Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-04-28
MILLION DOLLAR FIRE !
GRAND CENTRAL THEATRE OF PHILA-
DELPHIA DESTROYED.
TERRIBLE PANIC WITH LOSS
OF LIFE.
THE "TIMES" BUILDING EN-
TIREI.Y GUTTED.
SOME LOSSES THAT CAN NOT
BE REPAIRED.


occurred last night during performance.
1t proves today to have been far more
terrible in its results than was antici-
patcd.
Six members of the "Dcyils Auction
Company, which occupied the stage, lie
dead beneath the fallen walls of the
and nearly three score people
are in hospitals suffering from burns.
Of the men and boys in the hospital
seven are in such serious condition that
their recovery is doubtful. All were
members of the audience. Besides those
who were seriously enough hurt to re-
main in the hospitals, fully fifty Others
were treated for minor injuries.
The unfortunate members of the COM
pany who lost their lives are: Thos.
Lorella, dancer and grotesque artist;
Flora Lorella, his wife, coryphee; Vim
ceatcian Chilten, premiere dlanseuse, one
of the Chilten sisters, Italian dancers;
Fanchon Conyers. juvenile character,
resident of Chicago; Sarah Goldman
corvphee, resident OF Chicago; Mr.. l..
Brooks, leading man, resident of Phil
adelphia.
The injured i'll hospitals who are
likely to die are all suffering from burns
about the face and head, and from hay
ing inhaled flames. In addition to the
serious condition of the aboveit is feared
that many will lose their eyesight, as
their burns are all mostly about tie
face.
By the light of day the destruction
wrought by the fire was made more APP
parent and the dcsolation of the scene
seemed more terrible as it was without
the accompanying grandeur given by
the columns of flames shooting skyward
above the tallest buildings. The ruin OF
the Central theatre is complete, only the
front wal. remaining standing. The
other walls fill the space they formerly
enclosed. Directly back of the theatre
but shell remains of the eight story
building occupied by the Times. A row
of stores to the east of the two burned
structures, and facing on Eighth street
and extending from Walnut to Sansom
streets are almost completely gutted by
the fire and water. The police have had
great difficulty in keeping the crowd o
curious sight scers moving so as to give
the fremen their necessary space to
work in.
How the Fire Caught.
The fire broke out in the the ater jus
before s o'clock, while the stage hand
were lowering the flies. A portion o
the setting for first scene became entan
gled in the border lights. In an 'nstan
the fimsy canvass was a mass OF flames
and in short space OF time the entr
rear portion of the thcater was a mas
of flames. A large nurnbcr OF temal
chorus singers and ballad dancers, thes
stood around the stage in scanty at
tire waiting for the performance to bt
gin. They were thrown into apanlc an
rushe 1 about, scarcely knowing whic
way to turn.
Fortunately, the house was only pa,
TALLY. The audience we're awaiting til
beginning of the performance, whe
they were startled by the flash tha
came when the scenery caught. The neS
minute a bright, white flame she
through the curtain, and everybod
started for the exit. The weaker one
were borne down and crushed und'
foot. One individual, maddened an
brutalized by the excitement, drew
pocket knife and with it cut his wa
through the mass ofpeoplc.
Men and hoys fell on the stairwa!
leading from the galleries and we
bruised and scratched under the heels
those following them.
Everybody was outside the burnlt
e structure within two minutes from t
0 time the fire started. The widest e
, citcmcnt prevailed on the streets. B;
let girls rushed barehcaded around,
most all of them in hysterical conditio
The fire spread with marvellous rapidit
and the Times building was nextattacke
;. BY $50 the entire interior had been Ct
= ted. At that hour the walls fell, crus
ing in large portion of the one sto
power house of the Philadelphia Tr;
! ton company, and the four story bui
ing occupied by Hamilton & Deseng
manufacturing jewelers., and portions
several buildings below it on Eigf
street. between Sansom and VAIN
streets.
The front wall as it fell filled Sansc
, street with bricks and stone, and da
aged buildings opposite. In the cell
were the new presses of the Times,
pride of the owner, Frank McLaughl
They were ruined beyond repair.
Eighth street, from SAMSON to Vain
re three buildings were completely quit
cd and the roof of Taggart's Sunday Tir
nd was burned and the composing room
ut the top floor was filled with water.
~. Col. A. K. Mcclure, editor of
re. Times, lost his invaluable politi
nd library, which he has been collect
ng during the past fifty years: The to
las loss will reach a million dollars, t
thirds insured.