The Portland daily press., 1881-03-25
THE DISASTER AT NICE.
Fifty-Nine Bodies Taken from the
Ruins.
MANY MORE LIVES PROBABLY LOST.
Fears that William Walter Phelps is
among the Victims.

NICE, March 24-3 A. Mp to this hour
ffty-nine bodies have been recovered from the
ruins of the italian opera house, which was
burned last night 1t is feared that many
more persons lost their lives. The fire com,
menced soon after the curtain had risen for the
performance of Lucia Di Lammermoor. The
subscribers for the orchestra stalls and the
boxes of the grand tier had mostly not arrived.
A majority of the victims belong to the work
ing class. Shortly after the fire began the gas
exploded and tbs house was plunged into COM
plete darkness A scene of terror and dismay
ensued which beggars description. A detach-
ment of sailors from the squadron in the har-
Dor arrived on the scene with pumps and dis
played great gallantry in rescuing people and
combating the fire, which was subdued to-
wards 10 o'clock. M. Strakosch, the impress
sario, was slightly hurt. Signora Blanca Dona-
di, one of the leading artists, made her way
from the stage to the street safely. One whole
family of five persons and another family of
three persons are known to have persisted. Re-
lief subscriptions for the sufferers have been
opened throughout Nice. The regatta here
has been countermanded, and the value of the
of the prizes to have been contested for will
be contributed toward the relief of distress.
Up to o'clock this afternoon sixty-three
corpses had been extricated from the ruins,
mostly Italian citizens.
PARIS, March 24.-The italian opera house
at Nice was destroyed by fire last night. All
efforts to extinguish the flames were of no
Torrance of the opera. which was Lucia di
Lammermoor." 1t is known that the explo-
sion by which the disaster originated was that
of a gas retort or reservoir located behind the
stage. Whether this was the result of care
lessness or accident cannot yet be ascertained.
Survivors say that Immediately after the ex-
plosion the lights in the entire house were SIM
ultaneously extinguished, leaving the crowded
audience in darkness amid the odor of escap-
ing gas, which began to fill the building and
,x,l~s~ IL
cnsued was of the most terrible character.
Men and women were crushed over the seats
the house became vast den of struggling wild
persons. At this juncture the fire broke out,
the flight and infammable scenery catching
first, and the flames leaping from point to
point and rapidly extending towards the body
of the house over the heads of the screaming,
shouting, terror-stricken people. Many were
trampled to death. The panic was uncontro-
able when the peril of death by fire was added
to the danger from the maddened mob in the
darkness 1t is believed the chorus were all
burned to death The prlma. donna, Donadio,
was miraculousy saved by friends. One hun
dred and fifty dead charred bodies have al
ready been dug out of the ruins to-day. Many
more remain in the debris. The city is in a
state of sorrow and excitement The audience
was composed of representatives of the fash
ionable world from Paris, London and all parts
of Europe. The season is now in progress and
the popular watering-place of Nice was never
CIOWu6u WIFI Sf6dU0f uuuD0fS. 40Su6rQay,
also, the first yacht race occurred, and crowds
were present from all parts of France and
Italy. The greatest anxiety is felt for all the
missing members of families of travelling par
ties. Most of the opera singers of the world
have appeared upon its stage, the performances
being chiefly maintained by foreign colonies
New YORK, March PA Paris cable gives
the details of the burning of the opera house
at Nice. 1t says $50 dead and charred bodies
have already been dug out of the ruins to-day.
Many more remain in the debris. The city is
in state of the widest sorrow and excite
ment this morning.
A special cable from Nice says a man who
escaped from the uppery gallery by jumping de-
clares that with perhaps dozen exceptions
every person in his part of the house was
burned. Some sailors were lost. A number
of American and English visitors rendered
signal assistance in saving life. The scene in
the town was indescribable. One lady whose
husband was burned to death committed sui
eide. The usual complaints are made respect
ing the defective means of escape and water
supply.
A rumor was circulated this morning that
William Walter Phelps, nominated as minister
to Austria yesterday, was among the victims
Inquiry at Mr.. Phelps office resulted in dis
heard from were at Nice. His business asso-
ciate telegraphed to that point for information
concerning Mr.. Phelps fate, but up to $50 this
afternoon no response had been received.
NICE, March 24.-Most of the artists were
in the dressing rooms and aware of their dan
ger when the fire broke out, but were too late
to escape. The choristers rushed along the
narrow passage in the darkness, many presum-
ably too much disabled in the crush to escape.
The bass, tenor and baritone must have been
suffocated. Their bodies are probably under
Their ruins. The parts of the theatre most
filled were the upper galleries, and as the dis
lance from them to the doors was long and by
long narrow corridors and stairways people in
the galleries had the greatest difficulty in es-
Gaping. The sailors who volunteered. as fire.
men piled buckets of sea water which were al
most useless. Two midshipmen rescued two
but horribly scorched, one being raving
lunatic. Some bodies were so horribly charred
that recognition is impossible. The body of
one Of the singers has been recognized.