The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-05-04
THE RICHMOND CALAMITY OF 1911


The recent fearful calamity in Richmond,
Virginia, whereby some sixty persons are
said to have lost their lives, and many
other suffered injuries which will probably
result in death, recalls to mind another
accident in the same city even more horri-
Die in its character
On the night of December 26th, 1911, the
Richmond theater, then located on Broad
street, was crowded with an audience en-
bracing not only the beauty, fashion and
wealth of what was then the most aristo-
cratic capital of the South, but numbers of
prominent persons from the State at large,
who were passing the Christmas holidays in
the gay metropolis of the Old Dominion
The play announced was a melo drama com
bining some of the features of the m odern
spectacular plays, and entitled "The Bleed
ing Nun" The performance had progressed
satisfactorily for an hour, perhaps, when al
the end of an act it became necessary to
hoist chandelier up out of sight, among
what are called, in stage parlance, "the
flies" Through the csrelessness of the
employees, the lights Of this chandelier were
not extinguished previous to raising, and
coming in contact with the intsm mable
material above, instantly communicated 10
the mass of pointed csnvas and hght "ooo
work. and before the startled spectators
cnuld comprehend the situation, the entire
hur
into sheet of lurid flame. The scene
within the building moeks all description.
Wives chung to their husbands, children to
parents. msidens TO their lovers, and the
maddened multitude struggled over one
another to gain the doorways. These doors
opened inward, and as the foremost of the
throng were striving to pull them back those
being pushed forward and effectuslly barred
all egress. Moments which seemed years
elapsed before the barriers could be torn
down, and those moments consigned scores
OF NIrgins's noblest sons and daughters tc
fate Of untold agony. A few who hap
peued TO be nearest the windows sprung
into the Openings and leaped from thence
to the ground, escaping with severe bruises
or broken limbs. But the fierce fury of the
fiery demon had ample food on which to
glut itself, and as the devouring element
shot along the walls and boxes, and laid It's
red finger on shrinking human flesh, there
rose into the still evening air wild and
heart rendiug chorus of shrieks and prayers
aud imprecations, that echoed through the
streets of the city like the wailings of los
souls doomed to eternal torment. Citizens
speedily gathered TO the spot aud lent what
ever assistance Was possible, but the build
ing was totally consumed, and among tbs
ruins there lay the bsckened bodies anC
crumbling bones of twenty men aud women
The Governor of the State was one o
the victims, and hardly a family of so
cial distinction in Richmo that did no
contribute its share to the awful sacrifice
The ground where this theatre stood was sf
forwards purchased By CD Episcopal society
which erected the spot what is now
known as the Memorial church. This struc
ture, If We remember rightly, is octagonal
in shape, and of elegant and tasteful archi-
tectural design. Under the portico which
gdorns the front of the church. is "a marble
monument inscribed with the names of those
who persisted, and beneath it are placed
the ashes Of some whose remains it was i'm
possible to recognize.