The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-04-26
GRAND OPERA HOUSE, NEW HAVEN,
 OLDEST CONNECTICUT THEATRE,
 COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY FIRE

New Haven, April 26,-The Grand Opera house. the oldest theatre in Connecticut, and one of the most his toric in the country in which a most notabled array of the great actors and actresses of the last fifty years had appeared before New Haven audten- ces, was completely destroyed by a fire which started in the Aschenbroe- del restaurant the ground floor, about 4 o'clock yesterday morning. The fire rapidly swept through the whole building and caused damage es- Hmated at more than $10O,900.
 This theatre, which was built by Samuel Peck and opened by him ufa- der the name of Music HalI'' on No vember 19. 1860, was one of the land half century It was the scene of great political meetings, brilliant SO cial functions and important public gatherings of every character and it had a place unique in the cityss his- tory The theatre was used not on ly for theatrical but for political com ventions, campaign meetings. religious meetings and social events such as the Yale Junior promenade
 Used for Many Big Events.
 The old theatre had gone through every phase of public entertainment The same stage which had been nod by the greatest legitimate actors of the day, had also been the setting for blood d-a1ad-t11under nae1odrarlas, bur lesque and vaudeville and in later years also for the trnoyies-''
 Public meettngs and lectures had brought many famous men to the theatre to speak before New Haven people, among whom were President Ulysses S. Grant, Henry Ward Beech CT, General Phil Sheridan William Lloyd Garrison, Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens, Robert Ingersoll. James G. Blaine Grover Cleveland, William Jennings Bryan and hosts of others. These are bu a few of the many that might be mentioned 10 enumerate the actors and actresses who appear ed at this theatre would be to give many of the great actors since the Civil war Some of the older notables were JeAny Lind whom P. T. Bar mum booked here on one of her first appearances in the United States; Sir Henry Irving, Edwin Booth, Sarah Bernhardt and Lawrence Barrett. Wilkes Booth alsos it is said, acted on its boards
 Discovered About O'Clock
 The fire was first discovered short f ly after 4so'c1ock when a man pass ing by noticed smoke coming out of the Aschenbroedel and called it to the attention of Patrolnlan John Carton, who turned in an alarm from box 25. HIS a1dr1n was EecGIC0G4 at 4sU a stiT1 alarm had been sent in over the teIephone5 about a minute sooner. 4 second alarm was rung in by Chief Fancher at 4.1O o'clock and a third alarm was sounded at 4sz7. Despite the work of the hremeu. however. the flames swept through the old struc- tIre and within an hour and a half it was almost a total ruin. Owing to the danger from falling walls. Chief Rufus R.. F'anck1er Kept his men out Of the building and from the street in front. The fire had got such a start on the interior before the nreInen arrived that 1t was seen there was little hope of saving 1t and the frennen d1rected most Of their efforts to keep ing the flames from the adjoining buildings, in which they were success full
 Stove Believed The Origin.
 Although no definite evidence could be secured and probably never can