The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-12-22
A TERRIBLE CALAMITY.

tended 10y an appalling loss of life, and
il is thought that not less than two
hundred persons were killed in the rush
% the exists, or burned 10 death, being
unable 10 escape. The fire broke out
during the performance Of the last
scene OF the 1.-TWO Orphans" in which
Miss ClaXton, who plays the part Of
the heroine, was on the boat house
iloOr. In five minutes more the audi
ence would have been dismissed, and
there would have been nothing more
serious to record than the destruction of
property. The house was about two
thirds hlled, those below sitting well
forward toward the stage. For those
in the family circle, dress circle
and galleries there was no way 10
escape except by Washington Street.
THE PASIC~sTRICKEN PEOPLE
rushed pell nell towards and down the
stairways, and the main exit became
Immediately chOked up and a scene of
terror, confusion and distress ensued,
which beggars description. Just above
the landing-place of the stairway a
woman in the crush had her foot push
ed between the banisters and fel. The
crowd behind, forced forward by the
terrified people still further behind, fell
over her, and piled on top Of each 9TH
er four and five deep.
The police from the station-house
next door were promptly AT the scene,
but, owing to the manner in which the
people were piled upon the top Of each
other and massed together, they could
extricate comparatively few, and these
were all bruised, bleeding and manned.
The firemen got to work on the ruins
shortly after daylight this morning
They succeeded la getting as far As the
fall of the dress-circle, where they found
great number Of bodies. Immediately
began the work OF removal, and up to
IL o'clock % bodies had been removed,
and what appeared TO be 20 or 30 more
were seen Ia the basement, into which
they had been precipitated by the fall /
ing OF the burning floors.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
Kate ClaXton, at the preliminary in I
quiry of the Fire Marshal, said "At /
the beginning Of the last act, just as the I
curtain went up, | heard a rumbling 1
noise ON the stage, and two minutes /
after | saw the flames. The fire seemed \
TO be all on the stage. Mrs. Farren,
myself, Mr.. Studley and Mr.. Murdoch F.
were ON the stage at this time. We \
four remained there and endeavored, /
as best we could, TO quiet the audience,
and prevent a panic. / said 10 the peo-
pie, BE quiet; we are between you and
the fire the front door is open and the /
passages are clear Not one of the
audience jumped on the stage. The
81 "A
! ran out and Jumped over several peo-
pie"
Mr.. II. S. Murdoch, after endeavor-
ing 20 calm the fears of the panic
stricken people, went 10 his dressing
room TO get his clothing and must have
been sufioCated.
ESCAPE OF TIE STAGE PEOPLE.
Actors and actresses escaped from
the stage into johnson Street. j. ".
Ihorp, stage-manager, states that the
IRE occurred in this wise A drop WAS
ignited from border light by some
means inexplicable. as one was guarded
from the other lie Immediately di-
rec,ed the stage carpenter, Weaver, and
two supernumeraries, TO endeavor To
eNtingIish the flame, but the difficulty
.-' W ANttAu AA' ldiN vi AAAfs nv
stage carpenter with the supernumera-
mes essayed to effect the object 10y low
erng the drop, and in so doing added
frel % the flames. The scene, the last
in the play, embraced ceiled apart
ment, and tie instant the burning drop
came in contact with il the inilamma-
bic ceiling served to spread the exist
ing flames in "A flash, as though powder
mad previously been scattered about the
scenery. The entire properties were in
blaze. The usual avenues of escape
were thus summarily closed at the rear !
and an exit, if at all possible, had 10 be !
made by way Of the box entrance. All, )
except perhaps one or two, thus es- !
capped
sCENEs OF HORROR.
Wagon-loads of rough boxes were
brought in front Of the theater, and
corpses are placed in them and cover
ed with tarpaulins and carried TO the
Morgue. .
The scene grew more terrible every Q
minute. Men and women were crowded
around the station-house and theater /
entrance, making inquiries for missing :
friends. In some instances whole fam
lies have persisted. r
The bodies present every form Of con- s.
lortion, just as they stifiened in their o
last agony, when the floor gave way, s
and they plunged down in binding h
smoke and flames. Arms and LEGS are q
bent and twisted in every way. Hands o
are clenched and reached out, as if IN
yraspihg for help. h
The Post says that about IL O'Clock a q
horrible discovery was made. Ia the q