The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-28
A PLAY HOUSE BURNED.
The Central Theater, of philadel-
phia, Is Again the Scene Of
Calamity.
FLAMES Started There Also De-
stroy the Office OF the Tines
Newspaper.
MANY Persons Terribly Injured, Sevsra
Iatally-Donbtiess Many Dead in
the Kuins-The Losses.

PHILADELPHIA, April N.-Ihe most SEN
sational FIRE that has visited this CITY in
years broke out tonight on the stage OF the
Grand Central theatre, and before it was
gotten under control nearly million dol
lars worth OF property was destroyed, in
cludlnR tho massive eight-story annex
building occupied by the Times newspaper. !.
more was panic iii tie theater
and nearly fifty persons, most Of them
occupants of tho galleries were hurt, mono,
however. seriously. inst before eight
O'clock while the stage hands were lover
ing it from the flies portion Of the setting
became entangled in the border lights,
Tongues Of fire shot up TO the roof and
blazing scenery fell to the stage and in
short space Of time the entire rear
portion Of the theater was a
mass Of fire. A largo number Of
female chorus singers ana ballet daucers
stood in the wings waiting for the perform
ance to begin They were thrown into a
panic and rushed about, scarcely knowing
which way to turn to avoid the quickly
spreading flames. All, it is believed. were
gotten safely out, although there is a report
that some ballet girls are missing.
scene Of even moro intense excitement
house was only partially filled. When the
audionce realized that they were face to
face with fire everybo started for the
exits. Weaker ones were borne down and
crushed under foot. One individual, mad
dened and brutalized by excitement, drew
pocket knife and cut his way through the
mass OF people. Half dozen or more peo-
pie were found at the hospital who have been
victims of his frenzy. None of their wounds.
however, are OF more than painful charac-
ter. Men and boys fell ON the stairways
leading from the galleries and were bruised
and scratched under the heels Of those fol-
lowing them. Fifty-two persons we're
cared for at two hospitals near the theatre.
The widest excitement prevailed on the
streets. Ballet girls in gauze and tights
rushed bareheaded around almost all Of
them in hysterical condition.
The alarm was promptly given and all the
occupants Of the Times annex building got
out IN safety. The first, second, third and
fourth floors were occupied by Dekosksno
Hetherlneton, art metal workers. The
wind was blowing in direction to carry tho
flames to the newspaper building, and in a
few minutes that structure was on fire. By
$3.50 the entire, interior was gutted.a Tho
west wall and portion Of the east wall
fell the former crushing in large portion
of the ons-story power house Of the Phila-
dolphin Traction company. The east wall
crushed in a four-storv building occupied
by Hamilton IL Diesinger, manufacturing
jewelers., and portions Of sevsral buildings
below on Eighth street. The front wall
filed Samson street with brick and stone,
and damaged the building opposite. In
the cellar were the new presses of the
Times, which were ruined beyond repair.
The audience at the old Walnut street
theatsr was quietly dismissed. The Cont
mental hotel escaped with slight seorchine.
Col. A. K. Mcclure, editor of the Times,
Loot 10 o1,,oL Ia
losses as near as can be asoertained
are as follows: Central theater building
1000, insurance $4,000; costumes and
furniture of "Iha DEVILS Auction" S16-
900. insurance $1,000; Twelve Temp
tations" $4,000, insurance $3.50. .sea
King" $22,ooo' no insurance; The Times
exclusive of its files. and Col. A. K. No
Clure's library. The whole was insured at
about two-thirds its value. Deckesene a.
Hetherlngton's loss will be at least S1OO,-
600: Hamilton & Diesenger's $4,000, partly
insured. The other losses will aggregate
$150000.
As the confusion following the fire some-
what subsidized the casualties were found to
be moro serious than ut FIRST supposed.
Forty one persons were admitted to the
Pennsylvania hospital, about twenty in
serious condition. Their injuries are
mainly about the face, and many it is feared,
udV0 DeeIA ol.uuSu 1or llIe Dy G16 n@rce
wall of fire through which they fought,
Jefferson hospital attended thirty of the
injured. OF this number nine ars seriously
enough burned to be kept i'll the institu-
tion. A number of people are missing and
it is not known whether they perished or
have remained among the crowd around
the ruins.
1t was not known positively up to late
hour whether or not any of the company
which was performing ut the Central were
killed or injured, but it ia reported
that VIM. B. Brooks. Vincencita Chitten,
Sarah Goldman, Thomas Lorilla and wife
Flora. and Miss Coneers, all of whom were
connected with the company are missing
This is the fourth time that the Central
theater md Times annex have boon the
scene of fires. The hrst confiagration oo-
CURED in 1861, when many of the ballet
girls were burned to death. Again in
1867 the theater was visited by fire and
burned to the ground. In this fire
eleven persons perished and large
number were severely injured. The last
time the fiery element visited the scena was
Saturday morning. March "a, 1883, when
the new Central theatsr and international
Colnique ON SAMSON street were reduced to
ruins.