DESTRUCTION OF THE WELLINGTON OPERA HOUSE.

Evening Star, Issue 7485, 2 April 1888, Page 4

DESTRUCTION OF THE WELLINGTON OPERA HOUSE.

INCENDIARISM SUSPECTED. Tho Opera Home, Wellington, was totally destroyed by flro between six and seven o clock last Thursday morning. How the lire originated is shrouded in mystery. Tho building was discovered to be on fire by Hostick, the night porter of the Royal Hotel, who, on opening the hotel doors, noticed smoke issuing through the ventilators of tho house. He at once rang up the fire brigade station and gave the alarm. The brigade wore quickly on the spot and soon at work, but owing to the southerly gale and (strong hold the fire had of tho building they could save nothing. The whole place was completely gutted, nothing remaining but the bare Walls. The charred remains of the dress and family circles are all in a heap at tho rear of tho pit, the iron pillars which supported tho circles alone remaining. Smith, tho custodian, who with his family reside on the premises, was aroused by Mr Kuchen, tobacconist, throwing stones at his bedroom window. Smith rushed to the stage, and saw the fire at the western side of the dress circle, but the building was full of smoke, and it was with difficulty that he managed to get his family out safely. He has lost all his effects. The fire burned fiercely for about half an hour, when tho roof and a portion of the west walls camo down with a terrible crash, the concussion being so great as to knock down a quantity of fancy goods in A slier a shop, causing damage to the extent of L2:>. The two front Bhops belonging to tho Opera House Company, and occupied by Williamson as an oyster saloon, and Shades, hairdresser, are but little damaged by the fire, but the contents are.ruined by water. The insurances are:-South British, L 1,000: Colonial, LI.OOO ; National, L 500; Phtcnix, L 100; Equitable, LSOO (reinsured); Standard, L 250; New Zealand, L 750. 1 heOpera House was opened last November twelve months, and the previous one was destroyed by fire in June, 1879. It i<i estimated that the loss over insurance is LIO,OOO. At nine o'clock on Wednesday night, when the custodian made an inspection, everything was all right. A rumor ib current that two men were seen leaving by the family circle entrance at five o'clock on Thursday morning, but it is doubted, though had the men been in the theatre they could leaVe by that entrance arid lock the door by pulling it to after them. The portion of the walls at the back of tho building are dangerous, being cracked and bulging out. This will probably bo pulled down. It is asserted that immediate steps are to be taken to rebuild. A box of posters, lithographs, etc., belonging to Miss Amy Shcrwin, who was to open to-night, was destroyed. Fortunately, however, tho wardrobe had not been sent there, but W&3 to go this morning. It is now thought the fire was tho work ot an incendiary, as the theatro had not been engaged since Friday last. HISTOBY OK THE OPKR.\ HOUSE. The building was erected by Mr James Hanson according to plans and specifications prepared by Mr W. 0. Chatfield, of Wellington, at a cost of L 17.000. Mr Chatfield made a special trip to Australia for the purpose of inspecting the principal places of amusement, bo that he might bo in a position to design a theatre superior to any other in tho Southern Hemisphere, and it is admitted that till the subsequent building of the new Princess s, Melbourne, the Wellington Opera House was more elegantly fitted up than any building of the kind in Australasia. It was built of brick, and, although the back of it was to the harbor, it was one of tho first buildings to catch tho eye of the visitor to Wellington by sea. The building contained two galleries, ami the ground floor was divided into three sections, viz., the orchestral stalls, stalls, and pit, and the houso was capable of accommodating about 1 500 persons. The stage was GOfc deep and j»ft Wide, with a height of 70ft from the concreted cellar to the apex of the roof. The curtain was 30ft square, and made of alternate widths of crimson silk rep and old gold silk damasks, relieved by colored flowers. Along the bottom was a tapestry dado, set round with a rich gold border 8m wide, giving the whole an exquisite finish. The drop scene, or, more prop< rly speaking, the act drop, was painted by Mr J. S. Willis, the wellknown scenic artist, and represented a heavy draping of blue and amber satin, with bullion fringes. In the middle was a beautiful landscape representing Stratford-on-Avon, the birthplace of " the Immortal bard," and beneath was a bust of Shakespeare, on a marble pedestal, surrounded by ancient vases and griffins. Tho house was opened on November 17, 1880, by Messrs Leitch and MacMahon. when 'The Silver King' was produced in the pre=ence of His Excellency the Governor and suite and a crowded audience.