The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-12-07

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The story Of tho Dead.
While the flames from the interior OF the
theatre were Ieaping through the roof, racing
along the caves, and licking the sdes OF the lit-
tie tower that surrounded the front OF the build
ing, two gentlemen who were passing the rear
OF the tnea'ro on Floods alley heard
the cries OF people calling to be
let out The passers-by burst open
door near when the cries were heard. but no
one was seen or heard inside. A moment later,
a man was seen to lift window overhead ana
attempt to crawl through II. The sash fell upon
hun, holding him there until the flames envel-
oped him, and he dropped back into the burn
ing BUILDING.
This was before midnight, and was reported
as the only accident to lie, although many per-
sons who were more or less injured had been
resouad from the front OF the theatre and tnken
to the stations. hospitals, or neighooring resi-
dences In amoulances.
AT about three o'clock In the morning the nre
had been nearly extnguished, and the major
part Of the throng OF sightseers had zone to
their homes ignorant OF the fatal consequences
OF the conf grafton.
The flames had subsidized sufficiently to permit
the nrcmen to make an investigation near the
main entrance Of the theatre. Chief Nevins
passed over the trembling floor of the hallway
toward the inner doorway. Inside the doors
the flooring had fallen In, leaving a
deep pit VI IRE and flame, from which
dense smoke and steam ascended.
Here a sickening spectacle met bis hor-
| rined gaze Close up TO the filming furnace,
| and clinsins to the splintered verge OF the de-
| molished flooring, was the body Of woman.
| burned to a crisp Her hands clasped the frame
WORK of the door In a d esperate c1asp she had
nrA fnr a
escaued had not the flooring given way beneath
her. All the clothing was burned OF. and the
| features were 40 blaokenei that she was un-
| recognizable, and the body WAS removed to the
| Morgue, wnere II avail Identification.
| At+ +oclock IN the morning tue flames were
| put out, and the heap OF d,Irts was black aud
| cold. From the vestibule platform the fremen
saw most horrible spectacle. The mound that
mad at first appeared to be simply heao OF ashes
| proved to be almost wholly composed of hum an
bodies. Heads. arms, legs, shoulders, shoes,
| and here and there entire human rem ins
| protruded through the surface Of the mound
| Policemen and rremen hesitated for n moment
before leaping down upon the sickening heap
| An inclined plane Of plain deal boards was hasti
| ~ constructed to reach from the tender vesti-
Upon as the LADDER The men vent
and fro. Upon the plane cofiins were we're
| after having carefully dug around them
and loosened them. and ten minutes was con
| sumed 10 exuming each body. But as IL became
| apparent that there were scores and scores Of
| human remains, and that a day, ana perhaps a
|
taken out, less tender means were used
| In the oper alton, and the work assumed more
| earnest and energetic character. Instead OF nvs
| men, ten men set at work among the ruins
| while on the vestiouie platform dozen sturdy
| nremen IN ,nned the short ropes by which the
oofnns, laden with human remains. were drawn
| up ana dragged To the sidewalk. All the bodies
were oent into horrld snapes, assumed In "a
an arm uoraised and bent TO shielC
| the face. Something was missing from ever
| one This one lacked a head or foot this
nose. an ear, OF hand, another Its fingers OF th'
| crown OF the skull. Very many broken limb
and protrudng bones were found, and ther,
were 1ashes in the upturned faces or fracture
In the smooth-burned skulls, 50 that each corps'
p,r rsyelat1os w % 81 %shsstiiness. @ @ A Jew luss, s
pulls disenRaRed each body. Two or three mer
seiI d It's stifened llmbs and pressed them intC
a como. pair OF shap-polnted tongs clutched
the conn, and the hretnep overhead dragged Il
even with the street, where elo,h was th5owI
wagons, which Kept coming aud going all dai
long.
watches were found under and on the bodies
| and were thro 1n TO one side upon a spreado u
neSspaper. Opposite the mann entrance at the
rear Of the theatre otner nremen and police ON
GERS delved in the ashes anu brought TORN
corpse after corpss to be boxed and eatriee
III bodies had been exhumed on tn,
| the alleyway in the rear. Moving among the fire
men. either as spectttors or Supervisors OF The
| ghnsty work. were Chief Engineer Nevins, Police
| Com,ulssiouer Ilurd, Fire Commissioner Me
| Laughlin. Assistan. Engineer Farley, aud ex
| Police Superintendent Folk.
| surr lunding the ruins, In Washington John
| son, ana Ad ma streets, were throngs of people
| who stood close together on the sidewalks and
| lett only room enough for one vehicle at "A time
| to traverse the roauwdys. The dead wagons
continually passing and repassing, kept tni,
| passage way clear, and were themselves the ob
| 4 cts OF the most interest. Daring the en-
| tire day there were continual quarreis UetweeI
| the pplice ofioers ana the over-curious people
| ockets-nsary all boys-were numerous
| and were brought into the FIRST Precinct station
| two NJ a time. In the station were coats, anC
| hats, canes. snaws. bundles. valises filled Will
| costumes, and numerous other articles takeI
| from the ruins Il the the tire.
| Al nine o'clock IN the evening go bodies haC
| been removed from tue runs, ana seventy NOR,
| were IN PLAN sight