New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1873-01-09
RecOlicctlOns OF - Terrible Event

RecolIcctiOns OF - Terrible Event
a writer in the Lynchburg Tirginian fur
nishes the following reco!lections of the burn
Ing OF the Richmond Theatre. near sixty-on
years ago:
ana an old man. Old age dwells much OF
the past; and among the multitude of remem
brances of my bOyhood and youth, mono ar
more vivid than those connected with tn,
burning Of the Richmond Theatre, on tn,
night of the 2Cth of December, 1911. TIVE
generations have since come and gone, ant
perhaps what l write may be of interest t
I some now living.
1 was then a school boy in Rich nond, very
nearly II years old. My parents residing il
the country, were in town for the winter
They generally eschewed the theatre but
tpt evening, were persuaded by some young
| friends to accompany them. Others from oul
boarding house, to the number of nine or ten
likewise attended. The play was over anC
the afterpiece had just begun. The actors
paused, and seemed confused, and at the
same time fire fell on the stage. An actor
thea came forward and announced, Ladies
and gentlemen, the theatre is on fire." In
stantly 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 q 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. y good stairway, beginning few
feet from the outer door, led to the galleries.
The house was full and in the frantic terror
that prevailed most of those in the first gal
lery rushed toward the head of the stairs.
Here the pressure was fearful. Many were
thrown down and trampled to death. My
parents were forcibly separated. My 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
reclining posture, to the bottom on her feet,
and the outer door, just before her, afforded
ready egress.
Leaving with an acquaintance a message
for her husband, she set Off alone for the
clearinghouse, up Grace street, more than
half q mile distant. She lost shoes, bonnet,
and car, ODD --l.e- rvu.,ru,i tho parlo-, Oh O
had arrived, and with her hair streaming
over her shoulders, was recounting some of
the terrible scenes of the fire. She was the
first to roach the house.
The father of the writer escaped in DIFF
terent 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.
Whilst forced along, he felt current of
cool air, and looking to the left he saw an
open window, a few feet OF. He was a stout,
heavy man, and, by violent effort, reached
the window and seated himself on the sill.
He then wrapped his great coat around him,
and holding by the outer edge of the sill as
long as possible, dropped safely to the ground.
The writer's half sister, lG years old, was
in the house, with her maternal grandmother
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 window and leaped out
The fall shattered her right ankle bone so
badly that she could not move. After a time
4 gentleman from our boarding house recoc-
nized her, and with other help, carried her to
house one square Off. There she suffered
agony for many weeks, before removal was
possible; and a year>elapsed before she could
walk, and was lame for life.
An aunt and cousin of the writer had been
attended to the theatre by 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 fee for their
lives. In spite of entreaties, both sat still, ,
whilst the heat and smoke became each mo-
ment more insupportable. The gentleman
remained with them until his nose, eye
brows, and whskers were badly scorched.
The instinct of selfpreservation then drove
him to window near at hand, whence he
leaped fJr his life. One knee was badly
sprained. The ladies kept their seats, and
met their doom.
The writer's mother was sometimes reluc-
tantly persuaded to describe the horrors of
that night Just as she left the theatre, she
observed large, heavy old man lying on his
back, beneath 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,
is this: Lieut.. Gibbon, United States navy,
was betrothed to the most beautiful girl in
Richmond. (He was the son Of Major Glib
bon, collector Of the port, who in the war of
the Revolution led the "forlorn hope" Of
volunteers, being lieutenant in command OF
the stormfhg party in Wayne's attack on
stony Point.)
The lieutenant and his betrothed were in
the theatre but when the alarm was given
| he was not at her side. He fastened to her
rescue, and finding n lady whom, from her
general appearance, he supposed was the
| loved one, he struggled manfully for her
safety, and At length got her WltnOut the
building. Here, to his dismay, the bright
| light revealed the features of the unknown
| lady. He instantly rushed back into the
house. now a mass of fire; but the adverse
throng delayed his progress SO much that,
lust as he had found her whom he sought,
! the roof fell in, and both persisted.
! DR.. McCaw, a prominent physician, wa.
instrumental in saving females. He sat as.
tride a window sill and persuaded them to
yet on the seat then, holding hand firmly
in his, they were gently lowered as far as he
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 al
hand, leaped from the window; but. in doing
so, he injured one knee, which rendered hin
lame for life.
One who attends the Monumental Church
in Richmond, sees in front a kind of mauso
leum. within which is a monument inscribed
with the names of seventy-two victims of tn,
fire. The mausoleum occupied the site o
the old theatre. The Governor OF the Stat
was one Of the victims. Some OF the writer
schoolmates were in the house, but, by push
. ing under the elbows Of the crowd, all es
capped.
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