The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-12-20
TIE WQ8K Or REMOVING The DEAD
2s5 Bodies Recovered thus Far.
The Fire Marshal Ihiaks $40 Perish .
ed In the Flames

New YORK, December 5.-Tbe fire
10 the Brooklyn Theater last night
was attended by an appalling loss oi
life, and, it is thought, not less than
one hundred and City persons were
killed il the rush to the exits or
burned 10 death. being unable to
escape. The fire broke out during
the performance ofthe last scene OF
the Two Orphans in which Miss
Clsxton, wbc pIsys the part Of the
heroine, lies on the boat house floor.
10 FIVE minutes more the audience
would have been dismissed, and
there would have been nothing more
serious to record than the destruction
Of the property
The house was about twO-tbird;
filled, those below sitting well for
ward toward the stage. For those
10 The family circle. dress circle and
galleries there was no way of escape
except by Washington street. Panic
stricken people rushed peIi.mell 70
ward and down the stairway. The
main exit became immediately cboked
up. snd = scene Of terror, confusion
aud distress ensUed that beggars des-
orip,iou just above the landing
place o. the stairway. q woman ir
the crush had her foot pushed be
tween the banisters and fell The
crowd behind. forced forward bv ;be
terrified people still further behind
fell over Der, and piled on top Of eact
other four aud Eve deep.
The police from the station house
mex, door, were promptly az the
scere. but owing to the manner ID
which the people were piled Oh TOT
cf each o,her and msssed together
they could extrica:e comparatively
few. snd these were all bruised, bleed
ing and msimed. The sremen got to
work on the ruios shortly after day.
light this morning. They succeeded
10 getting a. far a. the fall Of the
dress circle. where tbsv found a great
number Of bodies. and Immediately
began the wcrk Of removal. and up u
eleven O'Clock sixtv-fTe bodies bad
been recovered, and what appeared
to he twenty or thirty more were
seen in the basement, into which
they bad been preeipi'areG bv The
falling Of the burning floors At the
police station adjoining the Burning
theater, The names Of eigbty-si1 per
sons missing from their homes have
heea registered
Kate Claxtou. st The preliminary
inquiry of the Fire Marshal. said
Al The beginning Of the last act
last ss the curtain went I'D, | heard
rumbiing noise GA ihe stage. and
two minutes after | saw the flames
of ere which seemed TO Dc al OF ths
stage. Mrs Ferren. myself. Nr
stadlsy sud Mr. Murdock. were OF
The stage at tie time We four re
maiaei there snd endeavored, as besl
we eould, 10 quiet the audience, and
prevent q panic. / said to the peo
pie: BE quiet. We are between you
aud the Ere. The front door Is oper
and the passages are clear" Not
one Of the audience Jumped on The
stage The flames were then coming
Gogn cp Is ] ran out snd Jumped
over several people Mr.. H. $ Nur-
dock, after endesToriBg 10 calm ths
fears Of the terrorstricken people
weni 10 bis dressing room to get hi.
elolhi3g ara ms, have been su6o
eatsd-r
The number q bodies ths- far re
covered from the ruins Is about sev.
enty-6ye, and it Is believed that a;
neny more are sill in The ruins