The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1876-12-09
Appalling Catastrophe,
THREE HUNDRED N FIFTY L1vls LOST IN A
BURNING BROOKLYN THEATRE.

nearly over and tho curtain had been
rung up for the last act of the 1.-TWO Or.
phans." A fame was seen creeping along
the scenery, which spread rapidly and the
alarm became general. A fearful stam-
pede commenced. The panic became
general before the actors left the stage,
and a wild rush was made for The doors.
Men plunged in mad terror over the seats
and fought their way like wild beasts.
The decentralization became complete.
The ushers and police made every effort
to induce the terrified mob to retire in
good order, In two minutes the stage
was one mass of flames. Many who oc.
cupied seats nearest the stage felt tho
shocking heat and sank helpless to the
floor, and in a few minutes later they
were dragged out Of the theatre in an
insensible condition, with their clothing
burned aud flesh scorched. Some of the
actors spraDg into the auditorium and
took their chances in the struggle for
exit. Mrs. Farren was among this num-.
Der. She alludes to the panic as some.
thing horrible to witness and impossible
10 describe. The scene about the theatre
on the street was beartrcndiug. Many
who escaped uninjnred rushed wildly
about inquiring for missing friends. The
means and cries of those suffering inside
the building could be distinctly heard.
Between two and three O'Clock in the
morning the flames had subsidized sufi.
GENTLY to permit the fremen to
work in the ruins.
The street scenes tho next day we're
such as have never been witnessed in the
city. Business of all kinds was at q
stand.still. From an early hour in the
morning throngs surged from all direc,
tons to the scene. An anxious crowd of
thousands took possession Of the aide.
walks. The passage Of vehicles through
the Inflated district wns entirely suspen.
ded, except for undcrtakers' wagons
which came and went with fearful reeu-
larity, in their gaastly work of recovering
the charred remains and transferring them
to the morguc. Among the crowd were
hundreds of men and women looking Tor
missing friends. 1t was necessary of
course to deny them admission to the
ruined building, and the police directed
them to the mOrguc. The work of recoy,
ering bodies as it proceeded told a terri-
BILE tale of the sufforings endured by the
victims. AS timber was removed BY the
iremen in their search, body after body
was brought to view, burned beyond
recognition, with here an arm missing,
there a leg, and again n head. The sight
Of the half charred trunks was sickening.
In many cases the clothing of the dead
was only partially consumed and in
numbers of instances led to Identification
Of the remains.
The bodies found were mainly those of
men, but occasionally a woman's charrcd
form was discovered. The bodies were
invariably found lying face down while
the arms seemed to have been stretched
over the head as if in mute appeal for
mercy. Probably not one in twenty of
the victims met death outright from as.
phyxia or fire. They we're literally
roasted to death, and that in almost the
time that it takes to tell of lit. The cxca.
vations had not been begun deep enough
and the bodies were found under the very
feet of the workmen in the space where
they hurried to and fro. The bravest
quai'cd and grew sick at tho contempla.
ton.
The record Of the treasurer of the the.
atrc shows there were present at the
performance that night $50 persons,
divided as follows; In the gallery 425.
in the dress circle 400, in the balcony
l25. Those 10 the dress circle, which
was on q level with the means of exit are
thought to have all escaped, the greatest
loss having been among tho occupants of
the gallery who in endeavoribg to descend
the staircase blocked the passage and
were either mfocated by the smoke or
met a more terrible death by fire. Such
was the state Of the remains exhumed
that the only way by which the bodies
have been identified is by means of some
trinket or article of wearing apparel, the
features and limbs being charred and dis
torted out of oil shape. A comparatively
small number we're identified.
What might have added to the i'm.
mensc loss of life was the panic stricken
movement of the %janitor at the stage door,
who locked the door and refused admit.
tancc or egress. A party, in spite of his
remonstrances broke open the door and
pushed him aside. In the excitement of
tho moment nobody took any count of the
number who made their escape by this
means, and who would otherwise have
been sacrificed.
Mayor Schroeder called a meeting of
the board Of aldermen Wednesday after.
noon to take action concerning the calam.
ity. In his communication to the board
he says:
arrangements should be made by pub.
lie authorities for burial of the unrccog.
nizcd dead in q becoming q kind
and sympathetic Christian people. To
this end o committee should be at once
appointed and our merchants should close
their stores on the day of the funeral and
participate In tho obsequios, If in add.
tion it should transpiro that many homes
have been deprived of their support by
OF father, brother, husband or son.
the attention Of our churches and chart.
table institutions and our wealthy citizens
should be promptly called to the fact in
order that neither reality nor apprehen.
sion Of immediate want may be superad-
ded to an aifliction in itself almost iusup.
portable"
AT a special meeting of the board of
aldermen afterwards, q committee Of nine
members was appointed to carry out the
suggestions contained in tho mayors
communication. A subcommittee were
afterward appointed to procure ifpossible
d plot of ground in Greenwood cemetery,
and to make arrangements for the funeral,
which is expected to take place on Sunday
from tho rink,