Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1876-12-21
The Brooklyn Calamity.
From the Harpers Weekly

an audience OF q little more than nine
hundred persons were assembled IN
the Brooklyn Theatre to witness the
performance of The Two Orphans.
Of this number about four hundred
occupied seats in the gallery. The
representation was within five min
utcs of its close, when persons on the
stage saw flames, creeping along the
edge of one of the "fies" to the left
hand side. The actors exhibited
rare GOODNESS and self possession.
Miss Kate ClaxtoD, who was acting
the part of Louise, the blind girl, lay
on her pallet of straw on her left
hand of the stage, the scene being
tho boat-house on the river, the
home of La Frochard. Near her
stood Mrs. Mary Ann Farren, La
Frochard, Mr.. J. B. Studley, who
was acting the part of Jacques Fro
chard, and Mrs. Fl. s. Murdoch,
Pierre, the cripple. Miss Claxton
had already heard it whispered be-
hind the scenes that the theatre was
on fire but even though she could
see the flames directly over her,
with rare presence of mind and
courage she went on with the per-
formance of her part, as did Der
companions, not one of them betray-
ing by look or word of agitation felt
by all.
The flames spread rapidly, how,
ever. There were no appliances at
hand for extinguishing fire. There
was hydrant, but no hose, and the
water buckets were empty. An at
tempt to beat out the flames with a
pole only scattered sparks upon in
iamable material. The appalling
situation could no longer be con-
cealed from the audience, some of
whom, indeed, had already discov-
cred the flames, and were hastily
leaving their seats. In this dread
full emergency the actors again dis
playing a self-possession worthy OF
the highest praise. With one accord
they advanced to the foot-lights, and
besought the audience to dispense
quietly. But for the awful panic
that followed, every person in the
building might have been saved.
The cry of Fire !" "Fire !" echoed
through the theatre, and at once the
audience rose as one man and rushed
madly for the doors. Those in the
orchestra and parquette managed to
reach the exits in safety, although
many were badly bruised in the fran
tic endeavor to escape. But the
stairway leading from the upper gal
lery proved to be eath-trap in.
stead of a means of safety. AT a
sharp turn in this stairway num-
Der of persons being inextricably
wedged together, and formed an i'm
passable barrier to the escape of
those who were pressing against
them from behind.
Meanwhile the flames spread
rapidly, the whole stage was one
mass of fire, and a dense cloud of
black smoke blew directly into the
gallery. 1t is believed that most of
those who persisted were snffocated
in this deadly cloud. In less than
twenty minutes after the first alarm
was given, the roof of the theatre
fell in with fearful crash, carrying
down the gallery and the dress CIR
Gle. By this time the whole Fire
| Department of the district was at
work, but all the men could do was
to prevent the flames from spread
ing TO adjacent buildings. Soon after
the falling Of the roof the northern
wall fell outward into johnson
Street few minutes later the east
ern wall fell, and the theatre was
heap of ruins. Hardly an hour had
elapsed from the breaking out of the
fire before the building was totally
demolished. and the flames were
under control. Streams of water
were kept pouring upon the ruins
during the remainder of the night,
and it was decided that at day
the search for the missing ones
should commence.
The extent of the calamity was
still unknown. Most of the thou
sands who witnessed the copfsgra-
ton went away from the scene in
the belief that none. or very few,
had persisted in the flames. The
search at day revealed an awful
tragedy. From out the still smoui-
dering ruins one body after another
was brought out by the fremen. AS
the search went on, the extent of the
calamity became apparent. Soon the
number of victims discovered reached
forty, then fifty. then seventy ; and
at the time of the present writing
two hundred and niDety-two bodies
have been taken out Of the rnins.
Further search may result in the dis
covery of other victims. AS fast as
they were taken ont, the bodies were
conveyed TO the Morgue, ana when
that would hold no more, the old
market or Adams Street vas taken
possession Of, and there the remains |
of other victims were deposited The |
greater number of bosiea were |
found in the cellar. Immediately be- |
yond the entrance OF the large hal |
or corridor in the rear OF the audito-
rum Most of the bodies were burned |
and bIackened beyond recognition
many could be identified by means
of articles found or the person, but
many more could not be identified
at sill. The scenes at the Norgue |
when parents, sisters, or friends of
some one known TO be among the |
lost passed through the bng lines of
the dead, seeking in vain for some |
mark by which the remains could be
recognized, were terrible and heart
breaking. Among the vic inns whose
bodies were identified were two
actors of fine character and promise,
Mr.. Murdoch and Mr. B)rroughs- In
several instances whole families per-
ished together in the flames,