Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-18
F AM 0 US FIR &
Veterans Tell of the Burning of the Ma.
tional Theater in 1916.
Some Participants and Their Expert.
ences - The Flames a Mystery
Meeting of the Association.

The third Of the series of "reminiscences
meetings of the Veteran Firemen's Asso-
citation was held at the engine house, 18th
and H streets, on last Thursday evening
Mr.. James H. Richards presided, and an
nounced that the subject was the fire at
the. National Theater on the night of March
3, 1S45. and said, as he was too young to
remember much about 1t, he would not at
tempt to describe it.
Veteran Joseph Williamson said that he
we'll remembered this fire. for he was there.
Old Billy Burton was the lessee, and the
play Of Beauty and the Beast was on the
stage, and he was a scene shifter. There
was a large house. for it was just after the
Inauguration of Mr.. Polk, and many of
the visitors had not yet left town, and all
was going on well, none dreaming that
such devouring beast was near. The fire
originated in the alley, but from what cause
he did not know. There was no gas then.
and the light was from sperm oil. In the
rear were large doors for taking in and out
the scenery, and in one of these was cut a
small door, and against the rear wall hung
a drop curtain, which the hands called a
tormentor. When the fire once entered the
building it went up into the flies and the
single roof. AS soon as / saw it hunted
for the stage carpenter, VIM. Dun, and
found that he had just made a trap, and
1t ISL he exclaimed, and Mr. Burton was
told of it, and a second hand, Uncle Dan
Harbaugh, went to the flats, which were
opened. exposing the blaze to the audience.
and while the flames were travelling along
the roof the crowd got out safely. The fire
companies responded promptly; the Frank
lin being located just opposite, was, of
course, first on the ground. From the first
there was no saving of the building, and
the Franklin took station in front of the
Union building CBlair & Rives), and devoted
their energies to saving it. and did so, the
damage being slight. Outside of the theater
the destruction was eastward. --
Next Door.
Adjoining the theater was frame build
ing erected by Mr.. Harry Lyles and him.
self for the supper room for the Inaugural
ton ball. held the preceding night in the
theater, a hole having been cut in the east
wall to connect it. Being Of frame it soon
was consumed. and the wind being north
west the flames soon swept everything to
the corner of 18th and E streets. Taking
everything into consideration, the damage
could not have been less. AS far as he
could see, the companies all worked faith
fully, and he could not say that any de-
served more credit than another.
Other Participants.
Mr.. B. Kilmartin related that he was in
Alexandria on business when the theater
was burned in 1857, and he ran up with
the Sun company. He had 81, 400 in his
pocket, which he received from the Old
Dominion Bank, and when opposite the
monument grounds a button came off his
pants and the money being heavy he was
afraid of losing it.
Mr.. Goodrich of the Perseverance related
that he was on the avenue near 18th and
ran to the fire in shirt sleeves and slippers.
Ben Throop and he had the Persy pipe on
the east side of the building, when some
one pulled the hose back, and they went
too, getting out just the wall fell.
Mr.. Goodwin Pierce said he was near the
wall when 1t fell, and he lost a coat there.
Mr.. James r. Dobbyn was present also
Mr.. Williamson said he was a police off,
Ger at the time and was present at the
fire.
After the destruction in 1915 it was re-
built in 1919 for Jenny Iinds appearance.
After some further talk the next public
meeting was fixed for January 4.