The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-12-23
BIG THEATRE
CATCHES FIRE
IN NEW YORK
Play Cut Short and Audience
Dismissed Without Being
Any the Wiser.
ACTORS AND ACTRESSES
HALF-CLAD IN THE SNOW
GOODNESS OF THEATRE At
TAcHES PREVENTED PANIC
AND GREAT LOSS. OF LIFE.

New York. Dec 22.-Fire broke out in
the Herald Square theatre at Thirty-fifth
street and Broadway tonight, ten min
utes before the close of the performance
of 'sThe Three Twins and before it
was brought under control had done con-
siderable damage TO the building, had
driven the actors and chorus into the
streets in their scant. costumes, and had
caused great connection among the
crowds in Broadway.
There was no panic and no one was
injured, the audience remaining in igno-
rance of the fire until il had passed into
the streets. The fire caught from an
electric sign on the front of the theatre
building and spread to the executive Of
fices. which are in the second gallery
Of the auditorium.
Reported by Women.
1t was just ten minutes before the close
when two women came down from the
second gallery and reported to the theatre
upper part of the building. Treasurer
Lyon 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 lowered without
announcement to the audience. The big
crowd shuffled slowly out. not knowing
that a fire was being fought in the up
per gallery. Most of them soon reached
the streets, but some remained behind
waiting for the wraps TO be taken from
the coat rooms.
AS the flames began to gain Roadway
the alarm spread among the actors and
chorus and many OF the young women
left the building by the stage entrance and
went out into the storm without giving
thought to their scant and unconventional
attire With the temperature lowering
around the twenties and a fierce wind
driving the falling snow into their faces,
rI,n Herfr-1 ha.f a-fx- rot. For.
cover at the Marlborough hotel, where
they were made comfortable. An alarm
quickly brought the engines, and water
was turned upon the flames. but not un-
til $4,000 damages had been done to the
front part of the theatre building
Tremendous Jam Ensued.
a fire on Broadway is always a spec
tacyIlar affair, and coming it did to-
night. wien the theatres were pouring
their thousands into the streets to mingle
with the belated Christmas shoppers it
quickly caused a tremendous jam in the
neighborhood of Herald square.seA blind
ing snow storm, which disarranged all
street car traffic on Broadway, and the
added inconvenience of a strike of the cab
drivers. all tended to create a. rather I'M
usual state of confusion. Only the cool
ness of the theatre attaches prevented
anything in the way of a panic When
the curtain was lowered upon the final
ensemble the orchestra continued to play
and Police Inspector McCloSkey and Dep
uty Police Commissioner Hanson who
were i'm the audience, went hurriedly to
the exits and quietly treasured those who
had discovered the smoke in the second
gallery.
Among the occupants OF the boxes was
a party consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Regi--l
maid Vanderbilt. Miss Carroll D. Winslow
and others They made their escape by
way of the Broadway entrance.
The theatre will probably be closed for
week or so.
Some time after the fire was practi-
cally out the theatre gallery fell and a
moment later thirty-five feet of the
roof on the Broadway end of the build
ing came down. The damage chiefly
was confined to the angle formed by
Broadway and Thirty-fifth street, in
which was located the offices of the
Shuberts. Lee Shubert later said he es-
timated the loss at between $4,000 and
$50. COG. Lee Shubert and Lew Fields are
the lessees of the theatre.