Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-12-23
FRI: EMPT|ES
BROADWAY
THEATER
CHORUS GIRLS IN SCANTY
ATTIRE BRAVE BLIZZARD
Disastrous Panic Narrowly
Ayerted When Flames Break
Out in Crowded New York
Playhouse,
lBy Morning Journal Special LEASED wlr.I

lBy Morning journal Special LEASED wiFsI
| New York, Dec. 2l.--Fire broke out
in the Herald Square theatcr at Thir-
ty-ffth street and Broadway tonight
ten minutes before the close of the
performance Of THE Three Twins"
and before II was brought under con-
| troll had done considerable damage to
the building, had driven the actors
and chorus into the streets in their
Scant costumes ana had caused great
commotion among the crowds on
Broadway There was no panic. and
no one was injured, the audience re-
naming in ignorance of the fire until
it had passed into the streets The fire
caught from an electric sign on the
front of the building and spread to the
executive offices which are on the
second gallery of the auditorium.
1t was just ten minutes before the
close when n woman came down from
the second gallery and reported to the
theater attaches that there was smoke
in the upper part of the building.
Treasurer Lying quickly went behind
the curtain and explained the situation
to the actors and told them to cut the
play short This was done, and the
curtain was lowered without any an
nouncement to the audience. The big
crowd shuffled slowly out, not know
ing that a fire was being fought in
the upper gallery. Most of them soon
reached the streets, but some remain
ed behind waiting for their wraps to
be taken from the coat rooms. As
the flames began to gain headway the
alarm spread among the actors and
chorus. and many of the young wom-
en- left the building by the stage en-
trance ana went out into the storm
without giving thought to their scant
and unconventional attire. With the
lowering around the
twenty mark. and fierce wind driv-
ing the snow in their faces, the chorus
girls beat hasty retreat for cover at
the Marlborough hotel, where they
were made comfortable. An alarm
quickly brought the fire engines. and
water was turned on the flames, but
not until between $4,000 and 100000
damage had been done to the front
part Of the theater building and to
The gallery of the auditorium
A fire on Broadway Is always
spectacular affair and coming as it
lid tonight when the theaters were
pouring their thousands into the
streets to mingle with the belated
christmas shoppers II quickly caused
tremendous jam in the neighborhood
# Herald square A binding snow
torn which dSarranged all street car
rattle on Broadway and the added
OF strike of the cab
rivers, all tended to create rather
Unusual state OF confusion only tho
oolneSs OF the theater attaches pre-
ented anything in the way of panic.
When the curtain was lowered on the
inal scene the orchestra continued to
lay, and Police Inspector McCloskey
nd Deputy Police Commissioner
Ianson who were In the audience,
ient hurriedly to the exits and quietly
those who had discovered
he smoke in the second gallery.
Some time after the fire was prac-
cary out the theater gallery fell and
moment later thirty-five feet of the
oor on the Broadway end of the
ui1ding came down. The damage
hiefly was confined TO the angle
prmed by Broadway and Thirty
fth street, in which was located the
ffices of the Shuberts. Lee Shubert
tier said he estimated the loss at be-
yeen S50.000 and 100000. Lee Shu-
,rt and Lou w. Fields are the lessees
the thcatcr.