The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1883-01-26
sons Seriously, and Three OF Tnem Fa-
tally, Injured.

sons Seriously, and Three of Them n a.
tally, Injured.
MILWAUKEE. January Is.
A horrible accident took place at the Grand
Opera House tonight during the performance
Of the Lights O. London" The orchestra had
Just finished the interlude between the first
and second acts, and the stage-manager was
waiting for few minutes for the calcium
lights to be arranged when an awful explosion
took place. The lights on the stage were put
out, the scenery was blown into fragments.
and the utmost terror prevailed among the
members of the company, who were all ready
for their work in the second act In few
minutes the gas-jets on the stage were lighted,
and the full nature and result of the accident
learned. One of the cylinders of the calcium
lights apparatus had exploded, and five men
were lying on the stage.
Doctors were summoned and an inyestiga-
ton showed the following casualties:
Albert Seymour, stage employee, head hurt
by piece of the broken cylinder, died before
midnight.
Robert Harrington, manager of the calcium
lieht apparatus, left knee and left hip shat
tered; died shortly after midnight
Gustave Steuber, stage hand, right leg and
right side torn in pieces; not expected to live.
Richard Reed, stage hand, knee injured
James Foster, assistant manager of calcium
light, leg injured; condition regarded as dan
gerous.
When the explosion occurred the audience,
which was very large, displayed the utmost
GOODNESS. Afew were disposed to rush from
the house, but a number of leading citizens
rose in their places and cautioned the others to
keep cool and prevent panic. Their counsel
prevailed, and there was not the slightest APP
cra went to the front of the stage and called
for the audience to remain seated. Claudex,
leader of the orchestra, struck up a lively air,
and the musicians played with all possible
energy, thus aiding in preventing stampede.
AS soon as the gas on the stage was lighted,
Charles Williams, Golfers stage-carpenter
seized the remaining cylinder of the calcium
light apparatus, bore it to the front of the cur
tain with the burning gas still escaping, placed
it in front of the audience, and coolly sat down
upon it. to impress upon the audience the fact
that there was no danger to the front of the
house. $3.50
Meantime the fire alarm had been sounded.
The entire city is in state of uneasiness, re-
sulting from the NewhallHouse fire. AS soon
sit was known that the alarm came from the
Grand Opera-House thousands upon thou
sands of people rushed to the building, and
the widest excitement prevailed. 1t was re-
ported that the house was on fire inside, and
this report increased the alarm and excite
ment. AS soon as it became apparent that
the play could not go on the audience was dis
missed. Most of those present were ignorant
of the terrible work on the stage, and, as they
passed out into the street, stated to the crowd
outside that nobody was hurt so that the ex-
element was soon quelled. r. .tsenr atfs
The accident was caused by the careless
Ignorance of the man managing the apparatus.
Most of Collier scenery and that belonging to
the house is completely spoiled. The force of
the explosion is shown by the fact that joist
| two by ten inches, was riddled to kindling-
| wood. Several people were thrown clear
| across the stage, and one of the injured was
| thrown into the flies. No members of the COM
pany were injured. .tts..,
! The story of the cause of the explosion is
| thus told: One of the cylinders had been leak
| ing and was taken away for repairs On re-
filling the cylinders Harrington, for some rea-
son, concluded to put the oxygen gas in the
| cylinder which had been used for hydrogen,
and vice versa. 1t is stated, however, that he
either forgot or was unmindful of the factthat
| there still remainnd a quantity of hydrogen
in the cylinder into which he had put the oxy-
gen. The result of this mixture was that
when tae light was applied the explosion oc-
Cured The cylinder was made of maTleable
iron, about three-sixteenths of an inch in
thickness, and appeared to possess great
strength The fragments were sent in all di-
rectiOns, Kidding the scenery, the floor and
the walls
INCIDENTS.
Some of the escapes were miraculous. One
young man was blown a distance of over
| twenty feet. One of his trousers-legs was
torn into shreds, but he did not receive
/ scratch
Thr9e members of the company and the
! stagemanager stood within three feet of the
apparatus when it exploded and were not in
| jured IN the least.
The two members of the fire department
| who are on the, stage at'every performance,
| aided by the stage hands, put out what little
fire was caused in the scenery by the explo-
/ sion without any difficulty.
The scene on the stage when the gas-iet
| were lighted was something horrible. III
scenery was one mass of ruins, lying in disor-
der On the stage. Spots of blood and pieces
of fieih lay all around. Young Seymour lay
| with mingled blood and brains o0zing from
the terrible hole in his head. Harrington lay
| with the clothing entirely torn from his lower
limbs his knee battered, his hip cut open, and