New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-22
BIG FIRE ~ KANSAS CITY.
THE AUDITORIUM AND AUDITORIUM HOTEL DE
sTROYED AT \ loss OF $4,000

THE AUDITORIUM AND AUDITORIUM HOTEL DE
sTRoYED AT \ LOSS OF $4,000
Kansas City Mo- Dec 2-The Auditorium. the
largest and finest playhouse west Of Chicago. and
the Auditorium IL tel. OF the most fashionable
family hotels in tho city situated at Holmes and
Ninth sts. were destroyed by a FIRE that started
In the theatre shortly after o'clock this morning.
Tho l05 guests escaped IN safety. Tn lOss OF Nh"
property which is owned by Alexander Frazer
local business man. VIII Aggregate $4,000 Tn" in
surance Is $500. Owing to nigh Insurance rates.
great deal OF Insurance had been allowed 10
lapse
The fire origin ,ted In an unoccupled room OF the
sixth floor Of the theatre ard resulted from the
cros4'nI Of electric light wires. II first noticed
by Night Clerk Hnak who awoke tho guests. They
included many families. with children Of all ages,
and the creates confusion ensued For a time 1t
seemed tina, tho flames would be confined to n SIN
gle floor but after 1t had apparently been brought
under control IT burst forth again. and dehcd all
efforts OF the nremen. Many OF the guests assured
after tho first alarm that the fire would not spread.
returned 10 their
Delay I'm getting continuous stream on the hre,
however enabled II to get beyond tho fremens
control The flames spread rapidly along tho tier OF
rooms on the NTH and sixth floors. and soon com
municated with the hotel through the small aper-
lures in tho irewaU which separated 1t from me
theatre Once in the hotel the flames woro beyond
control The excitement then broke out among
the hotel guests afresh. ana hurried scrhHDes 10
save personal effects followed. Before the guests
had been ordered from the building second time.
the bulk OF their belongings had been carried out.
More tmid ones who fed from their rooms In
their nlghtclothes at the start were given quar-
ters In n neighboring hotel. .
In the theatre the woodward stock company,
which has been tho standing attraction since the
reopening OF the place last October. managed 10
saw. the bulk Of it, property. Early aitcr inc
second burst OF flames the nreinen gave up more
OF saving the structure. Although the building In
which the fire started Is practically a 'front.' annex
10 the main Auditorium Buildinc mere were OPEN
inas in nil the upper stories which made the TWO
for The 1ames once well started. Superintendent
pectIer of tho Insurance Patrol. refused 10 allow
his men 10 enter tho building 10 sp-'ad the tarpau-
nr and all efforts OF the iircmcn were confined 10
aud et no time was surrounding properly threats
ened The nremen worked heroically. but Within
foW hours both the theatre and the hotel hAd
been Quilted the bigger part Of the roof had fallen
in and about One-thrd OF the west wall OF the no.
tel collapsed -, ,,o. ,,.,
The AUDITORIUM built In 1886 by Colonel
George w Warder at cost or SROHJ IL was
named the WarGer Grand Opera House, aud was
unsIIcce.:fu season Warder traded the property
to George W Henry, Of Chicago. Henry reopened
the theatre but 1t again failed to pay expenses;
In 1896 the National Bank OF commerce purcha'ed
the property and Installed John T. Slocum. Well
known Eastern theatrical manager. After another
failure the bank traded the property last Octo-
her 10 Alexander Frazer, and the latter leased the
nroncrtv 10 Paxton and Burgiss. who presented the
Woodward Stock Company and a list or iirst-claSs
snecialtles AT seGt prices OF not over 10 ana %
ccrrntS Tho plan proved decided success, and for
mo Grst time since its inception the Auditorium
became n paying property.
"'Tis excellent" is the verdict OF connosseuTs re-