The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-12-14

waited at the door TIL the spectators
we're all out and then closed the doors to
keep the draught out the people were
then coming down from the gallery, but
all at once, they stopped coming down,
and he ran to see what was the matter;
he referred to the first gallery; there
were two separate stairways leading up
there; as got to the first fight Of stairs
there was lady who in coming down got
her leg caught in the baluster; a large
man fell over her, and others falling over
him made the heap which those in the
rear could not pass; there were fully fifty
or sixty persons packed in the heap at
the foot Of the second flight Of stairs;
the stairs were open all the way down
from that point, and above that point the
steps were vacant four or five steps from
the top, at this time the smoke was very
dense, it was not three minutes after the
fire broke out before the curtain was
lowered and took fire, and this had the
effect of sending the flames up to the
gallery; looked at it for about three
seconds and then closed the door Of the
parquet; the persons who were piled up
in the heap cried to me to help them, and
did get some in the rear to fall back
until got the man and woman out;
seeing those two get out, they all rushed
forward again and blocked up the pas
sage; tried to extricate the woman
whose leg was caught in the railing, but
she was held FAST an usher came up to
assist me. and we made small place
among them; we tore the dresses OF some
of them but we got them all out then
went up in the dress circle; found a
woman there, and took her out; there
must have been other persons there for |
heard cries, but could not see them on
account of the smoke; know there must
have been several other persons in the
dress circle who were overtaken by the
fire; was then getting weak from smoke
and | dropped to the floor to getfresh air;
the smoke was black and had very
suffocating smell; | am an old fireman
and never experienced smoke so sufo.
eating; was not in the smoke more than
a minute and yet | could not breathe; the
second gallery and even the stairs were
at that time filled with sufocating smoke
no human being could live in that smoke
two minutes; | heard a humping noise
as if some persons were jumping out OF
the windows; at that time it was utterly
to get to the top ofthe gallery,
and | was nearly suffocated when got
out; know that the people were all
taken from the dress circle stairs, but |
heard the cries inside; called out,
'Wherea are you2" but got no answer;
even when | got down on the floor |
heard that humping noise, as though
hey we're jumping out of the upper gal.
ery fthey had jumped from the gallery
o the dress circle the smoke was so
lense could not have seen them there
vas no breaking of stairs while | was
here. am pretty sure that all in the
lress circle did not get out alive.
The evidence of this officer is the
dearest description Of this terrible strug-
gle by the audience to escape from the
burning building which has yet been
given. There was even larger crowd |
around the morgue this morning than
yesterday. A surging mass ofpeople oc-
,upied the sidewalk in front of the dead |
louse and streached into the middle of
he street, and men and boys clambered |
lpon fences and wagons in the neigh
,orhood. Yesterday the people who
ongregated in the neishborhood of this |
building were quiet and orderly. To day |
here was spirit of levity perceptible.
A report Of a most distressing case has
'een made by Captain Crafts, of the
econd precinct. Mrs. Smith, widow
ady, and her daughter. Mrs. Simpson,
eft their residence, I4I Sands street, on
tuesday evening, to attend the theater.
The only other occupants of the house
we're servant girl and an orphan child,
,hom Mrs Simpson had adopted. Meth
r of the ladies had returned to their home |
nd, having no friends in the city, no
ffert has been made to identify their re
mains. The husband of Mrs Simpson
,as expected home from a long voyage |
t the close of the week,
The undertakers were constantly driv.
ng up to the morgue all the morning
nth wagons and. permits for the removal |
f identified remains, and the police had |
reat difficulty in making passage way
or them through the solidly packed
rowd which filled up the streets in front
f the building. Hundreds of people
ave been in the station house to day
1quiring after absent friends, and the
itiful scenes of yesterday were re en-
cted with tenfold force. Two hundred
nd ninety seven bodies have been de-
osited in the morgue and in the tempo
ary one on Adams street. Awagon con.
lining ten bodies was on the way as the
eporter left, making 3o9 in all. The
lortality will probably reach $50 persons
he Aldermanic Committee on Burials
,port that at II clock to day 1888 bodies
ere at the Adams street market morgue,
nd ninety six at the city morgue.
At the investigation by the fire marsh
this afternoon. George Heeney,
roperty man, Charles Straub, one of the
ersons who made their escape from the
allery, we're all examined and gave
leir versions Of the calamity. Thomas
Jackson, architect of the theater, ties
fed to the structure of the building and
5 dimensions, He said the Brooklyn
Ieater was as we'll provided with means
exit as any theater that the witness
new of. When the theater was erected
articular attention was paid to the gas
ets and border lights.
A meeting ofactors and others was
I'D this afternoon at the Park Theater
take action in regard to the calamity.
committee was appointed to arrange
ays to be performed in the different
eaters for the benefit of the sufferers.
committee of citizens was also appoin-
d to relieve the immediate wants Of
ose who suffered by the accident. Over
500 was subscribed at the meeting
ward the relief fund. A number Of
eaters were rendered for the perfor-
ances. Resolutions of regret at the loss