St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-04-28
A PLAYHOUSE PANIC.
Philadelphia Visited by a Mill
ion-Dollar Confiagra-
ton.
The Swlft-Srreading Flames
Originated in a Variety
Theater.
Scores Of People Crushed and
Injured in a Mad Scram-
bic.
Times Building Razea and a
Priceless Library Con-
verted to Ashes.

PHILADELPHIA, April 27.-Tfe most
sensational fire that has visited this city
/ in years broke out tonight on the stage
Of the Grand Central theater. and be
fore it was gotten under control nearly
/ a million dollars worth Of property
had been destroyed, including the
/ massive eight-story annex building
/ occupied by the Times newspaper.
/ There was panic in the theater, and
nearly fifty persons, mostly occupants
! OF the galleries, were hurt. The Cen
| trail theater is located on Walnut street,
! between Eighth and Ninth, In the most
th!ckly settled portion Of the city, being
surrounded by hotels, restaurants,
boarding houses, newspaper Offices and
business houses. Immediately In the
rear OF the theater was the Times build
ing, which faced on SAMSON street.
The theater was usually devoted 10
variety performances, but this week a
spectacular production, THE Dcvil's
Auction" was on the stage. Just be
fore O'Clock, while the stage hands
were lowering from the flies
portion of setting for the first
scene, it became entangled in
the border lights. In an instant
IJhe tlimsy canvas was a mass Of flames.
tongues OF fire shot up TO the roof, and
blazing scenery fell to the stage, and in
short space or time the entire rear
portion OF the theater was a mass Of
fire. The production requires the sery-
ices Of large number Of female Choir
listers and ballet dancers. These stood
in the wings and along the stage in
scanty attire, waiting for the perform
ance to begin. They were
Thrown Into "A Panic
and rushed about. scarcely knowing
which way 10 turn TO avoid the quickly
spreading flames. All were, ii is be
lieyed. gotten safely out although there
Is a report that three ballet girls are
missing. During the panic behind the
scenes scene Of even more in
tense excitement was being en-
acted before the foOtlights. Fort
unately, the house was only
partially filed. The audience had lust
settled down in their seats, awaiting
the beginning of the performance, when
they were startled by the flash that
came when the scenery caught. The
next minute a bright, white flame shot
through the curtain, and the audience
realized that they were face TO face
with that most awful Of situations, Il
theater fire.
Everybody started for the exits. The
weaker ones we're borne down and
crushed under foot. One individual,
maddened and brutaliZed by excite
ment, drew pocket knife, and with it
cut his way through the mass of people.
IaIf
at the hospital who had been victims OF
his frenzy. Noue of their wounds, how
ever, were of a painful character. This
man was one of the first to reach the
sidewalk.
g Men and boys fell on the starways
leading from the galleries and were
bruised and scratched under the heels
of those following them. In all, - per
sons were cared for at the two hospitals
near the theater. Everybody was out
side the burning structure within two
minutes from the time the fire started.
The widest excitement prevailed on the
streets. Ballet girls
In GauVe and Tights.
rushed bare-headed around, almost Ia
of them in hysterical condition Teh
fire spread with marvellous rapidity, and
by the time the tire apparatus reached
the scene the theater was mass of
flames. Looming away up above the
rear of the theater was the Times annex
building, occupied on the seventh floor
by the editorial force, and on the eighth
by the composing and stereOtpying force.
An alarm was prom pity given, and all
the occupants of the building got out in
safety. The first, second, third ana
fourth floors were occupied by Dekos-
a OF nrr u
erS. Their plant was one of the most
valuable of Its kind in the country. The
wind was blowing in direction to carry
the flames TO the newspaper building,
and in few minutes the latter struc-
ture was on fire. BY $50 the entire in
terror had been Quilted.
At that hour a portion of the west
wall fell, crushing in a large portion of
the One-Story power house of the Phila-
delphia Traction company, which con-
tanned the two immense engines which
propelled the cOmpany's street cars over
the lower section of the city. The
east wall crushed the four story build
lug occupied by Hamilton IL Diesiuger.
manufacturing jewellers and portions of
several buildings below on Eighth
street. On the west was the PoulSon
house. The roof was burned and the
building soaked with water. Above the
Grand Central, at Ninth and Walnut
streets, stands the historic old Walnut
Street theater. The performance there
was stopped, and the audience quietly
dismissed. 1t was feared also the Con-
tinentai hotel would catch fire, but the
building escaped with slight scorch-
ing.
An trreparable Loss.
Col A X. Mcclure, editor of the
Times, lost his invaluable political Ii
brary, which he has been collecting
during the past fifty years, and which
en- never be replaced. The losses, -
naar as can be estimated, are as fol
loews: Central theater, building So, 900
insurance $4,000; costumes and,
scenery of 1.-The Devils Auction
SIG 600; insurance $500. Twelve
Te mptatiOns, $4,000: insurance s., 500;
rs ca King So, 600; no insurance.
| The Times estimates its loss at about
1900, exclusive of its files and of
| Col. McClure'S library. The whole is
insured at about twO-thirds its value.
| Kosenko Il HetheringtOn' loss is at least
$1,000 Hamilton Il DieSinger'S, $75.-
| 600; partly insured. Other losses aggre-
gate SI5O,000 Mr.. Mclaughlin, the
| proprietor of the Times, when seen late
tonight, was inclined TO take his loss
| philosopncally He said the burned
| structure would be rebuilt at once and in
the meantime an effort would be made TO
| get the paper out from the old Times
building at the corner of Eighth and
| Chestnut streets. As the confusion fol-