Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-09-28


kn accident Of frigh,ful fstslty occurred
OF the Continental Theatre,in in Walnut street.
Philsdelphis, on Saturday night list FROM
the Pbiladeipbia American, Of Monday, we
nsks up the following details Of tue sao
oiIsir:
The building since the days OF Gen. Welsh
(ehen il was known as the NSti"np, Oircoe')
has seemed to labor under the influence oI sn
evil eye. While occupied as menaeer'e
some time ago, q young female attache was
mu!ilated beyond recognition ny Vsioeo
,press. a man was afterwsrd kicked to death
by a vicious horse and now we find thirteen
Young ballet dancers more or less severely
burned, Of whom six are alrpady dead, anu
two Others are almost beyond expectatation
OF recovery.
The calamity transpired about quarter past
eight o'clock. That the entire theatre 10 not
now a heap of snoulderiug ruins. as the OLD
Bowery theatre wss made under parallel cir.
cumstaDces, is almost marvellous. The play
OF the evening was Shakspeare's "Tempest.
The stage was set at the time OF the accident
with the Tempest sceue-the last scene OF the
first actin which sea is represented by a
epscious green canvas, over which moves
ship OF considerable size, freighted with hope.
ful voyagets. Seen on the stage, good ceal
canvas the least appearance Of sea. Alta
distance, however, the illusion lie, as near Us
Can be, perfect.
Mr.. " hesiiey, as Prospero, was alone upon
the stage, spesking bis part, a; the time OF
the accident The second act opens with 40
effective dance BY the corps de ballet. whose
members were OF the time in the dressing
rooms, attiriug themrelves in the gauze and
tarletan that form the ballet apparel. The
dressing rooms front upon SAMSON street
They are upon the second floor at least hfty
feet distant from the foot lights, and are
reached 10y 6ght OF stairs ruuulng up from
the side Of the stage. The dressing rooms
are three 10 uunbpr, and communicate with
each oiher. The inside was one given to the
principal danseuses, the ballet proper occupy
ibg the other room.
.. On one side OF the room, occupied by the
four principal dangers, hung mirror with "a
gas bracket beside 1t. The girls stand upon
chairs before it. and arrange their draPery
a row OF pegs extend along the wall above
the mirtot, upon which the girls hang Their
street garm.uts while wearing their stage
attire.
Upon a nail nearest to the right OF the
mirror Miss Ruth Gale had hung thretan
dress that she now desires to wear. ohe is
short in stature snc was obiiged 10 reach iar
TO take il down. lu doing tins the AIRY
drapery wus igu,ed by the gas nr"eSrt'
Such material hurus like saltpetre paper. ~
was consumed ike cobweb, and IN second
tho y,rnpn,s u,on the person of the untortu.
mt. pirl were wrapped in lire. Shr'eklng
Nth djsmav aud terror she ran across the
room To her sisters. aud they-poor girls
besdl as of their own safety, pndpsvored Win
their hare hands to stihe the uprising u lanes.
MadJ ned with fright she tore herself from
them. ran into the other dressing room, CON
muni atipp the fame as she passed to the
crowd of panic stricken girls, aud to The
garments that pleutifully Uttered the tables
snd chairs. and depended from pegs around
the walls Her sister Zela first ran to her
and was in turn wrapped in flames. A wild
sceue of terror now eusued MISS He'a Tan
preciptately down the stairs TO Inc stage
when her shrieks. the sight OF men ana women
rushing in hot haste, and the eV'oent fAcne
ment behind the scenes were prrceptio'e o.
snme of ,hs audience Miss Zrla was caugh,
up by the stage carpenter, Thomas Bayard
81 The moment the curtain dropped, anc
wrenchiny No the sea cloth" he rolled her II
il. ex,iuynishing the hsmrs. The last gram
scsue Of the play represents the enchanted
is'e. The water surrounding il is represented
bya Hoor of silvered plate glass rejecting th'
lights above it.
This floor is upon moveabie frames, 10 sec
tions, When not in use they are placed
behind the scenes on either side OF the stage
In her mad Hi.ht Miss Z"la ran directl.
upop two sections OF this glass breaking IT II
many places aud badly laceratibg herself D
falling upon it Agony more exquisite tha
she suffered can scarcely be imagined. Com
pired to IL the t0rments OF the rack must D
a he'd Of roses, and we come thus early to th
l.. - yi, hat hy n
She has probably found release trom be
suff.rings in the arms Of death.
Miss Hannah q lie leaped from secon
story window into SaDsnm street. She wa
fr.pzird by pain, and entirely unaware OF tn
peril she was euconntrring She d~scen0r
upon her back. aud suffered more from th
cuncnssIoB than from npr burns.
The lives of FIVE Of the young ladies', 10 IN
opjninn Of the pbyslciana. were saved ny vi
James Milhken, of the PbGnx Iron Comp
nv. who chanc-d to be among the audience
Mr. Mlllikrn occupied an orchestra sea
Divining b, fcre any one else the cause OF tn
pauic behind the scenes, he sprang upon III
stage, and IN q spac. OF time incredibly hri'
he had procured quantity OF raw co'to'
lime, water ard linseed OIL. and had envelope
in the soothing application the tright''
Injuries scared into the flesh Of the poor pir
miuist.ring to the sixth girl when medic
aid arrived, and the application was the
continupd to them oil.
We sicken as we continue the distressn
details. Manager Wheatly wrung his hsnt
10 anguish and nerved himself for his relnc
art task of dismissing the audience, u
came in front OF the curtain, explained u
character Of the accident, and begged Il
audience to retire. The people in the fro
part of the parqnrt,e were nervous, but the
was no panic. and these retired.
The picture upon SAMSON street we shr
never forget. Carrying the burned and d
GYured bodies-but few moments before,
the euchautment lent by the distance, sppes
ing like beautfn, spItlts-were citizens who
chance led in the way. Some vent Tor me'
cal aid, Others secured hitter and ihither
drug stores, and still others applied at t
houses in the vicinity for beds upon which
isy the suffering girls. The sight we C
never forget. Ballet girls who had almt
thrown themselves f!om the building IL
The street OblvIGus that their satin she
Il Eirta