Lyceum Fire Does Much Damage

The stage and fly-loft of the Lyceum theater was destroyed by fire yesterday afternoon, causing a loss of $2,000. All stage properties and scenery, together with the furniture and piano in the auditorium, are either destroyed or badly damaged.

The exact cause of the fire has not been ascertained, but in all probability it was caused by heated electric wires. All employees had been busy on the stage until 3 o'clock, when they left the building. Fire was discovered twenty minutes later.

Having less than a block to go, the firemen were soon at work, but the blaze had a good start because of the inflammable materials upon the stage. When the fire became hot the ropes holding the asbestos curtain dropped, confining the fire to the stage until the heat became so great that the curtain was destroyed. Three streams of water were turned on the burning part from different angles and within twenty minutes from the receiving of the alarm the firemen had the fire out.