The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-12-07
BY TELEGRAPH.
A FEARFUL DISASTER.
Burning Of The
Brooklyn The
atre.
A Terrible Holocaust
Of Human Beings.
285 Bodies Taken
from the Ruins.
And Probably Many
More Still Un-
found.
Charred and UnrecOgniZa-
BILE Human Remains
Piled i'm Heaps.
Heart-rending Scenes
i'm the Street.
SHOCKING DETAILS OF THE
H0RRIR[E GATANTR0pHE
Heart-rending Scenes
in the Street.
SHOCKING DETAILS OF THE
HORRIBLE CATASTROPHE.
The Brooklyn Argus Account.

NEW YORK, Dec. 6.-The Argus account of
the fire is as follows: At 11.15 o'clock last
night an alarm of fire was sounded to the audi
er &c in the Brooklyn Theatre The play was
nearly over. The curtain had been rung up
for the last act of the 1.-TWO Orphans" The
scene was the home of Frochard by the river.
The ceiling represented in this scene was low
and slantng Jacques had just sent his crippled
brother Pierre for his cutlass. Frochard, Lou
Use, Jacque and Pierre were on the stage. As
Pierre started to leave forked flame was seen
creeping along the left hand corner of the seem
cry, and few seconds after the audience OBJ.
served confusion among the actors and actresses
on the stage. The fire on the upper portion of
the left hand fly spread rapidly, and the alarm
became general A cry of fire thrilled the au-
dience, and every man, woman and child in
the house rose to their feet.
J. B. Studley, who played jacques, made an
effort to calm the excited audience. Stepping
to the foot lights, he said 'There is no trouble
here. There is no fire, ladies and gentlemen;
keep your seats" Many of the auditors re-
sumed their seats, but only for few seconds.
The flames spread rapidly.
Miss Claxton, who was playing Louise, the
blind girl, showed great self-possession, as also
did Mrs. Farren. They resolutely remained
completely licked up by the flames. Then, and
not till then, did the members of the company
retreat. They left not moment too soon.
They rushed out into johnson street in stage
costume, saving only the dresses they wore.
The excitement of the audience was mani
Tested in a stampede such as has never before
been witnessed in Brooklyn. The panic became
general before the actors left the stage, and a
wild rush was made for the doors. Women
shrieked, struggled and tainted. Men plunged
in mad terror over seats and fought their way
to the door like wild beasts. The aisles were
blocked and the fire danced and Kissed through
the combustible machinery and darted over the
heads of the orchestra. The Generalization
became complete. The ushefs made every eff
fort to induce the terrified mob to retire in
good order. In this attempt they were second
ed by the police, but all to little purpose.
In two minutes the stage was one mass of
flames. The heat was intense. Many who oc-
cupied seats nearest the stage felt the scorching
heat and sank helpless to the floor. A moment
suficed to SINCE their hair, scorch the clothing
and burn the flesh. A few minutes later and
they were dragged out of the theatre in an IN
sensible condition by the police
Some of the actors sprang into the auditori
UNI and took their chances in the struggle for
an exit by the Washington street or Floods
alley entrance. Mrs. Farren was among the
number. She alludes to the panic as some
thing horrible to witness and impossible to de-
scribe.
An Usher's Story
Mr.. Thomas Rochefort, head usher of the
theatre, gives the following statement of the
disaster as he witnessed it:
l was standing in the lobby near the center
orchestra door at 11.25, when heard an alarm
of fire" apparently proceeding from some one
in the audience. 1 then rushed inside the house
and saw that the flies over the stage on the left
hand side were on fire. The last act of the
1.-TWO Orphans" was about half finished. Mrs.
Farren, Miss Kate Claxton, Mr.. Studley and
Mr.. Murdoch were on the stage at the time. 1t
was just before the combat scene. Mr.. Studley
and MI Murdoch sung out to the people to
keep their seats. L also stopped quite num-
Der going out who were making rush. Final
ly good many of them cooled down and took
their seats. saw the fire was gaining and
rushed to the Floods alley entrance and open
ed the door SO that the audience might escape
that way All who were in that part of the
house escaped in this way. l then came in to
the front again and saw the occupants of the
dress circle pouring down the staircase. They
came down by twenties, fell down as it were.
They trampled on each other. There was not
rush and looked into the house again. By this
time all the orchestra performers had escaped.
and the parquette and parquette circle were
clear. The stage was now all in flames, and
the fire was rapidly extending over the orches-
ira into the body of the house. The proscenium
box es on both sides were entirely gone. A po-
lice officer and myself then closed the central
d oor leading from the lobby into the parquette,
in order to keep the flames in as long as posi-
bic. l think that not more than five minutes
had elapsed since the first alarm. In about
)ne minute from the time we closed the doors a
'adden gust of flame, sweeping across the
whole parquette, smashed the glass and drove
u.s. away, and instantly the whole lobby was
filled with flame and smoke. At this moment
\ force of about twenty police officers rushed
forward and removed dozen or twenty ladies
who had been thrown down by the rush from
he dress circle. think all were taken out.
N few minutes more the flames would have
consumed them 1 left with the policemen,
when there was no longer hope of saving the
building.
Miss Ida Vernon, who takes the part of Sis
er Genevieve, had left the theatre and was at
he bedside of her brother, Capt. j. B. Nc
iowan, who is fatally i'll in house on JOAN
on street, almost adjoining the theatre. She
vas obliged to leave and have MCGOWAN taken
way, to save themselves. She lost everything
he possessed, saving only her night-dress;
have lost all my diamonds, worth from $4,000 |
0 $4,000. A simple night. dress is all have |
eft. MY heavy tragedy wardrobe is all gone |
Queen and Woman and all-worth at least |
$500. All my manuscripts are lost, some of |
1hlch have never been played. They were |
{ great valne."
A P0liceman's Statement.
William L. Bailey, police officer, on duty in |
be family circle, says: sit was the last act |
nd the curtain was up. l heard a CIV of fire.
hen came the cry sit still, there is no fire. |
III that could be seen at this time were few
parks falling down from the top scenery.
'eople were very much alarmed. 1 tried to
uiet the people, There came great burst of
re and the panic was intense. One piled on
op Of the other. The landing was completely
locked The cries and shouts were perfectly
srrible. Men and women fell powerless. The
rush was appalling. Men trampled on
-omen, and big men rushed wildly over
mailer ones. 1t took fully ten minutes to
mpty the dress circle, but it seemed like an |