A SYDNEY THEATRE BURNED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIV, Issue XXIV, 24 March 1902, Page 3

A SYDNEY THEATRE BURNED.

"HBB MAJSSTyS" COMPLETELY DX" BTROYED. PBB PRESS ASSOCIATION. Received 23, 4.53 p.m Sydney, March 23. Her Majesty's Theatre has been completely destroyed by fire.

A. WOMAN KILLED. THREE FIREMEN INJURED. AN DNLUOKT DRAMA. Received 23, 6.8 p.m. Sydney, March 23. Excepting tbe Pitt-street frontage, consisting of the vestibule and Her Majesty's and George Hotels, flanking each colter, Her Majesty's is a complete wreck. The whole body of tbe theatre is gutted from end to end, only the bare ] walls sfcanriioe.

A sad fa'ality occurred in connection with the fire. A young woman, Bella employed in one of the shops running behind the theatre in Marketstreet escaped, and on returning to warn other of the inmates or to recover eonw of b.sir property, was buried by a mags of debris falling from the theatre. A caretaker discovered the outbreak shortly after six this mornißg, about an hour after the cleaners, whose duties included fumigation of a portion of the building, had left. The flames had then a good hold. He warned the inmates of the two hoMs in front and •ad in the adjoining shops in fee* and Pitt streets, who made a hurried exit, some very lightly clad. The fire spread with tremendous Tapidity, and presented a m»gnificent spectacle, lighting up the city for miles. Sparks and fire brands were carried long distances. By tbe time the brigades arrived on the scene tbe interior was well ablaze, and, fed by the vast mass of scenery, theatre properties, and other inflammable material, swept from end to end in an incredibly short time. From the outset there was no chance of saving the theatre, and the firemen confined their efforts chiefly to preventing the gutting of Her Majesty's and the George Hotels and the shops along Market-street.

Assisted by th« towering walls along the lane on the Pitt-street side and the rear of the theatre, the brigades were * to a great extent successful

A portion of Her Mejes'y's Hotel •long Market-street wis damaged by fire, but the firemen managed to keep the flames from spreading through the front part to Pitt-strret. The damage here by water, however, as well as in George-street and several shops in Market-street, is serious. Three firemen were injured by falling through the roof while working the hose. One, Gray, is somewhat seriously hart.

Mr J.O. Williamson,leeseeof Her Ma- j jesty's loses very heavily. He has been j most unfortunate over the drama " Ben Hut," which he had in hand. On the eve of the first production the theatre was close! on account of the outbreak of plague, resulting in considerable financial loss./ Now the whole properties and ukchinery of this vory expensively mased piny are completely destroyed. The. members of the company will also suffer considerably. A PECULIAR COINCIDENCE. j THEATRICAL MANAGER LOSES HEAVI IT. i Received 24.1.7 a.m. Sydney, March 23. j The last *cene in " Ben Hur " is a wpresentition of " Palm Sunday on Mount o'ivet," and on Palm Sunday the destruction of the theatre has occurred. j Mr.Williamsonww« uninsured. The! cost of staging the piece was £6OOO. The season, so far an Australia is con-1 earned, is now terminated. It will take a year to replace all the properties, many of which have had tn be imported. It i"» estimated tba* Mr, W'*l- . Hansen will los» quite £15.000 through * being deprived of the us -of the theatre. The building, including the hotel, was insured for £IB,OOO. Th» Sun office holds a prime risk of £IO,OOO distributed among a number "f other offices, including the " f i"» Zealand, South B-itish. and National. The balance of £BOOO is covered by a private insurance fund. The origin of the fire is a mystery, being in no way connected with the fumigation process.