Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-01-04
Famous 'Theater Fires.

The most fatal Of theater fires. unless it should
turn out to be surpassed by the Vienna catas-
trODhe, was the burning of the SaragOssa theater
in IT'S when 600 persons lost their lives. At
the Carlsruhe theater, in 1S47, 104 persons
persisted. The burning Ofthe Opera House at Nice
this year in which 62 persons We're burned or
crushed to death. is still fresh in the public men,
DRY. In these islands many theaterS have been
burnt down. but some proydential chance has al
ways interviewed to limit the proportions of the
catastrophe. The fire had broken out in the
daytime, the performance had not begun or had
ended, or there were few spectators in the
house. If, for example, the Surrey theater,
when it was burnt down during the daytime i'm
1865, had contained an audience, few would
have escaped alive. so rapid was the action of
the flames. But of all the calamities which
have ever in modern times Overtaken a crowd
of human beings in single building the burn
ing OF the church Of La Campania, Santiago. in
1868, has never been eQualled or approached.
In one short hour 2, 900 people, nearly all ladies
of youth, rank and beauty, were reduced to
ashes. The flower of the capital of Chilli had
gathered in the church, in spirit of religious
excitement, to pay its devOtions at the closing
celebration of the Immaculate Conception.
Every seat was full. Nothing that invention
could suggest or wealth supply was omitted i'm
the adOrnments of the occasion. The interior
of the church was hung from roof to floor with
floating gauZe and rich drapery. and lighted
with festoOns Ofinnumerable palaffn lamps. An
acolyte, in lighting the last lamp before the
Snrlne raised flame which spread lnStantan-
eOusly. rush soon choked the entrances with
wall of dead and dying twelve feet in height.
The melting lead from the roof and the blazing
oil of the severed lamps poured down upon the
heads of 2OOO tender women. who could be
seen from the windows Of neighboring houses
rushing wildly to and fro without an outlet of
escape. The falling of the roof put an end to
their agonies, and completed catastrophe
which stands without parallel.-Lo'sdon Times.
Josh billings Growing sedate Looking
and Prosperous
New York letter.
The famed writer Of the Yankee proverbs is
now about 60 in years, and shows 1t. His hair,
which is as long and unkempt as ever, Is IRON
gray, and his stiff, dropping mustache Is fast
changing to the color of old age. As he grows
older he seems to becomes more and more SUI
premely regardless of persons, surroundings or
opinions AS he greets one with machue-like
'sh0w-do-ye-do," or an inanimate ''good-day,"
the impression is conveyed that he has arrived
at tnat state Of life and prosperity where he
deems fate powerless to work any alteration
for worse. Billings is essentially man to HIM
SELF taciturn and un0btrusive everywhere. He
is not so popular as formerly. his only work
now being that which appears in the New York
Weekly. For this service he receives. perhaps,
IS. coo q year. His royalty from the circulation
of the Proverbs" his almanac and other
works, swells his yearly income to about 81. OO0
From the proceeds Of his labor he has amassed .
fortune Of over ESQ. 600.