The 1866 Great Cincinnati Fire
On Thursday evening, March 22nd, 1866 hundreds of theatre spectators at Pike's Opera House had just watched a performance of "Midsummer Night's Dream". After the crowd left the show manager, Morris Simmonds, walked the stage checking that the gaslights were off and everyone had gone home. The only other one left was the night watchman, Michael Toohey, to make sure everything was safe and secure the rest of the night. Toohey secured the main gasmeter and checked all the dressing rooms as he started his rounds.
Pike's Opera House
About 11:15 p. m. as Mr. Simmonds opened the door to leave, he felt a large rush of air into the building. Fearing the worst he returned to the Auditorium, where he found it ablaze. Night watchman Toohey later stated he had already checked the area behind the stage where the scenery and paint were stored and thought the fire started higher up in the building. Another Private Watchman, James McKinley, patrolling behind the building, said he heard what he thought was a gas explosion near the top of the building that alerted him to the fire. He ran to fire alarm box #34 across the street and turned in the alarm. About 11:30 the Cincinnati city fire bell rang out. It was quickly followed by cries of "Pike's Opera House is on fire!" and 150 city firefighters started descending on downtown Cincinnati. This was shortly followed by a crowd of about 10,000 spectators.
One spectator was Samuel N. Pike, the owner of the opera house. As he stood in the crowd watching his building burn things got worse. His pocket was picked. Mr. Pike was quoted as saying "that was adding insult to injury."
One spectator was Samuel N. Pike, the owner of the opera house. As he stood in the crowd watching his building burn things got worse. His pocket was picked. Mr. Pike was quoted as saying "that was adding insult to injury."
The Fire As Seen From The Corner of 4th and Vine.
Soon adjacent buildings were on fire. The "Do You Smile" Billiard Saloon, the soon to be famous Baldwin's piano store, A. C. Peter's musical instrument store, the Adam's Express company and numerous other businesses were being destroyed as the fire was about to consume an entire city block.
The fire was spreading over an area bounded by Vine, Walnut, Third and Fourth streets (outlined in green). The Cincinnati Enquirer newspaper office (yellow arrow) was located behind the opera house in an alley called Baker. As the back wall of the opera house collapsed, it came down on the Enquirer destroying it. They had $100, 000 ($2 million today) in damages, plus $50,000 in stock lost but were only insured for $38,000. John Robinson had at least $18,000 in posters and handbills for his circus burn up.
None of the businesses affected carried enough insurance to cover their losses. Insurance companies paid out over $98,000 ($2 million) on the policies.
Even with this loss the Enquirer held on. Obviously missing Friday morning's edition they returned on Saturday as if nothing had happened. Where did they do their printing? The largest Hoe printing press, not on the East Coast, was under the fallen building. They probably kept printing at their job printing office at 20 College Street (red arrow) just 2 blocks from the fire.
Was this huge financial loss to the Enquirer the incentive for their
employee A. O. Russell to buy part of the business? Putting together
three other investors, he offered $45,000 ($800,000) to lease the job
printing part of the Enquirer. This had to have sounded enticing to the
Enquirer owners who were now heavily in debt. They would pay
$15,000 (almost $290,000) up front and the rest ($575,000) would be
paid over the next three years. The owners, James J. Faran and Wiley
McLean, took the deal.
In January 1867 the Russell, Morgan & Company took over two rooms
at the 20 College Street Enquirer job printing building and a cellar at
the Enquirer office building on Vine. History would now be made.