The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-03-25
.TELEGRAPHIC
TIE MICK FIRE.
Terrible Loss OF Life - sub
serlpttOns Cor the suffering,

1 kGEFlOL0 LOSS OF Lilc an D.
ser'ptiOns Cor the suffering.
Nice, "A, 3a.m.-Up to this hour ufty-
nine bodies hzve been recovered from the
ruins of the Italian Opera House, de-
stroyed by fire last night. Il is feared
that many more lost their lives. The FIRE
commenced soon after the curtain had
risen for the performance # Lucia di
| LsmmermOor." Sub -cIibers for The
orchestra stalls and boxes OF the grand
tier had mostly not arrived. Tue ma
| jority Of the victi rs belong io'tAe work
ing classes. Shortly after the fire began
| the gas exploded. and the house was
plunged i1ro complete darkness. A scane
of terror 10 dismay ensued, which beg
gsrs dG-S1iption. A detachment of
sailors from squadron in the harbor
arrived on the scene, and displayed great
galiantry, rescuing people and combat
ing the ire, which was subdued toward
70 O'Clock. Strak oscb, the impressario,
wss slightly hurt Signora Biancs Dan
ada, o2e OF the Leading srtistes, made her
wsy from the stsge 10 the street safely.
Oue whole family Of five persons, and
another family of three persons, are
known to have persisted. Relief SUBJ
scriptioas for the sufferers have been
opened throughout Nice. The regatta
here has been countsrmanded, and she
value OF the prizes'to have been contested
for will be contributed toward the relief
of the distress.
New York, "a "A dispatch from Nice
says the hOlocast at the Opera House,
last evening, was caused by q gas
explosion at the back of the stage, which
set fire to the scenery. The flames spread
with alarming raphdity and soon en-
veloped the gas meter. The supply of
gas being cut of the body of the
house was soon plunged in darkness
and the crowd pressed madly toward
the limited means Of exit. The
audience was large and in q panic,
and hundreds were thrown down and
tro1den under foot, those who endeav-
ored to extricate the people being hope
lessly jammed between the doorway and
passages describe the scene as terrible.
The shrieks Of the wounded mingled
with the cries of those in the galleries,
where every means Of escape was cut off.
Nine. Donadio, the prima donna, was
saved, but the tenor, basso, baritone and
a number f the chorus singers were
burned. Up to midnight $50 bodies
were extTicated from the ruins. A man
who e3cap; d from the upper gallery, by |
jumping, declares that, with perhaps q |
dozen exceptions. every person in his |
part OF the house was burned. Some |
sailors were lost. a number of Ameri- |
can and English visitors rendered signal |
assistance in saving life.
The scene in the town is indescribsble.
One lady, whose husband was burned TO |
death, committed suicide. The usual |
complaints were made respecting the |
II atin1a~f 3 ~ -
supply. Although the Mediterranean |
washes the shore at the foot of the walls /
of the theatre, No water could be OBJ I
tanned when wanted, and the beautiful |
opera no Use was q complete wreck
Col. Mapleson, Signor Arditte, Signor
MOnti, Nine. Gerster's husband. at re-
hearssl to-day, in the Academy of Music,
in this city, were much depressed by the |
news Of the terrible calamity in Nice. |
Don Adieus sang in New York with AL
bani someyeaTs ago; the tenor was known
TO be DeVilliers, Frenchman, IS years
of age, and not rem 4rkable for any /
excellence on the lyric stage; the baritone
was Carbone, and the basso a Pole, named /
Miller, who has enjoyed a continental
reputation for many years, he was an
old man over so perhaps; Signor Menti
knew him well and was much affected by |
the report of the injuries he had sus-
tanned Ferdinand Strakosch is believed
to have been the impressario Of the
troupe and Signor Bolognini manager Of
the theatre.
Charles Mapleson said the theatre cost
in the neigh borhood Of $3.50, 600 and was
built without regard TO architectural de-
sign; the outside walls were brick,
chiefly, with blocks of stone interlsrded
for no seeming purpose further than to
make the structure appear unsightly;
the interior looked very pretty with It's
walls and ceilings and
dazzling gildcd work, but it was
all gimcrAck. 1 have heard profess
sional people who are accustomed
to strong built and handsome theatres
in America say: "Whst a magnificent
structure for bonfire" It resembled a
great many Of the lightly-built theatres
found in the south Of France. Like all
theatres established at watering places,
the season was short, never extending
over three months in the year. The star
there this season was Miss Rosina Isi-
dore, who last year made q success in
London. She is the protege of Baroness
Rothsehild. Her parents reside in st.
Louis, Mo.