
out being discovered is also a problem that
puzzles Chief Conner and his men. The
building signal was rung at about $50 o'clock.
Then the entire interior was o fiery mass, and
it was apparent that the block would be con-
sumed. Help was called without delay. Over .
dozen steamers responded to this summons, and
as it was clear that there was no
saving the theater, their united efforts were ex-
erted to save the Broadway front, in which are
located the Bank Of New Amsterdam and
Zancher Gazzo's restaurant. The former COW
ers the 39th street corner and the latter the 10th
street corner. The main entrance to the Met
ropolitan Opera House was on the front be-
they succeeded in doing with the
assistance of the wind, which was blowing
strongly from the east and swerved the flames
back toward 7th avenue. All the Offices in six
stories Of the front were not touched BY the
fire. but those of the opera house company,
which were on the seth street side near 7th ave-
nue., were shortly Quilted by the fire and deluged
by water. There was also an expensive
library in this section, which has also
been more or less ruined. Only
one boy is known to have been injured. His
name is Hams, and he was employed by Alfred
Operti the scenic artist, who was using part
of the opera house temporarily ss his studio.
The boy was henMed in BY the flames onthe
third floor. but he made his way to one Of the
windows on 39th street, and from there he
leaped down to astorm-door shed on the ground
floor. He is not believed to be seriously hurt.
WORKS OF ART DESTROYED.
Artist Operti arrived at the theater Just a. the
fire was discovered and had the modification Of
seeing works Of art upon which he had spent
considerable time and had travelled over the
world to get sketches of burned up. Most Of
the pictures we're at a recent meeting engaged
for use at the worlds fair and Columbian cele-
bration which is to take place in this city
during the coming October. These are all
burned up or ruined, together with scenery for
new plays to be introduced in few days at the
Casino and Daly's Theater and the Academy of
and in consequence will possibly cause delays
in the production Of the plays. During the
summer the opera house has been chiefly used
for commandments and was last used for
ball The pine foorings had not been re-
moved. and this once ignited carried
the fire to the main entrance. The
interior Of the theater had been
overhauled and was thoroughly fitted for the
opening Of the season, which would have taken
place in q short time. The managers say they
had thirty operas to choose from, but they had
not selected the one they would first produce.
Before 10 O'Clock the roof had been burned
through and the flames and smoke shot high up
into the air. This rent assisted the fire.
men materially in saving the broadway
front Half an hour later the flames. having in
the meantime eaten up everything before them,
had literally burned themselves out and the FIRE
was then reported under control.
There was then rumor that one unknown
man had been overcome by smoke. The i'm
preston was the latter had been corifounded
with the boy Hams, who was removed to the
New York Hospital.
There were twenty-five lines of hose in the
building. and the stage carpenter turned one
of these on the flames, but in q moment was
obliged to fly for his life. The fire spread too
rapidly and burned too fiercely to permit those
within the building to make further efforts to
save it,
The flames speedily swept through the great
OF it except the iron work. The fire caught the
richly adorned circle Of boxes and they we're at
once flaming furnace. The fire from the floor
came up to meet the circle Of boxes and
the continued flames swept onward to thereof
and through 1t. The roof was rapidly
consumed. the great beams falling inward. The
iron work of the seats in the auditorium soon
gave way and the whole mass tumbled into the
fiery furnace. The flames ragged for an hour or
so in the building and when they had somewhat
abated it was found that they had done vast
amount of damage.
scene OF desolation presented in the interior Of
the famous building the equal of which has
seldom been seen.
THE BUILDING To BE RESTORED.
Edmund C. Stanton was secretary Of the
Metropolitan Opera House Company and
director Of opera there until last June. when
he resigned both Offices He was succeeded a.
secretary bv II. NJ. McLa: en- and the Office Of
director OF opera was permitted to lapse, the
conduct OF opera by the opera house
company beng abandoned for the time.
Secretary McLaren was early At Vie
scene of the fire. He said q meeting Of the
stockholders will be Immediately called and the
work of refitting the opera house will be begun
soon as the water can be got out Of 1t. 1t
will be necessary to practically refit the entire
interior. everything that still remains there is
so damaged mat II must De removed ana nOtn-
ing but the bare walls will remain. Even these
must be repaired in places. .
Abbey. Schoefe and Grau have leased the
building for the coming season, their lease
beginning in October. They had planned to
begin their opera season November Il next,
and Mr.. McL~ren expressed the opinion that
by energetic work the opera house might be
ready for them on that date. The
opera house had been engaged for the
great temperance jubilee in September
and for the Columbus and the Catholic Club
banquets in October, but Of course the fire has
cancelled those dates. The last tame the opera
house was publicly occupied was in July last.
when the delegates to the Christian Endeavor
convention held largely attended meeting
there. On that occasion the orchestra was foofed
over for balls and on this floor were placed
chairs for the delegates. 1t still remained there
and saved the handsomely upholstered orches-
ira chairs beneath from further damage than
that entailed in the thorough drenching they
received. The police estimate the LOSE caused
by the fire at $500, 900. The loss 10 covered by
insurance. Had it not been that the structure
is built of fireproof brick 1t would doubtless
have been wholly destroyed.
The Broadway front Of the building IL not in