The daily gazette., 1877-05-14
FIR ST EDITION!
"A II el'rible Panic.
AN ALARM OF FIRE AT THE
d OPERA HOUSE.
A LARGE AUDIENCE IN A MAD
STRUGGLE.

EXCITING scENEs--A BOY JUMPS FROM
THE GALLERY TO THE sTATE-FoRrC.
NATE EsCAPE OF MANY PERSONS FROM
SERIOUS INJURY.
notwithstanding the warning which
the GAZETTE made, some two weeks ago
against crowding the Opera House far
beyond its legitimate capacity, on the
occasion Of the Sunday afternoon tenn
perance meetings, the great crowds con-
tinued to come, and yesterday afternoon
fully 25O0 persons pushed, squeezed and
crowded their way in, occupying every
inch OF room, up stairs and down, which
gave them an opportunity of getting
within the walls.
With such a state of affairs the creation
of panic was not at all difficult, as sub
sequent events readily proved. The
meeting had been under way about an
hour, when persons seated around the
circle began to detect the odor of fire and
some imagined they could discern smoke
Issuing from the registers and from be-
| tween the tracks in the floor.
This odcasioned feeling of vague up-
easinessln the minds of many persons, and
several left their seats to peer into the
register, but were unable to satisfy them
selves that any fire existed. A few per-
oohS otdiJtu W ledFo tHt DulluluR, DuJ
no genuine alarm was occasioned until a
man seated in one of the chairs arose
and announced in a loud tone of voice
that there was fire in the building, and
that he could see the smoke.
AT this startling announcement num-
Der of Ladies and children seated in the
circle started up, and rushed for the
doors, uttenng cries of terror and alarm.
The panic quickly spread to the gallery,
the occupants of which Immediately
sPrang up, and nadly rushed down stairs
to the main vestibule. Here, in half
minute, great crowd of human beings,
pushed and surged for ward-nen, women
and children struggling on in one contus-
ed and complicated mass, eager only to
reach the forward doors and secure safe
ty in the open street. The screams of
some OF the women served only to in
crease the excitement, and the mad rush
for life confined until all who left there
seats had passed safely along the vesti-
bule and reached Market street.
In the Hall, during this time, the scene
was one of great terror and confusion.
About pne-half the audience kept their
seats, but they did so only by the great
est exercise of self-control, aided, possi-
bly,, by the knowledge that no danger
really existed. Quite number rushed
10 btlo WluuOWo anu pldhE OuO ihbO OHO
adjoining alleys on either side of the
Hall, both of which lead into Market
street.
Those on the stage used all ltheir endea-
vors I'd quell the panic, and possibly in
duced many to keep their, seats who
otherwise would have rushed into the
crowd, and thereby increased the extent
of the panic. DR.. H. o. Ogle and several
others rushed down below, and finding
the fire all extinguished. and returning
to the stage reported this fact, which was
Immediately made known to the audi
ence. Messrs. Wells and butcher ap
pealed to the people to remain quiet, ,and
their appeals were seconded by an old
lady in the audience, whose earnest re-
marks. and frequent shouts of "glory"
tended greatly to allay the terrible ex-
element. The choir also did much to"
wards restoring quiet by remaining
quietly on their seats and singing several
hymns. The panic continued about
three mini tes, after which the alarm
subsidized the people again crowded into
the Hall, and the meeting went on to the
end.
THE CAUSE OF THE EXCITEMENT.
Immediately after the alarm, was
sounded Mr.. jesse X. Baylis, the Opera
House Agent, ran down into the cellar,
and soon found the location of the fire.
just about under the centre balcony
posts, was pile of burlap, or straw cloth
used in wrapping up tea boxes and heavy
packages, which had been slowed there
py Mr.. Granville Worrell proprietor of
the Opera House dry goods store, This
pile had been ignited, and when Mr..
Baylis arrived was msouldering, and
emitting considerable quantities of
smoke. Two buckets of water extin-
auished the fire, and removed all danger
from this source.
Considering the extent of the excitement,
The freedom from accident was somewhat
rem rkable. No persons were seriously IN
jured, though all suffered severe mental
shocks. Two ladies, Mrs. Lloyd RI ,iding at
Seventh and King, and Mrs Smith, residing
on west Ninth street tainted but were soon
restored 70 consciousness. Tue former was
in The yestibule at the time, but fortunately
hap condition was at once discovered, and
shs was taken across the street to Robin
sons. where she was soon restored TO con-
sci0ususss, Mrs. Smith was 8 1ted In bog
ID. but several other ladies, who were also
thsre, rendered her the necessary attention.
A NARROW ESCAPE
The most narrow escape known Is that of
boy named McCaulley, son OF Robert Nc
Cauiey, the plss'erer, who jumped from the
lower side Of the gallery to the stage, but
strange to say sustained ne injury. He then
rushed across the stage and sprang out OF a
window isto the alley from whence he
made his way into thestreet.
lanes Neyins, a boy residing in Phila-
delphia, but now on visit to Mrs. Ed
wards, of No. .S52 Pine street, was In the
gallery, and was at the head OF the crowd
which rushed at the centre doors and forced
them open. The sudden opening OF the
doors caused the boy to fall, and he sewers
" sprained bis right foot and ankle but
received no further injury.
ARRESTED ON SUSPICION
Last evening a man named VIM. Baird
who. it is said, was seen coming up from the
cellar lust previous TO the alarm was al
rested on suspicion OF being the nee ,diary,
He was very much intoxtca!' d lring
the afternoon and at the time OF b arrest;
He was confined at the City ii all G, As, ana
viii have a hearing tonight. lie Is NOT
however, believed to be the guilty pi Tty.