Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1843-03-24

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was suddenly turned into pad fear and shtcks Of |
horror burst from the bosoms Of thousands, who but
now had been convulsed with mirth. Grasping what
was dearest them, all rushed toward the outlets.
These were too few for the magnitude of the thea
ire, and it was very slowly that the foremost made
way for those behind them So much the more ra'
pidly did the flames communicate to the resinous fir
planks, aad quickly advancing from scene to sccnc
they soon penetrated into the body OF the theatre, still
swarrnng with people. As i'll luck would have it,
one of the large folding doors at the entrance which
opened inward, had in the confusion been accdcntly
pushed too and resisted all efforts to force either
from without or from within. Thus only half Of the
main entrance was available for escape in this critical
moment and the retreat Of the audience was Of
proportionably delayed.
The police would not at first suffer private indvidu
ais to render assistance that they might keep the con-
nevertheless, contrived with spade to break down
aboard on one side of the theatre and TO drag sixty
half suflocated persons Of this hnrlequns hell
through the aperture, with imminent peril of his own
life. The Emperor Nicholas rewarded the worthy
man with an order, and, as ho was poor, with pen
sion Of 1000 rubes.
Meanwhile the people in the street, as may be sup
posed, became aware that the matter was no joke
The fearful tdings soon spread through the city that
Lahamnn's theatre WINS on fire. and that thousands
of persons in it were likely to perish 1t is Impossible
10 conceive the CONSERVATION and despair that seized
all Petersburg. There was not a family one or more
who se members might not be among the wretched
sufferers. When the Emperor on the first news Of
the fire. FASTENED from the Winter Palace TO the spot
women ran up to him and cried, "Sr, save, save y
My son is among them And my husband is there!
My brother is not out yet ~" Children" replied
the Emperor, " will save all can"
| When the fire was over when the flames and life
ed and charred heap the melancholy business of re-
moving the dead was commenced. The sight is said
to have been beyond all idea narrowing and appalling,
when, on clearing away the timbers which had allen
in, the mass of bodies was gradually discovered. L.
They were pulled out one by one with hooks; some
were completely carbonzed, others roasted like ches
nus many had only the hair of the head singed 8
many with glazed eye, burned hair, and charred IA
| ccs, had on their holiday clothes and decorations
which the flames had not reached, on account of the
| close pressure of the throng
These presented far more repusive spectacle than
| those which were entirely burned. In one part Of
the building which the flames had spared, were
found dense of bodies still standing upright
like host of shades from the neither world. female
was found with her head hanging over the gallery
and holding her hand and her handkerchief before he
face. A gentleman who witnessed the operation o
clearing away the bodies, told me that he could no
touch food for three days, so frghtnl were the ina
lady, who had looked in from distance was Sc
shocked that she became deIrous, and raved for
eral days both sleeping and waking.
The number OF the victims was subsequently sta
ted officially to be 300; but person told me that h
counted with his own eyes so carts, each of which
contained from 10 to Is bodies. People who pretended
to know from good authority, represented the mum
Der so large that dare not repeat it, lest other
might think the amount too improbable.
The late Awful Gales.
The sacrifice of life and property at sea during tn
last six weeks has becn we regret TO saw withou
parallel in the history of mercantile affairs. D
the coast of England l54 vessels were wrecked an
100 lives lost; the coast of Ireland five vessel
were lost, with l34 lives on the coast Of Scotland
II vessels were wrecked and 80 lives lost and on tn
coast of France four vessels and 100 lives lost 1h
value of the vessels and cargocs have been roughly
tmated at f5S5 900, viz: the vessels at f405, 00(
and the cargocs at fl90000. On the three folowin
days after the 18th numerous other wrecks occurred
to the extent of nearly CO. the losses of which wer
upwards of f240 000 this with the others, making
total of fS25,000. To this is to be added the grea
loss of vessels that occurred in the course Of til
storm of Friday and Saturday last.
, Important from st. Domingo.
The brig Woodstock, Capt. Baker from Aux Cage
arrived at Savannah, brings intelligence confirmation
OF the reported instruction in ST. Domingo e,te
from the American Consul, dated Feb. s. states thi
all the south part of the island is in state of civ
war; and the reimbursement of Jeremie is comple
possession of the revolutoniss. The insurgents al
commanded by Col. Riviere, who is represented as
man Of much resolution and energy. They declal
4 their object to be the establishment of a constltuto
modelled after that of the United States The Woot
/. stock brought dispatches from the American Cons
to the Secretary of State which were immedlate
|. forwarded TO Washngton.-N. Y. Herald