Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1876-12-12
|BRooKIiYN THgApRB BTIRNRF.
IA, Arpanisg Ho1ocqust Of 1fges- Nearly
'22ree HaaRred Viettms 4N dzapars
ALL Theatrical Disaster.

II
The most appalling aud destructive disas
ter-of the kind which has ever occurred in
this country, was the burning Of The Brook
Ign On. Y Theatre, On Tuesday night last,
which resulted IN the loss of nearly three hun
.dred lives. The FIRE is said to have orieina-
ted from y gas burner. the jet extending
downwards to the drapery, and occurred to-
wards the conclusion of the performance Of
the evening No similar event that has ever
happened in this country. except tho burn
ing of the Richmond (Va) Theatre, app
proaches the Brooklyn disaster in tragic i'm
terest, The Richmond calamity occurred on
the. night of December.26. 1911. and it was
estimated thatlmor than one hundred per-
sons persisted, including the Governor of the
State, and many Of the principal citizens.
The Brook Ign extras give thrilling accounts
of the recent scenes and incidents. The fol-
lowing is the = a.li. & -. -
GRAPHIC STATEMENT OF AN EYE WITNESS
MIR. b! b. Dickinson, who resides in Ma
con street. who was seated in the centre of
the parquet, Eve rows from the stage, made
the following statement to representativeof
the Eagle
was present at the Brooklyn Theatre
last night, accompanied by my wife aud an
other lady. The lowest part of the theatre
was not more than half full, while tile balco>
ny and gallery seemed to be very we'll filed
The curtain had just heen rung up on the
scene 10 Froch0rtt's hut, in the last act OF
the "Two Orphans" Mr.. Murdoch, Mr..
Studley, Mrs. Furren and Miss Caxton were
on the stage. All at once there seemed to
be an unusual disturbance among the scene
shifters at the back of the stage.
The confusion increased rapidly, but still
the play was not interrupted. 1 am an old
theatre goer ard conviction came over me
that something was wrong. either that one of
the workmen had fallen from above while
manipulating the ropes, or that the theatre
was on fire. The same uneasy feeling SEEM
ed rapidly to pervade the audience still
they kept their seats I next saw n thin
wreath of smoke curling along the celling Of
the boxed in scene Immediately afterward
one corner of the canvass ceiling was raised,
aud through the opening thus made l saw
the flames, and saw men trying to rake the
Ere of the ceiling with long poles In what
seemed but second. the fire burst through
the heavily painted canvas This was the
signal for one of the widest scenes 7 ever
witnessed. AT the first sightsof the fire the
whole audience. with but few exceptions,
arose. and, with common impulse, made
rush for the doors. Some dozens however.
retained their self possession and calmly kent
their places. AS soon as this manic seized
the audience. the four sectors on the stage
previously mentioned turned to the audience.
and Mr.. StudIey and Mr.. Murdoch rapidly
advanced tn the foot>ights aud raising their
voices to their highest pitch called upon the
terror-stricken mass, to remain seated, or if
they left the theatre to leave it 10 an ORDERLY
manner; aud through tho whole of the aw>
full scene that followed, with the burning
fragments of scenery falling around them.
these four actors maintained in most perfect
coolness and self-posscsson, and did all that
could be done to allay the trcnzy of the Strug>
CLING, fighting crowd. PeeiTbg Convinced
that to Join the general stampede was only to
be crushed to death. l compelled my wife
and her friend to remain quietly where they
were, aud when the mass OF the audience
had left the parquet We deliberately passed
around the left side Of the theatre and made
our exit by the main doorway in Washington
street. A gentleman having dropped his
cloak stopped moment to pick it up. and
then locked back at the stage and saw the
four performers hasten off by the right wing,
and almost as they left it the place where
they had been standing was envelnped in
sheet of fire. moments longer delay
would have probably cost them their lives
Owing to my momentary delay my wife and
friend were separated from me and reached
the street in safety. At this moment, when
looked up and found l was alone in the
theatre, tremendous gust OF hot air filed
with smoke, cinders and fame, rushed from
the stage through tho auditorium and COM
PEELED mo to hasten my retreat When I
gained the long corridor in which the ticket
Office is located, it was filled with tho screams
ing fighting crowd OF mcn and women all
madly seeking safety for themselves. Men
and women were being tramplcd upon by
those behind and above them. The men
seemed to be fully as terror->tricken as the
women. The glare in the street and the
smoke in the corridor enhanced the terror of
those seeking an exit; and, us if there was
not terror enough Que individual. evidently
beside himself with fright, was shouting at
the top of his voice, run for your lives
Run! Ruu!' In spite of all my efforts. I
was forced into the crowd, lifted of my feet
and carried out into the street with the surg
ing mass. / found my wife and friend safe
in Kitchens drug store. The scene from
Kitchens was one not soon to be forgotten
The streets were filed with hatess, coat
less men, women in Mysteries, with boouets
gone and dresses torn to shrcds men cut and
burned in their escape through windows. one
of whom showed me his hands and arms bad
" cut through this mode of escape The an
ery putting of the engines, the arrival of adj
acknowledgements. hook and ladder companies.
the shouts of the fremen, the hurryine to 4
and fro of the police. men carrying those who
had tainted or been injured into the First
Precinct Station House. the glare of the
flames on the City Hall aud adjacent "und-
inSs, all added to the intensity OF the scene