Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-01-04
Patterson and Mr.. WIN. Brown were over
whelme Ia by the crowd. ~ F.A go s. 80

Let us change the Scencs--lt IS TAT IHoICl
grateful task to describe the fate ofthosc who
have as it were, miraculously escaped. It is.
some relief to our feelings, to contemplate
those who seem again to have s revisited the.
realms Of light" 1t is almost as If the grave
had given them mp again from its jsws.--We
are sorry, indeed, that our limits do not per-
init us to give any but hasty snatches and
sketches of events.
Mr.. John G. Jackson was overcome by the
suffocating smoke and fell senseless. His
last recollection was that bls feet were de-
scending but whether the floor or stairway
were broken or he had reached the descent,
he was not conscious-but insensby he de-
scended to the level of the pit where a strong
current of fresh air revived him, as he lay a.
mongst heap of PROSTATE persons. He
struggled to rise and found himself on his
feet with a lady clingng to him and beseech-
ing him to save her. With difficulty he found
the door, not being acquainted with the house,
but at last he emerged with the lady, when
the FIRE was pouring through the front win
dows, and ere they had advanced Tar, the root
tambled in.
Mr.. M w Hancock carried with him to
the play, his niece, the two Miss Herons and
three boys. When the alarm was given, he
, did all in his power to save his hrotegcs, but
was at last separated from them all. The
flames were approaching with a degree OF
fury and rapidity that was perhaps never ex-
ceeded. Hitherto the scene had been all bus
tie, confusion & CONSERVATION it now chang
ed to enc of awful horror and desperation that
beggars all description. He attempted to
reach the centre window in the lobby of the
lower boxes. He at last succeeded III mount
ing on the heads of the crowd betwixt him and
the window, and finally reached it, surround
ed by the unavailing and affecting cries of
those sufocating ar und him. He stepped
within the window and with difficulty raised
the lower sash-he thrust his feet out, when
the sash was suddenly pressed down & caught
his feet betwixt it and the SILL He extricat-
ed one foot but could not the other, until
those behind him who had sufficient strength
left to mount over him and the lower sash
which kept him down, did So He found
himself SO far gone from stfncation that he
gave himself up dis lost-The flames however
rushed over his head and the introduction of
fresh air at the bottom of the window gave
him new life Those behind him being no
longer able to keep him down, he with last
effort raised the sash, extrieated his foot and
Jumped cut 1t gives us sincere pleasure to
add that the boys and girls whom he carri-
ed with him have all escaped with their lives
Mr. John Lynch was the only person who
passed the window after MR. Hancock. After
he had left poor Gibbon, he met with variety
of horrid adventures. All was utter darkness
Ill the Lobby, and suffocation threatened 1t
was an awful crisis-and but that one OF the
windows was burst open and let in fresh air,
he thinks all in the lobby must have persisted,
at length he reached the window, where he
found gentlemen fixed fast, whom he since
believes to have been Mr.. Hancock. After an
awful lapse, the flames were rushing on in all
directions, his hair caught fire, hope deserted
him; he was struck with horror at the idea OF
being burnt alive. He rushed towards the
window, waving his hands as quick as possible
over his head and clothes. This was dread
full moment he saw many drop down on each
side OF him suffocated-the window was now
free, and he was scarcely on the bottom of it
when he heard an awful crash behind him =
He threw himselfout and providence preserv-
ed him.
Mr. Robert Greenhow precipitated himself
down the stairs over fire-brands and bodies,
with his fine son in his arns--and was saved.
Mr.. Head Lynch made wonderful escape
with his child. His lady was saved by strong
mans pulling her by the hair of the head over
the bodies in the stair -way
Mr.. Stets.n fell in the lobby with his head
to the wa!l-but for a crack which his mouth
accidentally caught, he would have died tor
want of air--the fresh air that streamed tbro'
1t revived him enough to lift his head to the
Windows fresh draught of it revived him,
and he jumped out.
Mr.. Gordon was saved in a state of insensi-
bility His Lady was saved by jumping thro'
a window and clinging to man, and her lit
tie daughter by hanging to her mantle They