Source: North Manchester Journal, November 23, 1893

A Bad Fire Narrowly Averted.

There came near being a bad fire at the opera house Monday night, during the presentation of the "Galley Slave" of the Boston Comedy Company. The stage is lighted by two large brass Rochester lamps hung on ropes over pulleys so they can be raised and lowered at will. During one of the scenes of the play the rope holding one of the lamps broke, letting the lamp crash to the stage. The brass bowl burst and the oil was ablaze on the stage in an instant. James Marcy, one of the actors who was on the stage at the time, exhibited great presence of mind by grabbing up a large fur robe, used on the stage as a rug, and throwing it over the flames which were blazing up as high as a man's head. Mr. Marcy at once danced a jig on the robe and had the fire smothered out almost before the people could get out of their seats. Turning to the audience he informed them that all danger was over and coolly went on with his part as if nothing unusual had happened. His shoes and pants were considerably burned in the operation. All this took place so quickly that the audience had not time to get panic-stricken, though some of them started for the door but the doorkeeper would not let them out as the danger was all over. It was a narrow escape and with a man of less presence of mind than Mr. Marcy a serious fire would have resulted as it would have taken but a moment for the scenery to catch the flames. This is, we believe, the only accident of the kind that has ever happened to the opera house.