Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-03-26
.,exa. Gazette Il Virginia Advertiser.
THE BURNING OF THE RICHMOND
THEATRE IN 1911.


1911, from this city by Major A. S. Woodbridge
10 Hon. James Pleasants, at Washington, u,
g., is given to the public fer the first time, and
is rare contribution to our local history. 1t
Is from the collection of the late Thomas II.
Wyppe, aud we are indebted for it to X. Alonzo
Brock, ESQ.,, gentleman of wel-knowu anti
uuarlau tastes, to whom Mr.. Wyuue not ouly
b,uuea,hed his manuscripts but the task OF
fulshing the sacred work>of gathering up the
fragments that remaiu." Mr.. Brock is fully
competeut tc carry out the wishes OF bis de-
ceased friend, having already made valuable
aud reliable contributions to the "Vlrginlanna.
He is now engaged IN getting up material lot
a collection of local annals, and just such let
ters As this will prove OF incaculable value to
him Rich. Enquirer.
''2STH DECEMBER, 1911.
'Dcar Sir-Thursday evening the Richmond
theatre was consumed by fire, and from Que to
Two hundred persuus Consumed. Awfully
fatal was the event oi that disastrous night and
uot one family iu Richmond but mourus the loss
OF sume dear connection or esteemed frlenu
Among the dead are numbered the Chief
Magistrate of this Commonwealth, the
president of the bank, MIR. Bolts aud family,
Mrs. Gallego, Mrs. Patterson, aud many other
of your acquaintance The Governor had et-
footed his escape, but returned to rescue his
daughter, aud with her was consumed. 4es-
terday his body, out OF slXty-nlnc which We're
taken from the ruins, Was the ouly one ku0wui
and for that consolation his friends are alone
indebted to lis stock buckle, which, uDlujured,
bore testimony 10 the ldeutity of the persoo.
10 Mr. Bots uutlmely death and much
lameuted exit. is recorded course as amlably
md n IN \
c, ud uot release his wife aud little children he
chose to bow 70 the supremacy OF death sur
rounded by his family, aud was seen by some
of his friends standing on an emlneuce 10 the
house, when all prospect OF escape had passed
away, and with compu5urt and resolution
truly astonishing. consigned an infant he had
left at home to the care OF some friend. Alter
which, as the f,mes approached, he tore the
hair from his head and fed the fire; and event
ualIy met death in the embrace OF cOnnuola
and parental enthusiasm. Had he lived to the
age of Me thuselah- h-nay, even to the end of
tune, perhaps so glorious aD.opportunlty might
never again have offered, in which he could
bear equal testimony to the triumph OF q hu'-
baud aud father over the loss of life.
1T is said that MIR. Venable effected his es-
cape several times, and at last was buried
amidst the general destruction, martyr to the
finer feelings of humanity.
"a young mau by the name of Glbbon has
purchased renowu on earth and 40 asylum 10
heaven by having suatched from the flames
beloved mother, whom be bore to safety, and
returned to rescue her to whom his future life
was pledged He claSped her in his arms aud
endeavored to save her. but the hames enve-
oped them, and they died as they would have
liyed--tenderly dear to each other. Mrs. Fat
terson leaped from window fronting the
second row of boxes aud luxated her neck A
Mr.. Marshall, from one of the Western c0un
ties saved number of women by dropping
them through an upper window, and as he at
tempted to save himself by jumping from the
window a lady casped him round the neck.
He was killed and she escaped in safety. Mr.
Epwn Harvey Edwin j., son of Gen. John
Harvie, Colonel in the commssary department
of Virginia during the Revolution, NJ. Z. and
register of the State Land Registry office;
General Johu was the father of General Jac-
quliue b. Harvie.--R. A. B. !, whose heroic
exertions will long be reoollocted, 1t ls sup
posed will expire to day from the effects of the
flames Robert Stanard, esq.,, saved from
the faucs a Miss Craig, to whom he is to
be shortly united. The rescue was des
perately perllous Her sister, who Was With
her, perished Perhaps there never was 90
as Richmond experienced Thursday morn-
ipg was ushered into existence with re-
spleudent calmuess unexampled before at this
season of the year. Never did the sun dawn
on so many smliug aud cheerful faces 10 Rich
uond as on that day. Cheerful gaiety dispeas.
ed its pleasurabIe Influence over every part OF
the city; deep interest was teitin the play for
that evening 1t was new Gallo play, trans
lated by geutemau of Richmond. The after
piece Was the Bleeding Nun" lAgnes or the
Bleeding Nuu"--R A. B. and this the last
week of performance. The house was full
nay, passing full. The play passed of to the
entire satisfaction of the audience, and the
aferplece had progressed to the second act
Mr. Vest whose comic powers have long
amused the people of kichmond, was on the
stage general gee and harity had thrown the
house into wild esacy. 10 minute the scene
IS changed; Robertson bursts on the stage and
in horrible voice announces fire. The sad
sexual will not attemptt to describe; its misery
| eau feel, but never can portray. Suffice, there
fore, to say that wild despair and precipitate
alarm apparently trau>6xed hundreds to the
f,or. Some thus situated met furious death
unconscious OF bis approach; others we're born
ifeless and hurled Hteless from the windows
Two minutes had not elapsed ere the theatre
was filled with smoke and fumes, the candles
ex,iuguighed and one-fourth of the persons who
had gone to the play were on tre. Imagine
to yourself the situation of Sodom and u Gomorrah
When lbe yeogencs Of heaven visited them IN
torrent OF fire. Behold the Sicilllan Isles
blotted from existence by terrific ear hquakes
see the lava Of Htna and Mount pesuVlus
swallowing up whole cltles-and then, even
then, you will have but faint idea OF the
wild horror that rived 10 twain the hearts or
those who beheId this sseue. Each Individual
who beheld it felt as if every beug was snatch
ed from existence save himself, who was de-
nr'ved of the pleasure Of following his friends.
The flames, as if sent from the lower regloos,,
reversed the order of nature, and Instead OF
ascending, we're with violent velocity forced
frcm the roof into the pitt and boxes, and 'ap-
peared to creep on the earth in furious pursuit