New-York tribune., 1876-12-06
A THEATER IN FLAMES.
AN APPALLING SCENE OF PANIC AND sUF-
FERING.
THE BROOKLYN THEATER TAKES FIRE WHILE
In uI,o


LAST ACT OF THE 1.-TWO ORPHANS n-FRANTIC
TERROR OF THE AUDIENCE-A MAD RUSH FOR
THE DooRs-MANY PERSONS IHJURED-THE
THEATER TOTALLY NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN
BOTH EEw-YORK AND BROOKLYN - EAGER
CROWDS FASTENING TO THE SCENE.
One of the most unfortunate and disastrous fires
that has ever occurred in the city of Brooklyn
broke out in the Brooklyn Theater last evening,
destroying the entire building, and resulting in
serious injury to many people. The audience
room was crowded with people assembled
to witness the rendering of the 1.-TWO Or
phans' by Shook & Palmers company. The last act
had been reached, when q light fell from the upper
part OF the stage scenery upon canvas roof below,
setting IL on fire. The employees of the theater at
tempted to extnguish the flames and at first seemed
to succeed. Miss Kate Claxton came to the front
OF the stage and told the audience to remain perfectly
quiet and no harm would be done. The people
were quiet for q moment, when the whole
scenery burst into sheet Of fame and the room
was filled almost at once with smoke. A panic im-
mediately ensued and the people rushed for the
doors. Men, women, and children, in one solid
mass, pressed and crowded for tho places of exit
trampling upon the weaker and retardng their
own progress by their haste. The scene about the
thcater in the street was heart-rending Many
ing for their missing friends Persons inscnsiblc
or disabled by injuries were carried rapidly away
to secure places. Many were taken into the First
Precinct Station, which was filled with the injured
persons and their friends. Some lay upon the floor
insensible, while friends were doing everything in
their power to restore them to consciousness Others
were wildly frantic, and with blood streaming down
their faces clothing gestculatng and scream
ing and could not be quieted. Ambulances from the
Long Island College Hospital took away the wounded
as rapidly as possible From the street. the crowd
was surging from the building, the moans and cries
of those suffering or i'm wild alarm for their lives
could be distinctly heard. Some attempted tc save
themselves by seeking quicker egress than through
the doors. One man dropped from the upper win
dows to the small roof of the police station, and was
rescued from the billiard rooms Of A. X. Samuclls
by persons who saw his wretched plight The
flesh dropped from his hands in shreds.
Those who the last to como out
were chased rapidly by the flames and in not few
instances severely burned; but many more were ill.,
jured by the press of the crowd II one fell down
there was no possibility of raising him and the 9th
ers behind rushed over and trampled upon him.
One of the actors was i'll saloon opposite the
theater door, and saw the first breaking out Of the
fire from the building. He said that the flames
seemed TO burst out as If with silent explosion.
and in moment the whole top of the building
seemed TO be ablaze This was the first intimation
he had of any fire, and at that time no
one seemed to have como out OF the theater.
When he and those with him rushed over to the
side door they found il fastened and they were una
able 10 gain an entrance. By this time tho people
were pouring from the doors, and their assistance
was required to assist the wounded. Another actor
who was on the stage at the time and saw tho
origin of the fire said that the first spark
caught from one OF the board-lights" An
effort was made to oxtirTish this by cutting the
fixtures from above. In the scene presented there
was a canvas covering extending over the stage rep
resenting the roof Of a house. The burning pieces
cut from above. instead of falling upon the hoor
of the stage where they could be eXtin-
guished, fell upon this canvas roof and
almost Immediately the whole ignited and the
flames and smoke bid the audience and drove every
one from the stage. The last persons TO leave were
scene-shiftors Cumberscn. Reilly, and Pulss.
Puiss said that he cut The gas fxtnres
above. but the quick igniting of the can
vass below baficd all efforts TO stop the IRE.
These three men were the last to go out from
the tbeater. Puliiss was very sure that when he
came out there was then no other person IN the
audicnce-room, and stoutly contradicted those who
Cunberson was badly burned and bruised, and
some fears were entertained of his dying.
Reilly escaped unbuIt. The story Of the alarm
and subsequent incidents were repeated by persons
in the audience One sitting in the orchestra stated
that at the first blaze the greater portion OF the
audience arose 20 their feet. The appeal OF Miss
Claxton ouieted them, and most OF them resumed
their seats When tho fire sprung up
from the canvas. q man stood up on one OF
the seats and in loud voice asAe"
all to remain in their places until tho way could DO
cleared, and then to go out quietly They seemed 10
heed what was said until another shouted, Ns
time we were out of this" when the panic Dcgah'
The orchestra seats and dress circle were not
crowded, and those in them escaped WIN h''io
difficulty. The galleries were full, however,
and there were many children among the occu-
pants One of the persons in the gallery said that
no himself was carried along by the crowd ana
could do nothing TO hasten or checK his COURSE VI
render any assistance to those who fe'i' ohc ht'o
girl in some way became entangled IN inc crown
and slipped under their feet. NothnB co.'i" po
done TO prevent those behind stepping upon hor ia
passing. Fortunately she was rescued ahve.
I'm an incredibly short space of time. Washington
and Johp.op-sts were crowded with an excited null
ttude iich il required Ill the efforts OF the ponce
IN restrain within due bounds. The flames leaping
hcavenward and rising high above the roofs OF INC
tall buildings lighted up all the adjacent streets anu
the hurrying throngs which poured III irom all
directions. Safety ropes were stretcneu aoioS'
Wasbington-st in front of The argus once' anu
also at the corner of Washington ana JohnSoh-s's
These were guarded by strong force oi poncc' anu
such excellent order was maintained tha'' ucspi'o
the great crowd the narrow streets ana tne ih'eSo
excitement. no serious accidents III the streets were
reported. The danes seemed to act as beacon ior
curious seekers after the sensational from New
York, and shortly after the flames broke out tne
all be way lpad-