New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-24
A BLAZE IN THE BOWERY'
DESTRUCTION OF THE OLD voLKs GAR
TEN BUILDING.


THE LONDON THEATRE AND OTHER STRUCTURES
ENDANGERED ESCAPES OF SEW
ERAr. pERsoNs-rIrE FIRE CAUSED By
An EXPLOSION OF GAS
RI. old voiks Garten at Nos 2si and z3 BowerN
which for many years was weL-kno"n music
hall. was destroyed by fire last evening
The building ramshackie STRUCTURE "nlcn
ran back through the book 10 the rear OF lns o"'
ings at Nos I93 is5 and i97 Chrystie-st Inc gar
ten, was formerly run By George Krause. proprietor
OF the Imperial Music Hall He rave II up ABOUT Two
wears ago and a man named keith succeeded him.
SIX or seven months ago Keith closed up az ne
could make the pace pay. and IL was unocc"-
pied until a week ago when Peter COnhI'nS st'rte'
a museum there. IL was called "Conkling's Museum
OF the Late War" Conkling fitted up the place
with canvas paintings Of the and a picture OK
Libby Prison. toge her with wax hgures Inc
museum was opened for business few days ago.
The fire started at $40 O'Clock when there
were on.y few persons in the place. Conk'ins
was present, with a woman who sold the tickets
OF admission. and two attendants VINO "ere
!, dressed like zouayes.
AN EXPLOSION IN THE CELLAR
The outbreak was caused by an explosion OF gas
In the cellar James Hogan. an e'nploye Of the
Consolidated Gas Company went down into tho
cellar to take the index Of the meter. He carried
lighted candle. II IL supposed that there was
leak in the gas pipe. loud explosion occurreo
when Hagan neared the place where the meter
stood He was thrown several feet by the force OF
the explosion but managed to escape from the
building. Immediately afterward flames shot up
from the cellar TO the first floor and spread Win
lghtn.ng-llke rapldty. Conkling and the woman
who sold tickets rushed out into the street
large sheet OF fame right behind them. and
swept clear across the sidewalk. The two attend
ants unable to get TO the door but they
saved themselves by climbing through side WIN
dow which stood open IN the stage or the London
Theatre adjoining.
An alarm was sent out but before the fremen
arrived the whole structure Of the Vo.ks Gartel
which was only story high, was ablaze from
one end the other a third alarm was I'm
mediatey struck The flames reached out into
the street. and enveloped the uptown structure Of
the elevated railroad. Traffic the road de-
layed while the fire in progress, and the Third
ave. cabe-cars were also delayed FOR ABOUT an
hour - -
In the London Theatre there great excite
ment Harry Morriss Entertainers are now pay
ing there For awhile it looked very much II
the theatre was doomed. George Lyons, stage
hand fastened the iron shutters covering two win
Gows which opened from the stage into the burn
ing museum. He had his arms and hands burnel.
The fremen directed their efforts to saving the
London and the property in the rear In Chrysiiest
directly back OF the Volks J. Stots coffin
works and the New-York Desk Company. Next
to No 1877 Chryste-st Is a stable. owned by Mensch-
ings Theatrical Express Company. There were
fifty horses In the stable, but all were got out
safely
The flames licked the Chrystie-st. buildings, but
the hremen kept streams OF water pouring on them
and prevented their destruction. The fire burned
for abou, an hour and a half. and at the end OK
that tine nothing was left OF the old Nolksgarien
except par, OF the front entrance. The whoie IN
erin ~
Bowery, was damaged 10 the amount OF s0p. Inc
frerne1 dragged lines Of hose into the London
Theatre and prevented the flames from commune,
eating II was feared at first that the olaze would
In erfere with the performance n the London last
night but the show was opened at the usual hour.
damage In the rear OF the building and on tho
stage the London Theatre was not injured. DEFY
a small amount of damage was done 10 the oui!o-
ings IN Chryste-st
EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE.
Gambling who was one Of Barnums old circus
clowns los, all his paintings, including large
ncture of the battle OF Gettysburg. His loss Is
said 70 be about 5000 The museum building was
owned by James Everard, the brewer. The loss
on that is placed at $1,000 . ~ -.
OTTO Kame. twenty-five years Old. OF NO loy
Chrvste-st was in the museum when the hre
broke out and received slight burns on the arms
II Is considered extremely fortunate that me
Had II occurred when the performance at the Lon
ton Theatre going on there would prooapy
have been a panic attended by loss OF Efe.