National Carriage Builders Convention, Carll’s Opera House, New Haven, Connecticut. October 18th and 19th, 1883

"While the National Carriage Builders' association were dining in Carll's opera house to-night, shortly after 11 o'clock, and one of the curtains in the parquette caught fire, creating a panic. Senator Platt was addressing the audience when the fire blazed up. Some cool-headed persons shouted, 'Sit down, there's no danger!' The band struck up 'Yankee Doodle' and the fire was soon extinguished. It was caused by a man striking a light for his cigar. There were about seven hundred persons in the theater at the time."