Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1811-12-30
FROM THE ExarIaER.
OVERWHELMING CALAMITY.

OVERWHELMING CALAMITY.
In the whole course ofour existence, we have
never taken our pen under deeper gloom thans
we feel 1T this moment. l. falls to our lot TOD
record one of the most distressing scenes whiclr
can happen in the whole circle of human affairs y
The reader must excuse the incoherence of I
the narrative; there is scarce dry eye inthis dis
tracted city. Weep, my fellow citizens fort
We have seen night of voc, which scarce any
eye had seen, or ear hath heard, and no tongues
can adequately tell.
How can we describe the scene no pen CAM
paint it; no imagination can conceive it. Al
whole theatre wrapt in fismes-a gay and AMI J
mated assembly suddenly thrown on the yerys
verge of tile grave--many Of them, oh howl
many, precipitated in moment into eternity;
youth, and beauty, and old age and genius over-s
whcmned in oae promiscuous ruin--shrieks,s
sloans and human agnony in every shape,
this is the heart rending scene that are cal
led upon to describe. We sink under the eff,
fort. Reader excuse our feelings, for they arcE
the feelings cfa whole city.
Let AS collect our ideas as well as we can!
On Thurs lay night anew play and q new after :!
piece were played Tor the beneht of Mr.. Placide
Crowds swarmeG 70 the theatre-it was the full \
jest heuse this se2son--there were not less thanl
600present. The play went off-the pantomime
began-the first act was over. The whole scene
was before as--and all sround Us wasmirth and
festivitys Oh God what horrible revolution
did ore minute produces The curtain rose on
the 81 act efthe Pantomime-the orchestra was
IN full chorus and Dir. West came on to open
the scene--when sparks OF ERE hogan to fall on
the back part of the stage, and Mr.. Robertson
came out in uHutterable distress, waved his
hand to the ceiling, and uttered these appalling
words" The house is on fires His hand was
Immediately stretched forth to the persons in
the stage-box to help them on The stsge-anIi
aid their retreat in that direction. This is al
that We caught ofthe stsge-the cry Of fire, fire,
passed with electric velocity through che house
every one flew from from their seats TO gar
the Hobbies and stairs.
The scene battles all description. The most
heart piercing cries peryaded the house. y" Save
nc, save me-" Wives skiing for their husbands
females and children streking while the gather
ing element came rolling on its curling flames
and columns of srDake-zthreatenine to t,evour
every human being IN the buildnE Many were
trod under foot--seyerG1 were brown back from
the windows W hich they were struggling to leap
The stair-ways were Immediately blocked up
tho throng was so great that may were raise
several icc ovcrthc heads ofthe1est--tiIe smoke
threatened an instant sufocation. We cannot
dwell on this picture. We saw--wc felt it.-likS
others, we gave UP ourselves for lost---we can
not depict it. Many leapcd from the window,
Of the first story, ard were sayed--chldren and
females and men Of all descriptions were seer
20 prec:pitate themselves on tie gound below
---trost OF these escaped; though several OF then
tusions. Most il not ell WHO were in the pit es
capped. Mr. Taylor, Tie last of the musicians
who Quilted tie ochestra finding his retreat b,
the back way cns off leapt into the pit whence
hc entered ,hc semicigcular avenue which lead,
to the door OF Che ,leaire, and found IL ncarl
empty. Hc wasi hc last that escaped from IL,
pit how Tnelancholythat many who we're in DO
boxes did not also jump into the pit and fly IL
tho same direction. But those who were in The
boxes, above and below, pushed for the lobbic.
--IBauy, rs has been said, escaped through the
windows-but the most Of tlteN had no othe,
resource than to descend the stairs, 1,any cs
capcd in that way--but so great vas Tie pres
surc that they retarded each other; until th;
dcYourirg element approached to sweep then
into eternity. Several Who even emerged from
the building were 50 much scorchcd that the,
have since perishcd--sope even jumped from
the second window-some others have bcci
daeadf,iily burnt.
Tic fire Few with a rapidly, almost beyond
EXAMPLE. within ten minutes after IL caught the
whole house was wrapt in Hames.-Thc colour
cd people in the gallery most Of them escaped
thiO ihcsta:rs cut off from the rest o. :he house
some have no doubt fallen victims. The pit All 4
boxes had but enc common avenHe--i hrough
which the whole crowd escaped, save those on
Us who icapcd through the windows.
Bot the scene which ersricd--it is impossible
70 pain. Women with disshcvelled hair eath-y.
and mothers shrickng out for their cis.ldren,
husbands for their wives, brothers for their sic
tcrs, filed lne whole are, on the outside Of the
building. a few who had escaped, plunged a.
Gin into The flames 20 save sor. dear obieet
other rcgaFd--snd they Perisbed y The GO
vernon perhaps shared ms melancholy fate.
Others we're frantic, end would have rushed 10
destruction, bat for the hand of a friend Tie
bells tOcd Almost Re whole town rushed 60
the fatal spot.
The fame NUT hays been caught to the see.
- !. l. q. \ 4
when il gas no longer than his aru,--Ysune
IN