Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-12-08
The Burning of the Brooklyn The
alter.

From the New York Tribune.
One Of the most unfortunate and disastrous fires
that has ever occurred in the city of Brooklyn
broke out in the Brook Ign theater last evening,
destroying the eutire building, and RESULT ug in
serious injury to many people. The audience
room was crowded with people assembled to wit
ness the rendering of the 1.-TWO Orphans by
Shook & Palmers company. The last act had
been reached, when light fell from the upper
part of the stage scenery upon a canvas root be-
low, setting it on fire. The employees of the the
aer attempted to extinguish the flames, and at
first seemed to succeed. Miss Kate Claxton came
to the front of the stage and told the audience to
remain perfectly quiet and no harm would be
done. The people were quiet for a moment,
when the whole scenery burst into one sheet of
flame and the room was filled almost at once with
smoke. panic Immediately ensued and the reo-
pie rushed for the DOORS Men, women and chill
dren, in one solid mass, pressed and crowded for
the places of exit trampling upon the weaker ones
and retarding their own progress by their haste.
The scene about the theatre in the street was
heaft-rending one. Many who escaped uninjured
rushed about inqiring for their missing friends.
Persons insensible or disabled by injuries were
carried rapidly away to secure places. Many were
taken into the First Precinct Station, which was
filled with the Injured persons and their friends.
Some lay upon the floor nsensbe, while friends
were doing everything in their power to restore
them 10 consciousness Others were wildly fran
tic, and with blood streaming down their faces or
clothing were gesticuating and screaming, and
could not be quieted. Ambulances from the Long
Island College Hospital took away the wounded
as rapidly possible. From the street. as the
| he hu tba
and cries Of those suffering in wild alarm for
their lives could be distinctly heard. Some at
tempted to save themselves by seeking quicker
| egress than through the doors. One man dropped
from the upper windows to the small roof Of
the police station, and was rescued from tho bill
lard rooms Of A. X. Samnells by persons who
saw his wretched plight. The flesh dropped from
his hands in shreds. Those who were the last to
come out were chased rapidly by the flames and In
not few instances severely burned; but many
more were injured by the press of the crowd. If
one fell down there was possibility of raising
him and the others behind rushed over and tram
pied upon him.
One of the actors was in a saloon opposite the
theatre door, and the first breaking out of the
fire from the building. lie said that the flames
seemed to burst out rs il with a silent explosion,
and in a moment the whole top OF the building
seemed to be ablaze. Then was the first intima-
ton he had OF any fire, and at that time no
seemed to have come out of the theatre. When
be and those with him rushed over to the side door
they found it fastened, and they were unable to
gain an entrance. BY this time the people were
pouring from the doors, and their assistance was
required to assist the wounded. Another actor
who was on the stage at the time and saw the
igin of the fire said that the first spark caught
from one of the "board-lights." An effort was
made to eStnguish this by cutting the fixtures
from above. In the scene presented there was a
canvas covering extending over the stage, repie-
sentng the roof of house. The purning pieces
cut srom above, insteld of falling upon the floor