Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-03-25
OPERA HOUSE HORROR.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PERSONS
ROASTED ALIVE.
Burning ofa Theatre at Nice-espIosion
Of Gas Behind the Stsge-Terib!e
Panic-Hundreds Thrown Down
and Irodden Under Foot.
SCENES OF HORROR AND DISMAY.
THE OPERA HOUSE HORROR
Additional Particulars.

NICE, March 2i.-Up to this hour
fifty.nine bodies have been recovered
from the Italian opera house destroyed
by fire last evening. III is feared many
more have lost their lives. The fire
commenced soon after the curtain had
risen for the performance. The sub
scribers for the orchestra sealto and
boxes, and grand tier had mostly not
arrived. A majority OF the victims be.
long to the working class. Shortly after
the fire began the gas exploded and the
house plunged into complete dsi kness.
A scene OF terror and dismay ensued
which beggars description. A detach-
ment OF sailors from squadron
in the harbor arrived on the scene and
displayed great gallantry in rescuing
the people and combating with the
fire, which was subdued towards ten
o'clock. Strakosch, the eimpressario, Was
slightly hurt. Signoro Blanca Donadi
one of the leading artists, made her
wav into the street safely. One whole
family OF five persons and another fam.
lily Of three persons are known 10 have
pershed. Relief subscriptions for the
sufferers have been opened throughout
Nice. A regatta here has been
countermanded and the value OF the
prizes to have been contested for will be
contributed towards the relief OF the
distress.
NEW YORK, March PA dispatch
from Nice says: The holocaust at the
Opera House last evening was caused
by gas explosion back OF the stage,
which set fire to the scenery. The
flames spread with alarming rapidity,
and soon enveloped the gas metre. The
supply of gas being cut off, the house
was soon
Plunged in Darkness
The crowd rushed madiy toward the
limited means OF exit. The audience
was large, and in the panic which
followed hundreds were thrown down
and trodden under foot. Those
who endeavored to extricate the people
hopelessly jammed between the door
way and passages describe the scene as
terrible The shrieks of the wounded
mingled with those in the galleries whose
Every Means of Escape Was Gu, or
Nine. DJnardio, the prima donna, was
saved, but the tenor, bas5O, baritone
and number OF chorus singers were
burned. Up to midnight one hundred
and fifty bodies were extIicated from
the ruins. A man who escaped from
the upper gallery by jumping, declares
that with perhaps dozen ex'
ceptions every person In his
part of the house were burned. Some
sailors were lost. 4 number OF Amer
can and English visitors rendered signal
assistance in saving life. The scene in
the town is indescribable. One lady
whose husband was burned IN death
committed suicide. The usual COM
plants are made respecting the defec'
tive means Of escape and water supply.
Although the Mediterranean washes the
shore at the foot OF the walls OF the
: theatre, no water could be obtained
when wanted and the beautiful Opera
House was
A Complete Wreck.
Col. Mapleson, Sgnor Ardita, Signor
Morti and Nine. Gerster's husband, AT
the rehearsal to-day IN the Academy OF
Music, this city, were much depressed
by the news OF the terrible calamity at
Nice. Doneldio sang in New York with
Albani some years ago. The tenor
was known TO be De Viliers, French
man, aged 3j years, and was not re.
markable for any excellence on the
lyric stage. The baritone was Carbonr,
and the bassO Pole named Miller, who
has enjoyed continental reputation Tor
many years. lie was an old man,
over sixty, perhaps. Signor Montl
knew him well, and was much affected
by the report OF the Injuries he has sns
tanned. Ferdinand Strakosch is be.
lieved TO have been the impressarlo OF
the troupe, and Signor Ba!a2nini the
manager OF the theatre.
Charles Mapleson said the theatre cost
in the neighborhood OF
Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand
Dollars.
and was built without regard to archi-
tectural design The outside walls were
chiefly OF brick, with blocks OF stone in
terlarded, for no seeming purpose iur'
ther than to make the structure appear
unsightly. The interior looked very
pretty with its ornamented walls
and ceiling and dazzling gild;
ed work, but it was all
"cimcrack." have heard professional
people who are accustomed tn the
strongly built and handsome theatres OF
America. say "whata magnificent struc-
ture for a bonfire" I,resembled great
many of the lightly built theatres found
in the south OF France. Like all thea
tres established a; watering places, its
season was short, never extending over
three months in the year. The star
there this season was Miss Rosin Isidore,
who last year made a signal success in
London. She is a protege OF Baroness
Rothschild. Her parents reside in St.
Louis, No.
I'd to o'clock this afternoon sixty
three corpses have Dsen extracted from
the ruins OF the Opera House, mostly
Italian artissns Among the dead is q