The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-12-18


visited with disaster This time, instead of
water. L was the cry Of FIRE in a theatre that
ssnt nearly a dozen lives in.o eternity and
maimed fulIy ihir'y ether persons
The Parkes Opera House. where the caias-
trophe occurred, is q three-story building,
si.cated on Main street, near the corner Of
Franklin, ard was used as dining room for
several months after the food by Frank Ben
ford. p=upsietor Of The old Hubert House
The 0uildiug Ass fora long time heeH con-
sidered unsafe, and many people e5uld rot
Be hind TO attend any kind oFan entertain
nlent there. There were about five hsndred
persons, principally won-en and children, in
the house last night to witness Uncle Toms
Cabin by the sieison Dramatic Company.
About l0.S0. Is The performance was about
closing. there was an alarm OF FIRE sounded
by The fireman stationed on the corner near
the opera house. caused by the discovery of
q fire IN Dr. Wakefelds stabie, in Sernville.
The alarm being sounded 50 close greatly
excited the audience and they Immediately
rushed for the street.
They were uet At the entrance by crowd
frora the outside who thought the FIRE was
in the opera house The crowds coming TO-
gether on 2 close stairway. not over six feet
wide. and the frantic Efforts OF those in the
rear Of the outcoming crowd caused 3 terri
bic Jam. which was made stin worse by
persons jamping from the galleries on the
heads VI these On the stairs The ti7emen
had 10 tara tAeir hose on these on The eai-
side TO ease the jam, and VIXEN the injured
could be gotten al The stairway was found 70
Be piled almost 70 iae level ofths upper Boor
with dead and living. The following were
taken Oat dead
IaE FATAL LIST
GEO. sLoNAkER, aged p; came from NJ.
Pleasant
MISS LIZZIE CLAYC0MB. aged Il came
from Movers Nils Bedford county.
JOHN MILLER. col0rtd came fTom Cham
hsrshury
MRS. WESLEY BURSS. aged abont 40
years formerly Of SnydeF's Station, Som
erset county.
MISS CLARA BURNS. aged ie. daugater
Of the above
GEORGE LITTLE HORSER. aged IL
years. son Of Lafayette Homer this boy
IS said - have jumped from he top ga
Ierv 10 the parquetie. probably % feet
bis nefk vas hrpkesl
MRS JOHN W. NE5ro2, aged p years,
If the south side.
EDWARD BLEiGLOR- AGED 9 years lssbn
of William Bssigior. Csnernaugh Borough.
GEORGE FRESH HCORN. aged - uamar-
RED corn IN Germany.
From Forty TO fry persons were injured,
some Of them seriously.
An eve -witaese ssys that the Johnstawa
Eood. although causing an iucompArakly
grsater loss ofIife. was not 70 be compared
10 this catastrophe in point Of horror. and
many who had passed through the aool.
and we're hardened by the Sight Of death,
shadde-sd and tarnei sick when they look
ed al the horrible sight
THE FATAL BuILDEse.
The Operu HoEse Is plain front, three
story brick buildias- A store room and 4
saloon occupy The ground floors. Between
these IS the narrox entrance 10 the old and
diagy thsaler. This passage Is I've feet
vide. In the pa7g1stte, TO which this en-
trance leads, were iast night 80 chairs. al
occupied. Two galleries. one wider than
the other. hang at the rear Of the parqtIesie
and inmedistely over the main entrance
In these galleries there IS comfortable sat
ing capacity for aboat 30 people The stair
way leading t. the first gallery Is three feet
vide. While The dark snd winding stairway
leading 10 the seconi gallery, or the Niger
heaven as ii is called, IS scarcely half that
wide.
Atthe show IN this unpreteDtious death
trsp there were about 500 people or neariJ.
double the capacity Of the house. About
half Of those present were women and chill
dren. Every seat was occupied and evegy
inch Of Standing room was at E premiGm.
The buiisiing Is not provided with fire a.
capes, and no provisions Is made upon the
staee OF elsewhere for water IN tie eTent Of /
Ere. Poblic epiHion condemned tie Old
structure % years aga. TIE people were
afraid Of il, and the sound Of the fne-beIIs
threw tl4eEn into spasEn Of ae=perats fear
through which 10 OF them plunged far;e.s<iy
inso violent eeashs-
The corones jury has eoudemnesl ne
Opera Honse and 10 more thcatrscas nser- (
sainmenss win be given in JolnsioEn uasil
nsu house of aa,a-e aient has been erseted.
Mrs. Burns asd her daaslster were IN
TERED in tie Pagh graveyard. soneEsss
township. Tbursasy afternoon.