Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-11-08

RecOIIectOns of n Terrible Event,
\ correspondent of the Lyn3hburg yirginan
in Il late issue says:
81 am an old man. Old age dwels much on
the past and among the multitude of remem-
brances of my boyhoOd and youth none arc
more vivid than those connected with the burn
ing Of the Richmond theatre, on the night of
the 26th of December, 1911. Two generations
have since come and gone, and perhaps what |
write may be of interest to those now living:
II was then schoolboy in Richmond, very
| nearly twelve years old. My parents residing
| in the country, were in town for tt e winter
| They generally eschewcd the theatre, but that
| evening were persuaded by some young friends
| to accompany them. Others from our boarding
| house, to the number of nine or ten, likewise
| attended. The play was over, and the after
| piece had just begun. The actors paused and
| seemed confused; and at the same time fire fell
| on the stage. An actor then came forward and
| announced, Ladies and gentlemen, the theatre
| is on fire.. Instantly all was tumult and terror
| Parties separated, each rushing forward, to find
! means of escape. Of those who went from our
| boarding house, no two got out together The
| pit of the theatre was on a level with the
street; and escape thence, through the only
outer door, was easy. Many from the lower
gallery clambered down into the pit, and saved
themselves in that way. A good stairway be-
ginning a few feet from the outer door led TO
the galleries. The house was full; and in the
lidllC ltliOl llldl prevailed, most OF those
the first gallery rushed towards the head of the
stairs. Here the pressure was fearful Many
were thrown down and trampled to death, NV
parents were fOrcibly separated. NV mother
without the slightest effort on her part, was
thrust upwards on the heads and shoulders of
those beginning to descend the stairs; and, so
dense was the mass, she was carried, in a re-
clinlng posture, to the bottom on her feet and
then the outer door, just before her, afforded
ready egress. Leaving with an acquaintance
message for her husband, she set off alone for
the boarding house, up Grace street. more than
half mile distant. She lost shoes, bonnet and
cap; and when reached the parlor she had ar
rived and, with her hair streaming over her
shoulders, was recounting some of the terrible
scenes of the fire. She was the first to reach the
house.
"The father of the writer escaped in a differ
| ent way Just after his wife had been carried
| down the stairs the staircase gave way and then
masses of frantic beings went rolling over each
other TO the floor. Seeing escape by the stairs
cut Off, the writer's father sought other means
Of deliverance. While forced along he felt
current OF cool air, and looking to the left he
saw au open window few feet off He was
stout heavy man, and by a violent effort reached
the window and seated himself on the sill He
then wrapped his great coat around him; and,
holding by the outer edges of the sill as long as
possible, dropped safely to the ground
The writer's hall-sster, sixteen years old.
was in the house with her maternal grand
mother, with whom she lived. The old lady
was heavy and helpless; and, making little or
| no effort TO escape, was burned. Her grand
| daughter sprang to a window and leaped ont
The fall shattered her right ankle bone SO badly
that she could not move. After time a rem
tlcman from our boarding house recognized her.
and, with other help, carried her to a house one
square off. There she suffered agony for many
weeks before removal was possible; and year
elapsed before she could walk, and was lame for
life.
can aunt and cousin of the writer had been
attended 10 the theatre by a young LAWYER
When the alarm was given, fear appeared to
deprive both OF the power to move. In vain the
young man besought them to flee for their lives
In spite of entreatles, both sat still, whilst the
heat and smoke became each moment more in
supportabe. The gentleman remained with
them until his nose, eyebrows and whiskers
were badly scOrched. The instinct of self pres
ervation then drove him to a window near at
hand, whence he leaped for his life One knee
was badly sprained The ladies kept their seats
and met their doom.
"Ihe writer's mother was sometimes reluct-
antly persuaded TO describe the horrors of that
night Just as she left the theatre, she observed
large, heavy old man, lying on his back, be-
meath a window, perfectly dead. She used TO
say the look of agony in that CHASTITY face
haunted her for years
"A touching incident, well authenticated was
this Lieutenant Gibbon, United States navy.
was betrothed TO the most beautiful girl in Rich
mond. (tle was the son OF Major Gibbon, col.
lector of the port who, in the war of the revolu-
ton, led the 'lOrlorn hope of volunteers, being
lieutenant in command of the storming party,
in Wayne's attack on Stony POint.) The lieu.
tenant and his betrothed were i'm the theatre:
but when the alarm was given he was not at
her side. lie fastened to her rescue and find
ing lady, whom, from her general appear
ance, he supposed was the loved one, he srug-
gled maniully for her safety, and at length rot
her without the building. Here, 10 his dismav
the bright light revealed the features of an I'M
known lady. He instantly rushed back into the
house, now a mass of FIRE; but the adverse
throng delayed his progress so much, that, Just
as he had found her whom he sought the roof
fell in, and both persisted.
Doctor McCaw, prominent physician, was
instrumental in saving many females. He sat
astride window sill and persuaded them to get
on the seat, then, holding a hand firmly in
his, they were gently lowered as far as be could
reach and dropped safely to the ground All
SO AIDED escaped unhurt. When all whom he
could influence had been thus saved the doctor.
finding the fire close at hand, leaped from the
WINDOW, Dut IN doing so he injured one knee,
which rendered HIM lame for life.
One VINO attends the Monumental church.
in Richmond, sees IN front a kind OF mausoleum,
within which is monument inscribed with the
names Of seYenty.two victims of the FIRE Tho
mausoleum occupies the site OF the old theatre
The governor OF the state was one of the vic.
Tins. Some Of the writer's schoolmates were in
the house; but, by pushing under the elbows of
the crowd, all escaped"