The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-12-12
THE VIENNA CALAMITY.
A Thousand Persons Believed to
Have Perished.
AN AMERICAN AMONG THE RECo9
NIzED DEAD.

turn no it is feared that the total loss will not
be much less than 600 persons. 1t is now
probable that there were 600 in the fourth GAL
fery, All the persons In the third row of the
parquet persisted. Some persons who entered
the theatre few minutes after the fire was
discovered, remarked at the time that compar-
lively few escaped. The theatre held 1900.
Every place was occupied except the parquet
and boxes. consequently the total loss may DC
found to be nearly 1000 Three hundred and
sixty tickets were issued for the fourth gallery
seats for the performance. OF these, about go
have been found. They had made their escape
from the inside only to find death by suffoca
ton in the passage say. which had no exit.
seen lying within the fatal gallery, vast barri-
cades of human bodies. About 2 o'clock the
fourth gallery fell in, and the fremen are car
rying out Jumps of charred bodies, without
form, and far beyond the possibility OF recogni-
ton. Who these victims are will not be
known until their relations have announced
them missing.
Mr. Brown, of the firm of Brown Brothers
& Co. of New York, who, with his wife and
the entire family, visited the Ring Theatre on
Thursday afternoon, at the matinee concert,
and therefore left the theatre about an hour
before the catastrophe, says that the srairways,
narrow and winding, leading from the lobby to
the parquet seats, were scarcely wide enough
for two persons to pass, and that he had vowed
afer arriving in the open air again never to
take his family into such death trap again.
The difficulty of escaping, even after leaving
the auditorium, may be gathered from the
narrative OF young man who had seat in
one of the galleries He SAYS that The CALLER
les were quite filled. The American medical
students, OF whom there are 100 in Vienna,
and who usually frequent the moderate priced
places. seem 20 have kept away altogether on
the fatal night, for not one is reported as miss
ing, although six German and Hungarian fell
low students are among the dead.
LONDON, Dec. 10 "A Vienna dispatch to the
Daily News saws: Count Taafe, President of
the Austrian Ministry, and several Archdukes
assisted the sufferers at the fire. In, one pas
sage OF the theatre, without an outlet. forty
persons lost their way, and being unable to re-
turn were suffocated. The Emperor Francis
Joseph has subscribed $4,000 forms for the re-
lief Of the sufferers.
LONDON, Dec. 10--Additional details Of the
Vienna fire have been received as follows: On
the arrival of the fire brigade, it was found
impossible 10 penetrate beyond the first tier OF
the theatre, the rush of suffoeating smoke and
air sxtingushing the lamps and torches. The
fremen retired under momentary impression
(because their shouts were not answered. that
tn re we're no more people in the theatre than
those who first escaped. An alarm soon unde-
ceived them.
Another effort was then made to penetrate
the parts of the theatre which were not actual
ly blazing. In the narrow passage, between
the second and third galleries, a mass of corpses
were discovered, some so closely interlocked
that it was hardly possible to part them. The
first man discovered was got out alive, but all
the rest were dead These were persons who
had lost their way in consequence of the turn
ing off the gas, which, it is now ascertained,
was done by some irresponsible person, With
view to prevent an explosion.
Some men were found with their hsnds
grasping each others throats. Subsequent in
vestigation showed that in some cases persons
finding escape hopeless committed suicide. 1t
l. Is stated by survivors that women were seen to
throw their children from he galleries into the
pit. At the time of the outbreak OF the flames
the gallery especially allotted to ladies was
full Among the missing are young Count
Sigismund Festeties and several other students
from a private military college,. About 10
o'clock the gasometer exploded. The roof fell
and the whole place was reduced to q wreck.
NEW York. Dec. 10 Among the names of
those identified as lost in the Vienna fire is
that of Mr.. Carr, said to be an American.
VIENNA, Dec. 10-On account of the danger
of the walls. falling, the work of removing
the bodies from the ruins has been suspended
until supports have been erected.
In the Reicbrath to-day, Count Taofa,
President of the Council, said vigorous meas
ures would be taken against anyone proved
guilty of culpahle negligence He presented
credit of e500O0 for the sufferers, which was
voted.
The government has ordered two policemen
to each theatre an hour before the commence
ment of the performance, to see all proper pre-
cautions have BEEN taken to guard against fire.
The report that the number Vt missing per-
sons is 800, is certainly an exaggeration. The
theatre was only. capable of holding 1.760, and
some portions of 1t were empty. AT clock
this afternoon, the staircase on the left side
collapsed. Fire again broke out this evening
at the corner of the Ring, close to the theatre
ruins The engines quickly subdued the
flames.
VIENNA, Dec 11.-As to whether the funeral
of the victims of the theatre fire should have
L. - ion.
Common Council decided against procession.
The bodies will be quietly transported to the
Central Cemetery, where funeral ceremonies
will be celebrated on Monday with great pemp
before colossal catafalque. on which the COT
fins are to be placed. All Vienna corporations
and civil and military authorities have been
invited to attend the funeral Orations will be
delivered by Catholic priest, the Evangelical
provost and burgomaster. The morning pa
pers will give the corrected list of victims; the
number is $50.
VIENNA, Dec. 11.-[Evening.] The inter-
ments of the victims commenced shortly after
daybreak this morning. The Hebrew dead
were conveyed to the Jewish portion of the
cemetery. The scenes at the graves were ago
nizing to witness. Tho Common Council have
issued NOTICE that the funeral of these vic
tins who cannot be- buried by their friends
will take place on Monday.
The ruins of the bnrned theatre were sur
rounded by crowds of people to-day. The
WORK OF removing tU6 ueDTIS HAS DtoU TcSuIious
The official list gives the number of missing as
OF. It is feared that as the debris is removed
hundreds of bodies will be found in blocked
up passages. The captain of the fire brigade
states that all the inside of the the theatre is a
heap of human bones and charred remains.
Fraulein Pawlik, daughter of member OF the
Chamber of Deputies, who succeeded in es-
Gaping from the theatre. while urging the peo-
pie to attempt a rescue OF those inside, was
trea,ed as mad by the police, and forcibly
l. In, ,x,x, nrf,, v,tf fha 1ordo
declaring that everybody had been rescued. A
relief committee has been constituted, and the
municipality will contribute $4,000 forms.
LONDON, Dec II Additional details of the
Vienna catastrophe continue to arrive. OF all
the employees of the theatre, only one appears
to have done his duty. This man, whose BUSH
ness it was to turn off the gas in case of fire,
was the only one who stuck to his post, yet he
cut off the escape of many scores, pho were
thus forced to grope about in darkness, and
were eventually suffocated before they could
feel their way out. The management was
crimlnally negligent. There were large doors
in every gallery, which were to be opened in
case of fire When the key was applied to one
of these, it broke from disuse and rust. One
other escape door only was burst open. The
galleries opened inward, and when they were
broken down by the pressure, the foremost per-
SONS fell and were trampled to death by those
following, and few passed over this human
DarrlcaQe, NOI single precautionary meas
ure for the safety of the audience bad been
taken. Immediately after the Nice theatre
took fire high officials said that such a thing
could not happen in Vienna, for .'the theatre
police is quite beyond praise" The fact ap-
pears to be that the police commssary sent
every night 10 the Ring theatre had generally
good time; receiving tickets for his wife and
friends, and never thought of doing much
more than Just showing himsef for appearance
sake. The precautions which might have
averted this terrible catastrophe, had they
been taken week ago, are just now beginning
to be thought of. Instruction has been sent to
the officers to visit all theatres an hour before
the commencement of the performance, to ex-
anime the arrangements for public safety. The
doctors say those who were in the auditorium
did not live over minute after the fire broke
through the curtain. Indignation at the blum
dering of all concerned is greatly on the in
crease. Subscriptions are coming in very rap
idly.
LOSS of Business by Railroads.
CHICAGO Dec. 10-The inability of railroads
leading East to secure business at present ex-
cept at losing rates is causing much apprehen-
sion among railroad managers, who predict
that if this condition of affairs continues
throughout the winter nearly all the Eastern
lines will be severely crippled The railroads
are compelled to cut rates now to secure some
business, and it has even been suggested that
regular rates be still further reduced to meet
II Gs--s.~ -