New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-12-01
THE BRoOkLYN ACADEMY.

Tho burning of the Brooklyn Academy of
Afusic douhtIass caused to many persons feel
inc Of profound relief. 1t was an old build
inr dating back to long before the period of
freproof construction. and, while substantially
built il was well known to be highly hnaIh-
mable The thought has often occurred 10
many people, when gazing with agniTauoh
over some audience that filed its vast auul-
torium. that a breaking out of fire at such n
time would probably mean mourning LOT the
city scarcely less general than that OF the MS
toric Brooklyn Theatre fire twenty-seven years
ago this very week-Saturday. The aisles ana
exits of the Academy were spacious ana the
stairs easy, and the three thousand members Vi
its audience could expeditiousy get out III OF
binary crcums tances but the furry and pane
usually incidental to an alarm of fire would
almost certainly have caused appalling loss
of life. 1t is some consolation that the c1taS-
trophe has occurred with so little cost.
From another point of view the fire causes
great regret. 1t is a grievous loss to be de-
prived Of an auditorium so perfect at once for
seeing for hearing and for comfort 1t used
to be said that there was not poor seat in it,
and the statement was almost literally true. 1t
is doubtful if we have to-day, in this city or
in the whole country, an auditorium of equal
capacity so well adapted for all purposes as
was that one. a dainty parlor comedy was not
lost upon its stage, but was well appreciate
by the whole audience, while the greatest muSl-
cal festival, with hundreds of singers ana or
chestral musicians upon the stage, did not over
crowd it with sound Withal, the seats were
comfortable, the ventilation and lighting excel
lent, and the architectural proportions and de-
sign constant delight to the cultivated eye.
If only it could have been ireproof, and as en-
during as it deserved 10 be!
From yet another point of view the pass
ing of that historic building marks an epoch in
metropolitan, if not IN American, history. We
know of no place of popular assemblage in the
whole city of New-York to-day that is quite
its peer for interest. The great hall Of Cooper
Union is equally notable for political gather
ings, though scarcely more The New-York
Academy of Music is almost as famous for
the lyric drama. Carnegie Hall and the new
Metropolitan Opera House have Of late out
ranked it temples of music, but they are or
recent date The Brooklyn Academy antedated
the present generation, and combined in one
the interests Of all these, and still more Its
walls rang with the echoes of great patriotic
meetings in the Civil War, and gave space for
the memorable fair in aid of the Sanitary Com
mission 1t was the scene Of the temperance
reform crusades of Beecher and Cuyler and their
compeers. From its stage spoke Matthew Ar
mold and Wendell Phillips John B. Cough and
Richard s. Storrs, and all the famous lecturers
and orators Of the golden age of the lyceum.
For forty years it was the scene Of the chief
political rallies Of both great parties. For
generation it was the home Of the chief dra-
matte club for the study Of stage art. 1t was
there that applauding thousands heard not only
the greatest singers of to-day, but also Patti, and
Nilsson, and Gerster, and Cary, and Brignoli,
and Campanini, and their predecessors of years
before Upon that stage were heard musicians
from Rubinstein and Ole Bull to Paderewski.
There Theodore Thomas and his philharmonic
Society for many years educated the musical
taste OF Brooklyn, and there Anton Seidl con-
tinued the good work. There, too, were seen
and heard some of the chief ornaments Of the
dramatic stage-Fechter, and Wallack. and Gil
bert, and Florence and MOdjeska, and Jeffer-
son, and Duse, and Salvini, and Irving, and
Bernhard and Lawrence Barrett; and there,
TOO, was given the last performance of Edwin
Booth, with thronging thousands sadly MUIR
muring, Good night, sweet Prince
Yes it was well that such a building was not
permitted 10 fall into decay and base defle-
ment, but, with the memory of its best days
still bright and fragrant that 1t vanished IN
one splendid burst Of flame and color, leav-
ing only a name, but a name that is as vital
and as imperishable as the great community Of
which it for many years the artistic
centre and the social heart