Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-09-17
Terrible Fire at Philadelphia Theatre,
TouRrEBN PERSONS pRKApFuLLY suRSrn-nx,,v


OF SIX OF THE VICTIMS.
horrible catastrophe occurred at the Cont
mental Theatre In Philadelphia on SATURDAY. ,,pbt
by which six persons lost their lives, and seve,,
others burned 30 badly that their lives are de
SPARED Of.
On Saturday night more than fifteen bundred
people We're present The first act of the HTem
pest had gone forward uninterruptedly, and tn,
aance,s were onsily preparing in the dressing
second Prospero (Wheatley) was about Tetirino
from the stage, when, all at once these accustome5
to witnessing show pieces saw an unnecesgary
light glazing over the top Of the rear scene Re-
fore they had time to speculate upon it, q nuuhe,
Of men In shirt sleeves (stage csrpenters) ran
the stage, and, while the confusion grew momen
tarlIy, sharp scream, that seemed 20 pierce the
heart, rang. upon the ears of the people, and :
woman In ballet costume, with her dress on ire
emerged from the side scenes, waving her arm,
above her head
time, and one lad In the gallery cried "ire, y
whereupon he was at once choke dby bIy- "A sted
man beside him. Two or three women said sGO
LORD" and endeavored to edge their way out Of
the house, but these 81 ght Manifestations wer,
quelled by manager Wheatly, who had appea ned
In front Of the curtain and said:
Ladies and gentleman: Be kind enough TO re-
man In your seats, aud make DO unnecessary is
tufbance. II anything has gone wrong will re-
turn In moment and state the occurrences
The screams We're prolonged and thrilling in
the interim, but directly Mr Wheatly eappeared
and said:
Ladies and Gentlemen: Thesparfcrme,. are
somewhat excited, and we cannot 90 on with the
play until we discover the extent of the accident.
You, will, therefore, go out quietlyn "a voice
was the young lady whom we saw lust nov
much burned!''l Mr.. Wheatley al cannot tell
There IL great deal Of confusion behind the cur.
tain Please 60 out"
The people di,banded quietly Some one de.
scribed their orderly dismissal az resemblin1 .
funeral. But scene far otherwise went on mon
the stage oA 1pon
1t appears that Miss Cecilia Gale. one Of finn,
talented and handsome sisters, was about robing
herself In ballet costume. She stood upon settee
to reach her dress and somehow hirted IL into a
jet OF gas, when II was instantly iynited Before
the young lady could recover from her fright her
cIo,nlng were all abaze, and her sisters and sew
erdl OF the ballet girls from an adjoining dressing
rsom, rushing up to assist her. were In turn set on
fire. About dozen Of these helpless girls were
thus burning at once, and the fire ran over their
gauze end among their underclothes, making fast
to the close leggins or "tights,n and literally
burning 10 the bone. Their screams Were thrilling
and no scene Of horrors that the stage ever wit
messed may be compared to the terrible picture
Ing dresses blazed up to the ceiling. and singed
Il e lashes and hair Of the sfYfighted woman.
The theatre was imperilled by the sea-cloth
partially isnited, being thrown into the stable,
wntfe IL was discovered on the point Of combus-
ton, and coafagration averted
The scene In the rear Of the theatre, on Samson
street, was most pteous and agonizing In It's char
acter Half dressed ballet girls ran up and down,
and poor women, whose daug hters took part in
the PROFESSIONS and show scenes were screaming
their names amid confused sobbing, execration
and fear Carriages and cabs were driven up and
down, and as each sufferer was placed upon the
cushions and taken away, the crowd pressed up
ana touched her sores. A number of petty
taverns on Samson street Were thrown open TO
the sufferers, and a few were so badly burned
that they have not since been moved There
was good deal Of delay before help could be
obtained; but after a time physicians and lotions
were summoned Some Of the burned were "a ken
TO the Pennsylvania Hospital and others TO their
homes In remote parts Of the town
Six Of the burned women had died I'D to
midnight Sunday night, and four more were
not expected TO survive the hext twenty-four
hours. AL Of them suffered terribly, calling for
water most piteously, and maintaining their
senses unimpaired TO the last
The artists Of the adjacent theatres contributed
to the relief Of the needy, and Mr.. Couldock, II
10 said, who was playing at the Walnut, few
doors on, was unable to proceed with his part
The excitement continued to spread throup bout
the city, and all Saturday night and SUNDAY
morning the theatre was surrounded by curIops
crowds, The Gale sisters were beautiful and
finely formed gtrls, English by birth, and thew
Travelled through the country some time ago with
the Ronzani troupe. The manage ment cannot be
blamed In any way for the occurrence -,