Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-01-19
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.
HORRIBLE DISASTER IN RUSSIA.

HORRIBLE DISASTER ~ RUSSIA.
BY the burning of a circus at BerditschoT
Russia last Saturday, more than 80 people
lost their lives The hre broke out toward
the end Of the performance, and was caused
by the careless handling of fireworks on the
stage, The curtain caught first, and the
flames spread quickly to the walls and roof
The members Of the orchestra were the first
victims The 500 spectators rushed to the
front door, but it opened inward, and as the
crowd pressed forward it was rendered use
less \ rush was then made for two side
doors, but they were nailed up, leaving the
windows as the only means of exit Many
sprang into the street with their clothing Il
sheet of flame. The ire-brigadc did not ar
rive for half an hour and could not have
done any good if they had arrived earlier as
the water IN the tanks was frozen. The fire
burned two hours When the door was final
ly opened, a mass of burning persons was
seen within. The horses and properties of
the circus were all destroyed The official
report says 2GS persons lost their lives. The
circus had inner and outer walls, and the
space between was filed with straw.
FATAL HOTEL FIRE IN ST. LOUIS.
Fire broke out about o'clock Sunday
morning in the kitchen of the Planters hotel,
and extended to the pantry stOre-room and
servants quarters. These were in u building
back Of the hotel, which was not injured.
Three employees persisted, another had leg
broken and gentleman guest, becoming
Graz with fright jumped from a window
and broke both legs. The property loss on
the hotel is @lO,O 900. Three minutes after the
alarm was given the hotel was "A bedlam, aud
nearly 800 people, with the terrible Milwaukee
Are fresh in mind, rushed through the main
corridors and down the several stairways into
the street. The guests all returned to the no.
tel Monday. The hotel was for a quarter Of
q century the best-known hotel in the West
aud its fame was extended by Charles Dick
ems in American Notes" The origin of the
fire is unknown.
THE NEwHALL HOUSE INCENDIAEY.
George Scheller lessor of the bar-ro
of the Newhall house burned at Milwaukee
last week, was arrested Tuesday, charged
with setting it atire. 1t is alleged that only
two weeks ago he tried to blow the house VI
by opening the gas Jets in his bar room al
night There WAS fear of lynching Wednes
day Scheller was secretly removed from the
jail by the authorities, and the mayor ordered
locomotive to be in readiness to take Sohel
Ter to Racine for safe keeping at any moment
Forty three bodies have so far been recovered
from the ruins, of whom % have been ident
fed. The number of known deaths Is GG
Seventeen are still missing. The safe wa.
opened Wednesday, but no trace OF the hote
register could be found.
The largest e,bridge ever formed across
the chasm below Niagara Falls was made Sun
day night. II is over a mile long, and vii
remain the rest of the winter.
The parties who bought the main expo
sition building at Philadelphia for S97 OOD
made good thing out of the speculation
The cost Of moving and other expenses amour
ted to about 100000, and the materials 0
which It was built sold for about $500 600
leaving profit of $500, 600.
So tfueh damage was done 10 street car
Cal, by snowballs thrown dur
~ i snow storm, that they stoppe
p. NJ. The managers blamed tn
,nce for not protecting their property ''whel
they had always been allowed to ride free,
but one OF them asked "What could fou
policemen do to prevent 2G, 600 people from
snowballing" Car windows were broke
and the drivers attacked when it was impos
sible to defend themselves, and from pleas
antry the snowballing merged into iceballin
and dangerous attacks long after the men O
the company protested, and it did not ceas
until the cars were drawn of.