The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-12
CASINO GALLERY FIRESWEPT.


and to much friction OF language between
the police and the chorus. But majority
OF them came out just as we'll as did the
young woman who reported to a seemin gly
interested person over public telephone
near the Casino:
Get in?- she said. -Of course ! got In.
There were too many things 10 be done
for me TO be standing there in a common
argument with any old policeman. l just
told them that my hat was in there and !
had TO have it. And he says, Well, Madam
and / says, Don't you We'll madam me,
and went on in and got my hat. OF course
don't know what the new game will be
but don't suppose there will be anything
doing over Sunday, and l do hate TO be
embarrassed even for two days-Oh, thank
you, Charlie, you're always so good to
me You can just send 1t up by a messen-
ger. No didn't lose thing, not even my
book
FIRE DROWNED OUT.
In an incredibly short time the fro ripped
It's way through the floor above that on
which 1t started. The rear gallery above
and behind the balcony. besides the buffet
floor, were all cracking and blazing in less
time than it takes to tell 1t. Great clouds
OF black smoke rolled out Of the Moorish
windows all around the Broadway and the
Thirty-ninth street sides of the building
The firenen made their way into the theatre
from the Thirty-ninth street side and up
the fire escapes. Within forty minutes
after the first alarm the fire was under
control.
Chief Croker insisted that the Casino
could not be wet down too thoroughly.
II there was one thing he was surer Of than
another, it was that fire once started there
was not going TO spread because he had
neglected TO throw on enough water.
At o'clock the only disturbance in the
neighborhood was that made by the thou
sands OF sightseers who tried to break
through the police lines and by the hun
bred or more chorus girls and alleged
chorus girls who were trying TO get into
the building. As soon as the rehearsal
had been dismissed the asbestos curtain
was rlng down and therefore nothing
behind the footlights was touched either
by fire or water Wherever the reporters
were gathered together however, there
was not lacking press agent with bunch
OF bronze haired gigglers 10 tell how they
had saved Miss Russells costumes, which
didn't need to be saved.
The most interesting subject Of discussion
all about the theatre after the first furry
was over was the question of what would
have happened had the fire started three
hours later, when the auditorium was
crowded with a matin ee audience. MIR.
King, the manager Of the house for the
Shuberts, stood out in the dripping lobby
all the afternoon and assured everybody
that the only damage upstairs was caused
by smoke. Not thing has been burned,
he said over and over again. But he re.
GREETED greatly that owing TO the orders Of
the Fire Department and the fire patrol and
the police he could not consent to let any
body go into that part OF the theatre where
the fire occurred.
HOW IT LOOKED INSIDE.
While he was busy telling this tale, one
person at least got upstairs. He saw the
FIRST floor soaked with water, the chairs all
covered with tarpaulin sheets. He saw
the balcony likewise soaked Above the
balcony the gallery and the so-called but
fet floor were burned TO crisp. The stairs
we're burned out and the small smoking and
retiring rooms above the gallery floor
were completely Quilted, The man who
had seen these things came down and found
Mr.. King still refusing to let anybody go
upstairs and still refusing to admit that
there had been any damage except that
caused by smoke caused by faulty insula-
ton
WAS nothing burned upstairs7- asked
the man who had been UP.
Nothing TO amount TO anything said
Mr., King. Just little smoke, that was
all
Building Inspector o'Connor said after
the fire that It would be necessary. in view
OF the faults Of construction which the fire
had laid bare, to make the whole building
over again. He did not see how any per-
Torrance could be given in tho theatre
in less than three weeks He said that
the fire. occurring as it did under the gal
lery and back OF the balcony, might have
entrapped almost every one on these floors.
The natural course Of people running from
such fire Ia TO seek the stairways and the
stairways were ohimneys for the fire. The
name OF the i'll fated Chicago Iroquois was
on the lips OF every one who got good look
at the inside OF the theatre.
MISS RUSSELL GLAD AND SAD.
Lillian Russell, who had not yet reached
the theatre when the fire started, said yes
terday afternoon tat she thanked God
the flames had not been delayed for an
hour OF two.
we would all have been in our dressing
rooms them she said. God knows what
would have happened. The dear old Casino