Omaha daily bee., 1908-12-24
FIRE IN NEW YORK THEATER
Blaze Breaks Out in Upper Gallery at
Herald Square Playhouse.
AUDIENCE GOTTEN OUT SAFELY
r. RunE Down ana Few Know
of Fire Untn After They Leave
BuildinE-DnmaEe About
Twenty thousand.

Herald Square theater at Thirty-flfth street
and Broadway last night ten minutes before
the close Of the performance of The Three
Twins" and before II was brought under
control had done considerable damage TO
the building, had driven the actors and
chorus into the streets in their scant cos
TUNES and had caused great commotion
among the crowds IN Broadway. There
was no panic and no one was injured. the
audience remaining in ignorance Of the fire
until most of them had passed into the
streets The fire caught from an electric
sign on the front Of the theater building
and spread to the executive offices which
are opposite the second gallery Of the
auditorium.
1t was just ten minutes before the time
for the performances to end when two
women came down from the second gal
lery and reported to the theater attaches
that there was smoke in the 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 was lowered without any announce
ment to the audience. The big crowd
shuffled slowly out. not knowing that a
fire was being fought in the upper 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
tc their scant and unconventional attire.
With the temperature lowering around the
fwranNfas ana a fiarno mind drivFn1 fba
falling snow into their faces. the chorus
girls beat a hasty retreat-for cover at the
Marlborough hotel. where they were made
comfortable.
An alarm quickly brought the fire en-
gines and water was turned upon the
flames. but not until probably $4,000 dam
age had been done to the front part of
the theater building and to the gallery of
the auditorium. A saloon and cigar store
next door was practically destroyed.
Only the GOODNESS of the theater 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
Deputy Police Commissioner Hanson, who
we're In the audience, went quickly to the
exits and quietly treasured those who had
discovered the smoke in the second gal
lery.
When 1t became known through the de-
parting audience that there was a fire in
the building there was a crush around the
cloak room by those who had checked
their wraps. Inspector McCioSkey ordered
the theater cleared before all of those
could be given their wraps. and many men
and women In evening dress went into the
street and stood around on Broadway for
| a time hOufng IN rppolrpr their Uran 0 They
were forced. however, through stress of
weather finally to leave without them.
The theater will probably be closed for
a week or so.
Some time after the fire was practically
out the theater gallery. fen and a moment
later thirty-five feet Of roof on the Broad
way end of the building came down. The
damage chiefly was confined to the angle
formed by Broadway and Thirty-fifth
street, in which was located the office of
the Shuberts. Lee Shubert later said that
he estimated the loss at between $4,000 and
teO, m0. Lee Shubert and lew Fields are the
lessees of the theater.
ImpuIsive Legislation Deerfed.
Impulsive legislation was decried and the
blessings of intelligent moderation in tho
conduct of public affairs was dwelt upon
by former Governor Frank F. Black OF
New York, who delivered the principal ad-
press of the evening at the dinner OF the
New England Society Of New York at the
waldorf-Astoria tonight. More than 500
persons were present at the dinner, among
the guests OF honor being Governor Charles
e. Hughes, Frank H. Hitchcock. Major
General Wood and j. p. Morgan.
Seth Low, president OF the society. in his
Introductory remarks referred to the fact
that the death roll OF the organization
during the last year had been very large.
numbering forty-four. Included in this list
was the late president Of the United States.
/ Grover Cleveland.
After toasts to the president OF the United
states and ito the memory of our dead
had been drunk. former Governor Frank F.
Black responded TO the toast, "Forefathers'
Day"
Governor Hughes spoke to the topic, The
State OF New York" In part he said:
The New England spirit is no longer
that of New England. 1t is the spirit OF the
entire nation. We no longer look to the
little group of commonwealth in the north
eastern portion Of our country for inspira-
ton, for the spirit which the citizens of
that strip OF coastHne once exemPhfied is
now the spirit OF our great west and mid
die Atlantic states; indeed the spirit of the
entire country. We honor New England
because New England is diffused-
Cheaper Cab Rates.
That not only cheaper, but very much
cheaper rates for cablegrams across the
/ Atlantic are near a. hand was the asser-
ton OF Ralph Lemieux, the postmaster
general in the Canadian cabinet, this aft
ernoon on the eve Of his departure for
Canada after a day spent in this country
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