Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1860-02-10

&c month, ~
: e 10 %
.-.,;..r., deduction made on larger adve'-
" ; rAii transient sdvsrtissnsnti must DC p0'
for advance. .-- 4-.' -
BURNING OF rHB RICHMOND THEA
TIRE As the public mind is now deeply
interested IN the shocking calamity
which has just occurred at Lawrence
it may be we'll to bring to tho notics
of this generation ike catastrophe
which befel the people Of Richmond'
w.. on the evening Of December, 70
1911. l. is somewhat different in ITS
nature and extent frcm that of the
Pemberton Mills, and yet in many re-
spect. not less horrible. In the burn
ing of the theatre about seventy persons
ost ,heir lives, and among those was
George W. Smith, Governor OF the
State and Abram B Venable, Presl-
dent Of the Richmond Bank. Those
who perished were generally from the
first families, and composed the youth,
the beauty AMI the fashion of the city.
The winter opened with an uncom-
mon rage for amusements Of al kinds
and on this fated evening there was to
be new play for the benefit of Mr.
Placide. Crowds swarmed to the the
atre-it was the largest house OF the
season, and not less than ooo were
present.
The play went on-the pantomime
bep.n-the first act was over, and oil
around was mirth and vivacity. At
this moment the scenery caught fire,
and in a few minutes the whole building
was in flames. The cry Of " hre
fre!" pissed with electric velocity
throughout tie whole house. and the
scene which followed was horrible be-
yond description. There was but one
door for the greater part OF the audi
ence to pass. Men, women aud cnii-
dren we're pressing on each other while
the flames we're seizing upon those be-
hind Most if not all Of those who were
in the pit escaped, while those in the
boxes we're unable to get do~n the stairs
before the flames overlook them. Ihose
behind, urged by tho pressing hame'
pursued those out who were nearest tho
window, aud people of every descrip-
ton began to fall one upon another
some with their clothes on fire and some
half roasted The msst heart-rendlng
cries pervaded the house. Wives ask,
cd for their husbands - females ana
children shrieked, while the gathering
element came rolling on, its curling
flames and columns Of smoke threaten
ing to d.vour every human being in
the building. ~
MANY were trodden under foot. The
stair ways we're blocked up. and the
throng was so great that many we're
raised several feet over the heads Of the
rest. Within ten minutes after the tlre
caught the whole house was wrapped IN
flames, and the scene which ensued 1t
il impossible to paint. Women with
dlshevelled hair, fathers and mothers
shriek,ng for their children-husbanis Is
for their wives, brothers for their slst-
ers, filled the whole area outside OF the
building. Some who had escaped
plunged again into the flames to save
some dear object Of their regard, and
they perished. Others we're alike fran
tic, and would have rushed to destruc-
ton but for the hand of friend to
keep them back. The bells tolled. al
most the whole town rushed to the fatal
This certainly was a sad day. aud an
awful rebuke to the pleasure-loving
people Of Richmond.
We find in the Richmond Enquirer
of December 28th, 1911, the following
notice: t33
"At meeting of the Government
of Richmond, Dec. 9th, committee
was appointed to cause to be collected
the remains of perso, who perishe al
the Theatre, and to place in urns Of
cofins such as could not be recognized
by relatives or friends. The euspen'
sion of all business for forty-eight hours
was directed, and that no public shows
or dances should be allowed for fou
months"
.sAt meeting also Of the citizens
ON the same day-A committee wa'
appointed ror Richmond, and com
mi!tee for Manch ster-it was recon-
mended that Wednesday, the LIST O
January, 1912, should be observed a
a day of Fasting and Prayer and tina
on that day the Rev. Messrs, Bachan
an and Blair be requested to dellve
the funeral discourse. and that the cit
izens wear Grape for one month"
For the remainder of the winter tn
hitherto neglected churches were hlie'
with solemn and attentive worshlppers
Portland .3dvertiser.
"SroLs Hrs THUNDER. - = Thi
phrase is said to have originated abou
one hundred and fifty years since
John Dennis, = trashy English dramat
lat invented q new kind of thunder fo