Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-07-09
Burning of the Richmond Theatre in ISL.


The recent appalling event of the burning Of the
Theatre Royal in Quebec. aud the loss of some
fifty lives, has called to mind the "reminiscences of
similar catastrophe III the city Of Richmond, Va,
in December 1911, in which the Governor Of the
State aud the Mayor of the city persisted. The
following is portion of the account given in the
Richmond Enquirer at that time
On Thursday night a new play and new after.
piece played for the benefit Of Mr. Placide-
Crowds swarmed to the thcatre-it was the fullest
house this season-ihefe were not less than 600
present. The pantonlme begun--ihe first act was
over. The whole scene was before us-and oil
around US mirlh aud fesiiyify Oh God what
a horrible revolution did one minute produce
The curtain rose on the second act Of the panto-
mime-the orchestra in fall chorus. and Mr.
West came on To open the scenc-when sparks of
fire began to fall on the back of the stage aud Mr.
Robertson came ont in unuierable distress, waved
his hand to the ceiling. aud uttered these appalling
words-"The house is on frc!" His hand was i'm.
medaiely stretched forth 10 the persons in the stage
box to help them on the stage aud aid their re-
treat in that direction This IS all that we caught
Of the stage-the cry Of fro, fire, passed with cleo.
trio velocity through the house-every one ieN
from their seats to gain the Hobbies aud stairs.
The scene battles all description. The most
heartpiercng cries prevailed the house. are
mci SGre mci' Wives asking for their husbands
females aud children shreking while the gathering
element came rolling its curling flames and col
ninns Of smoke, threatening to deyour every human
being in the building. Many were trod under foot,
several were thrown back from the windows which
they were struggling to leap. The siair-ways were
Immediately blocked up--the throng was 50 great
that many raised several fee, above the heads
Of the rest-;he smoke threatened an instant suIp-
cation. We cannot dwell on this picture. We
saw-we felt like others. we gave up ourselves
for lost-we cannot depict it. Many lcaped from
the windows Of the FIRST story, and were saved
children and females and men Of all descriptions
wee seen to precpiiale themselves OH the ground
below-most Of these escaped though several of
them with broken legs aud thighs, and hideous
contusions. Most If not all who were IN the pit
escaped Mr. Taylor the last Of the musicians
who quilted the orchestra, finding his retreat BY
the back way cut of, ieapt into the pit, whence he
entered the semicircular avenue which leads to the
door Of the Theatre. and found II nearly empty
| lie the last that escaped from the pit how
melancholy, that many who in the boxes did
not also jump into the pit, and fly in the same d.
rection But those who were in the boxes, above
and below, pushed for the lobbies-many, as hast
been said, escaped through the windows-but mos
OF them had no other resource than TO descend the
stairs many escaped in that way-but so great
was the pressure that they retarded each other un.
/ al the deyourng element approached to sweep
them into eternity Several who even emerged
from the building were so much scorched that they
have since perished--some even jumped from The
second window-some others have been dfeadiully
burnt.
/ The fire flew with rapidity, almost beyond exam
Pile Within 10 minutes after it caught the whole
house wrap, in flames The colored people
in the gallery most of them, escaped through the
stairs cut filrom the rest of the hOuse-somc have
no doubt fallen victims. The pit and boxes had
but one common avenue through which the whole
crowd escaped, save those only who leaped through
the windows.
But the scene which ensued it is impossible to
paint. Women with dsheyeled hair, fathers and
mothers shrieking for their children, husbands
for their wives, brothers for their sisters filled the
whole on the outside Of the building. few,
who had escaped, plunged again into the flames to
save some dear object of their regard-and they
persisted. The Governor perhaps shared this mel
anchoy fate. Others frantic, and would have
rushed to destruction, but for the hand of friend.
The bells tolled Almost the whole town rushed
to the fatal spot.
/ The flames must have caught TO the scenery from
some light Standardization il, when it was
no longer than his arm Young saw ii on the roof
when il FIRST burst through. Every article of the
l Theatre was consumed, as well as the dwelling
Ouse neat to il. But what is wealth in compari.
son to the valuable lives which have gone forever
The whole town is shrouded in woe. Heads OF
families exnguished foreyer-nany and many is
the house. in which chasm has been made which
can never be filed up. We cannot dwell on this
pcture-but look at the following catalogue OF the
victims and then conceive the calamity which has
fallen upon us. We must drop the pen--when we
have time to collect a more particular account we
shall give it hereafter o miserable night of woe