The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-01-21
A Fearful Panic-The sunday-Ni@h'
Storm ut ST. AOuis-Excitement Ill
the Theatres-TerribieS scenes.

the TheatreS-gerriDie SCENES
The telegraph has already mentioned the
tremendous. storm of wind which swept
throughout st. Louis on Sunday night, and
the manic that was caused in the theatres.
From the St. Louis Republican Of Monday
We extract the following description Of the
scenes:
THE OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OCCURRED THERE.
This theatre, as our readers arc aware,
is omen every Sunday night, and invariably
draws large and exceedingly pTomiscuous
audience, sifted from the SdnS-cu!otte ana
the dcnpi-nonde, and every other class lnthc
community. Last night there was full
assembly when the storm burst down upon
the citv. The rush of the rain and the
sound Of the wind and thunder soon broke
the spell of the performance. Then, os the
wind increased and the furious gusts shook
the building, and there were heard the
straininc, cracking sounds caused by great
prcssurc, men began to look inqulrlngly at
each other, the play began to drag, and o
hush pcrvaded the assembly.
Finally there came savage blast the
theatre building seemed to shiver, and the
audience became startled and alarmed. AT
this moment a fearful crash sounded-a
crash as if of yielding wall and breaking
beams. 1t was part of the theatre. In
second arrested attention was metamor-
nhoscd into the widest panic, and then
came the frantic rush for escape, there
being all that desperate struggle ana un-
rc,s0nableness of effort which generally
characterize such events Each one thought
only for himself, and how to get o'lt OF the
falling building. The approaches to the
doors became chokcd by a confused, scream
inr mass of scared humanity, while those
who we're fortunate enough to be nearest
the doors tumblel down stairs head
long, or any other way they could,
and communicated the alarm outside.
But, as is always the case, the number be-
hind in the building that could not get
out was by far the largest, and the scene
was pitiful and appalling. 4 rush was
made for the windows; scores OF men
jumped over into the parquettc ana MADE
their way to the stage. The SIDE WINDOWS
openinc on the alley were burst open, ana
men prccipitatcd themselves down TO the
ground, height of fifteen or twenty 1eet,
with rcrfect rccklessneSs Of limb and lie.
The carpenter tried to provide ladder, Dut
Lc was pitched one side, the more eXpcdI-
tious method Of jumping being preferred,
md so the window for quite time con-
tinucd to vont forth its living stream OF
frightened men. But it was ut the main
exit doors and stairways that the worst
crush occurred. Here the jam was per-
lectly fearful, and numerous injuries are
fell, and trnmplcd upon by the IN
sane, panc-stricken mob, or crushed
against walls until their ribs cracked or
broke, as the case may be. Women tainted,
and reached the open ar, they knew not
how. The scene is described By cye-wlt-
ncsses rs really awful, but most 1ortu-
natclv, so far Gs heard from, was not at
tended by any loss Of life. The police state
that several men were heard to complain or
broken ribs and internal injuries, but none
were so injured as not to be able to make
their way home. 1t is singular so violent
a manic was unattended BY more serious
results, and the proprietors of the theatre
have reason 10 congratulate themselves on
sustaining only triiing damage. Several
women are reported to have been carried.
out unconscious and taken into saloons IN
the vicinity.
The cause Of the panic was the falling of
chimney in the rear. The building was
not at all endangered, and, as Is o1ten the
case, there was really no adequate cause
for the terrible terror that sprung up.
SCENE At THE OLYMPIC.
The gathering at the Olympic Theatre
WAS of o religious character, there being
preaching by the Rev. John W. Montieth.
As customary, and particularly as this was
really the last sermon by Mr.. Montieth,
there was crowded audience, highly re-
spectacle in character.
The thunder and storm broke rudcly in
upon the stream of devotional exercises,
and the congregation soon became aware
that something unusual was going on ont
side. One gust came and shook the build
inr az with the hand of Titan. There
was O. straining noise overhead as If the
roof WAS being crushed in, and then panic
leaned into the heads Of the hearers.
Spiritual concerns were forgotten. The lie
that now is claimed the prominence, and
saint and sinner struggled with the energy
OF desperation 70 escape. The scene ut the
Varieties was re-enacted, only not quite to
the same extent of Wild fear and confusion.
There was o rush to reach every available
mode of exit, aud the crushing was very
severe. The doors were broken olf their
hinges, and for q few moments 1t seemed as
| if the panic would be attended with serious
personal injury. Fortunately, however,
except some Commissions and bruises, little
damage was done. The scene was one that
| will not easily be forgotten by those who
participated in it, and one which is seldom
seen in connection with religious congre-
CATION.
The immense mass of the Southern Hotel
stood like rock, " transverscly dividing
the stream of the storm" so that III the
central part Of the city It's most furious
gusts were felt on Fifth and Fourth streets
! from Walnut to near Franklin avenue.
| The gusty character of the wind probably
| impaired its destructive power, and hence
we are happy to say we have no very serl-
Gus results to chronicle.
Had we time and space to spare We might
| fill column with the stories current Of mar
vclous incidents. One man AYERS that a
ball of fire as big as the hugest pumpkin
possible rushed hissingly from the ebon
clouds, and described IN apparent porabola
over the city, disappearing somewhere in
Illinois. A woman on Market street as
sured police sergeant that she saw q man
caught up into the air, and that she didn',
see him come down, and it is her belief he
entered the region of clouds. Devoid Of
proper curiosity, however, she failed to call
for his name, and he vanished skyward
without leaving it behind.
|
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