Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-03-25
CREMATION.
THE NICE rHEArER HORROR.

| afty.nine bodies have been recovered from the
ruins Of the Italian Opera house, destroyed by
FIRE last night. It is feared many more lost
their lives The fire commenced soon.. after
ths curtain had risen for the performance OF
ssLucia de Lammermoor.' Subscribers for
the orchestra stalls and the boxes Of the!grand
tier had mostly not arrived. A majority OF
the victims belong to the working class.
Shortly after the fire began the
lgas exploded and the house was
plunged into complete darkness. A scene
of terror and dismay ensued which beg
gars description. A detachment Of sailors
! from a squadron in the harbor arrived oa>the
scene and displayed great gallantry in rescu.
| ing the people and combating the fire, which
| was subdued at 10 o'clock. Strakosch, the
impressario, ,wae slightly hurt; ;signora Denadi,
one of the leading artists made her way from
the stage to the street in safety. One whole
family of five persons and another family Of
| three persons are known. to have perished.
Relief subscriptions for the sufferers have
been opened throughout Nice. The regatta
| here has been countermanded, and value OF
| prizes to have been contested for will be con-
| tributed:toward the relief of distress.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIRE.
NEW YORK, March 24.-A dispvtch from
Nice says: The holocaust at the Opera house
last evening was caused by gas explosion at
the back of the stage. which set fire to the
scenery. The flames spread with alarming
rapidly, and soon enveloped the gas meters.
The supply of gas being shut up, the body OF
the house was soon plunged into darkness,
and the crowd pressed madly toward the
limited means of exit. The audience was
large, and in the panic hundreds were thrown
down and trodden under foot. Those who en-
deavored to extricate the people were hope
lessly jammed between the doorway and pass
ages, and the
TERRIBLE sHRIEKs OF TIE WOUNDED
mingled with the cries of those In the CALLER
les, whose every means OF escape was cut off,
Mime Donado, the prima donna, was saved,
but the tenor, basso, baritone and leader OF
the chorus singers we're burned. Up to mid
night 15O bodies were extricated from the
ruins. A man who escaped from the upper
gallery by jumping declares that, with per.
haps a dozen exceptions, every person IN MS
part of the house were burned. Some sailors
were lost A number of American and En-
glish visitors rendered signal assistance IN saw
ing life. The
SCENE IN THE TOWN is INDEscR1eAsLE.
One lady, whose husband was burned to
death, committed suicide. The usual COM
plants were made respecting the mode of es-
cape and water supply. Although the Medi-
terranean washes the shore at the foot OF the
walls of the theater, no water could be obtain.
ed when wanted, and the beautiful Opera house
was complete wreck
THE NEWS IN NEW YORK.
Col. Mapleson, signor Ardit, signor Monti
and Madame Gerster's husband, at rehearsal
to-day in the Academy of Music, this city,
the terrible calamity at Nice. Donado
sang In New York with Albani some years
ago. The tenor was known to be Devilliers,
Frenchman Is years of age, and not remark
able for any excellence on the stage Ihe
baritone was Carbone, and the basso Pole
named Miller, who has enjoyed continental
reputation of many years. He was an old
man, over GU perhaps. Signor Monti knew
him well, and was much affected by the re-
port of the injuries he had sustained. Fernand
Strackosh is believed to have been impressor
of the troupe and Signor Balossinni manager
of the theater.
Charles Mapleson said the theater cost In
the neighborhood of $3.50, 600, and was built
without regard to architectural design. The
outside walls were brick chiefly, with blocks
of stone interlaid for no other purpose further
than to make the structure appear unsightiy.
The interior looked very pretty with its orna.
mented walls and ceilings and dazzling gilded
work, but it was all jimcrack. have heard
professional people who are accustomed TO
strongly built and handsome theaters
ieo.na Of Amerifa ifan.tTsy say , wha' bon4s mag
It resembled a great many of the lightly built
theaters found in South France. Like all
theaters established at watering places its sea-
son was short, never extending over three
| months in the year. The star there this sea
son was Miss Kosino Isidore, who last year
made success in London. She Is protege
of Baroness Rothschild Her parents reside
| in St. Louis, Mo.
NICE, March 24.-Up to s this afternoon
sixty-three corpses have been extracted from
the ruins of the Opera house, mostly Italian
artisans. Among the dead is German
doctor named Arend.
Most of the artistes were In the dressing
rooms, and all were aware OF their danger, but
| it was too late to escape. The choristers rush
ed along the narrow passage In darkness pre-
crush to escape The basso, tenor,
and baritone must have been suffocated. Their
| bodies are presumably under the ruins. The
paris of the theater most filled were the upper
galleries, and as the distance from them to the
doors was long and by narrow corridors and
stairways, the people in the galleries had the
| greatest difficulty in escaping. There was
very 1naQeQuate supply VI "aeoi. =. :,
The sailors who volunteered as fremen piled
buckets of sea water, which, however, were
almost useless Two midshipmen rescued two
persons from the chamber who are still living
but horribly scorched, one being raging
Iunatic, Some of the bodies found are so
horribly charred recognition is impossible.
| The body of one of the singers has been recog-
nized.
| TRAMPLED TO DEATH.
Many persons were trampled to death in the
stampede to get out. 1t does not appear at
present any Americans were among the vic.
Tins. The sole occupant of the stage when
the explosion occurred was seen enveloped In
| flames. The injury of Strokosch was only
| slight, a confusion of the leg.
hLsvEN MORE BODIES
are said to be under the ruins. The exits oi
the theater were very narrow and badly ar
ranged. signora Donada was to have appeared
for thes first time at the Opera house on the
NIGHT of the fire. The gas Jet set fire to some
of the scenery as the curtain was drawn. The
public were unaware OF the
danger until the gas explosion,
when the smoke became suffocatingly thick
People tried to throw themselves from the
| - III A., ,oor fbo roof Of the theater.