The daily gazette., 1883-01-19
.o.IN IN MILwAgKEE.


..,,o,,on In = theatre in Whicn O.e
Ar J" KIIlod--ThS UnfoEtunAte "Lishts
.,don Company"
..,rrEE. Jan. ia horrible accident
MILwAo M,.ao a. tbe Grand Opera House 70
took Pa.ino P,a.Si the performance Of the "Lign.
pigh1 uua Tbs orchestra had just nm
o Lonno Lmo ;uterlude between the nrst ana
isheu ,uu ~ the scene was set for the sec
seconu ~ md the stage manager was Waiung
ond ~s .inutes for the calcium light 70 De
ie" ~ wben an awful explosion to0k
MraIlsTT5e T5e tights on the stage were put OUT
place 80 ~, was blown into iragments, ana
the sesnet .,,most terror prevailed among the
the us ara of the company, who were ait
negluss,0 ~, their parts. In few minutes the
reauy ~ ~ On The stage were lighted and the
gas pn .,,,re and results Of the accident
iuil "a nS' Ono OF the cylinders Of the calcium
learneu, si.ooratus had exploded and i've men
ngappging nghs spgi on the stage. Doctors were
i9 p,Cd n,oned and an investigation showed the
iol,9S,INs ,yart seymour, stage employe, struck BY
.,aao a,U If broken cylinder, died before mid
night. p,..,, manager of the calcium
nv a"naratus, left hnee and left hip shat
MA MA not expected 70 live.
Gustay stueben, stage hand, right leg and
L1bt sde torn 10 pieces, not expected 70
i've; S;obsra Reed, stage hand, knee injured.
Iaoss Foster, assistant manager OF calei-
nm llrht, leg injured, condition regarded a.
uaVS'ab TSaU the explosion occurred the audi
.Drs which was very large, displayed the
e,most coolness. A few were disposed TO
u,a us.b from the house, but q number Of lead
,sS uT" citizens rose in their places and
aasst,oned ias others TO keep cool and prevent
ranic Their counsel prevailed, and there
ps'r ras not the slightest appearance Of a panic.
Waro Ger Collier and others went 70 the
% S.ont II the stage and called for the audi
a0"s nvS IN remain seated. Clauder, the leader
ofii oT me orchestra, struck up lively air and
,bs musicians played with all possible
snsrgy, s thus aiding in preventing q STAN
OsSs AS soon as the gas On the stage was
f,vbted Charles Williams, Golfers stage
csrpeuter, seized the remaining cylinder of
tbe calcium light apparatus, bore
n N the front Of the curtain with the burn
lng gas still escaping, placed It In front OF
ias audience and coolly sat down upon II 70
impress upon the audience the fact that
there was no danger 70 the front OF the
house Meantime the fire alarm had been
sounded. The entire city Is In n state OF
nervousness resulting from the Newhall
House Gre, and as soon as 10 was known
mai the alarm came from the Grand Opera
House thousands upon thousands Of people
rushed TO that building, and the widest ex-
element prevailed. 1t was reported that
the house was ablaze inside, and this report
increased the alarm. AS soon as 1t became
apparent that the play could not go on the
sudeuce was dismissed.
Most of those present were ignorant Of
The terrible work on the stage, and as they
passed out into the street stated 70 the
. crowd outside that nobody was hurt, 50
that the excitement was soon quelled. The
accident was caused by the carelessness end
& ignorance Of the man managing the appa-
ntus. Most Of Collier's scenery and that
4 belonging TO the house Is completely spoiled.
I The force of the explosion is shown by the
fact that joist, two by ten inches, was
4 nddled to kindling wood. Several people
we're thrown clear across the stage and one
\ Of the injured men was blown into the flies.
No member Of the company was injured.
Tie Collier Company recently were upon
a railroad train which met with an accident,
and In which several members of the troupe
were injured and their scenery much dam
Aped