The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-10-01
The Recent Terrible Accident at the Com
tinrMtai Theatre in Philadeiphia

accident occurred at The Con ntinent tai The:i tire
IN walnut street on Saturday night bV
Which the buiidiag Tor Il time was imperiIied
ana number CT dancing girls 50 badIi
burned that some have since died. Wbeat:y
leased and retitted the 'Contnental,' 'tormer-
~ General u elch's National Circus and pro
dueed the " Tempest" on Monday night, in
splendid style.
On SATURDAY night more than fifteen hun
dred people were present. The first act had
gone forward uninterru ptediy, and the dan
GERS We're ousiiy preparing III the dressing
room To appear III the ballet ut the opening
of act second Prosptro (Wheltley) was
about retiring from The stage, when the audi
ehce perceived several men, apparently stage
carpenters, running backward and forward
III their SHIRT sleeves. Directly those ada
cent 10 the stage saw young lady all on fire
run hurriedly 10 the sioe scenes, and ut the
stme time succession of piercing screams,
from lmperceptible localities, disturbed the
relose OF the audience, and brought half the
people to their feet The cry OF " fire. was
st trtcd from the galleries, and the fitting
lights aud confusion upon the stage hft no
uouDt thdt some awful actCality was trans
piring. Manager Wheatly directed the peo-
pie TO be quoted, while Ee retired to learn
the extent Of the accident
1t appears that Miss Cecilia, one Of four
talented and handsome sisters, was about
rohing herself III ballet costume. She stood
upon \ settee TO reach her dress, ana sofne-
now IhTted ii III 10 4 jet OF gas, when it was
instantly ignitcd. Before the Young lady
WIS all abiaze, and her sisters and several OF
the billet girls from an adjoining dressing
room. rushing up TO assist her, were in tuin
set on fire. About Il dozen OF these helpless
Slris were nus burning at once, ami the fire
ran over their gtuze ami among their under
clothes, making fast to their close ieggins or
tights, and literally burning To tue bone
Their scream were thrilling, aud no scene OF
horrors that the stage ever witnt ssed may be
compared To the Ierr'bi picture behind the
scenes, where the fire from the burning dresses
blaZed up 10 the ceiling and singed the lashes
and hair Of the 1ffIighted women.
hhss Cecilia Gale, Wrthing and still in
flames, d;irtrd down the stairs stated, and
was ciught'hy Mr.. Blyard, q stage carpen-
ter, who Al once tore MP the sea cloth, sheet t
OF canvas used 10 make waves, and wrapped
IL around her. He was much burned while
doing this. The young lady WIS removed To
the hospital soon afterwards.
Several girls leaped iii to the street, thrp ugh
the second story windows, and Miss Hannah
Gale, already badly burned, fell urton the
pavement, bruising her b OK and head so that
her case is considered hopeless.
Miss Phcrbe Nordeu, OF Bristol, Pennsyl-
vania, inhaled the flames and WIS shockingly
burned. She was 1T the point OF death la
evening.
Miss Annie Phillips died on Sunday morn
ing.
Miss Anna Mcbride was burned in the
| breast, arms and legs, and taken to the Penn.
syivania Hospital. She suffered the most
excruciating pain during Saturday night;
but towards morning her delirium abutea
and she died in the arms of Mrs. Wheatiey.
MISS Annie Nicholas was somewhat burned
bat in the panic which ensued after the acei
dent she jumped from the head of the ii.s t.
the stage-twenty i've feet--and breaking
through Il lot OF mirrors and pIate glass used
10 represent lake, her hands and cheeks
were iacerated.
Ruth and Adeline Gale were burned in the
HANDS and breast
Mrs. Mary IS. Herman suffered exceed
ing!y
Abby Carr, Margaret Conway. TEoma,
Bhyard, Kate Harrison and "A Young man
name unknown, were more or less badly
burned The last named Inhaled the fire and
his lungs have since been bleeding.
The audience meanwhile was addressed by
Mr, Wheatley, aud told 10 yacatc the hous,
without Unnecessary confusion. A nambe,
OF ladies tainted an retiring, aud there was
great dsa! of srepidai!on and alarm In th'
halls aud exit way.
The scene In the Of the theatre, on Sam
son street, was most piteous and agoni SinI
IN its character. Half.dressed ballet giri
ran up and down, and poor women, who's,
aaaEh.ers TOOK part In the procession ans
| amid confused sobhing, execration and fpar
Carriages and cabs were driven up and down
ana as eacn sufferer was placed upon th
cushions and taken away, the crowd presse,
| up and touched her sores
The excitement con nued to spread through
| out the city. and all Saturday night and Sun
day morning the theatre WAS surrounded b
curious crowds. The Gale sisters were hea d
iifut and finely foSm-d girls, Engiish BY brit,
and they Travelled through the country, som
| time ago, with the Kenxani troupe m
management cannot be blamed in any WA
| for the occurrence. The theatre will oi,en q
| usual ON Tuesday, and on Wednesday the sul
! fesers Will receive u beness. The evaat ha
| spread gloom and sorrow throughout ia
| city.
The telegraph has Aanounced the death q
| the sixth OF the snntreGs--one OF the Aisss
Gale, &. :