The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1870-05-12

Scencs
The recent fearful calamity In
Richmond, Virginia, whereby some
sixty persons have lost their lives,
and many others suffered injuries
which willprobably result in death,
recalls to mind another accident In
the same city even more horriblei IN
its character. .
On the night Of Decemher %.
1911, the Richmond theater, then
located On Broad street, was crowd
ed With an audiehce embracing not
only the beauty, fashion and
wealth Of what was then the most
aristocratic 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 Do
minion, The piece announced
was q melo-drana combining some
of the features Of the modern spec
tacular plays, and entitled the
Bleeding Nun"
The performance had progress
ed satisfactorily for On hour per.
haps, when at the end Of an act II
became necessary to hoist a chan.
delier up out Of sight, among what
are called in stage parlance, athe
flies" Through the carelessness
of the employees the lights Of this
chandelier we're not extinguished
lpreyious to raising, and, coming In
ito contact with the infammable
material above, instantly commu-
ficated to the mass of painted can
yass and light woodwork, and be-
fore the startled spectators could
comprehend the situation, the en-
tire region in the rear Of the Or
chestra burst into a sheet Of lurid
fame. The scene within the build.
ing mocks all description. Wives
clung to husbands, children to
parents, maidens to their lovers,
and the maddened multitude strug-
. gled over one another to gain the
} doorways. These doors opened in.
ward, and, rs the foremost Of the
; throng we're striving to pull then
l back, those behind pushed forward
; and efectually barred all egress.
Moments which seemed year
E elapsed before the barriers coult
be torn down; those moments con
signed scores Of Virginia's noblest
, sons and daughters to fate of IN
told agony. A few who happened
to be nearest the windows sprung
, into the openings and leaped from
: thence tdethe ground, escaping
with severe bruises or broken limbs
But the fierce fury of the fiery de
> mon had ample food on which Il
+ glut itself, and as the deyouring ele
u ment shot along the walls and box
G es and laid its red finger on shrink
ing human flesh, there rose into tn,
: still evening air a wild heart-rend
: ing chorus Of shrieks and prayer
b and imprecations that echoet
!. through the streets of the city lik,
o the wailings Of lost souls doomet
8 to eternal torment. Citizens speed
J. lily gathered to the spot and len
e whatever assistance was possible
8 but the building was totally con
+ sumed, and among the ruins ther
/ lay the blackened bodies ant
i crumbling bones Of seventy mel
e and women.
vi The Governor of the State We
]. one Of the victims, and hardly
h family Of social distinction il
b Richmond that did not contribut
/ its share to the awful sacrifice
The ground where this theate
d stood was afterward purchased b
an Episcopal society which erecte
r on the site what is now known q
the Memorial church. This struc'
le ure, if we remember rightly, is o,
l. tagonal in shape, and of elegar
IS and tasteful architectural desigl
d Under the portico which adorn
; the front of the church, is a marbl
l. monument inscribed with names G
n those who perished, and beneath
are placed the ashes of some who's
- remains it was impossible to recoe
r nize.-St. Louis. Republican.