The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-04-30
THE LOSS ONE MILLION.
Flames Devastate a Whole
Square in Philadelphia.
PANIC IN THE CENTRAL THBATER

A wild Stampede FOR Life in which
Many People Are Iniured-Taggart's /.
Sunday Times Buildinr. Pouison's Hotel
and the central Theater Burned.
PHILADELPHIA, April 2s.-A million dol
hrs gone up in flames aud smoke and near
ly an entire square consumed is the record
Of the fire hend's work in Philadelphia last
night The territory devastated by the
flames is bounded on the north by SAMSON
street, on the south by Walnut street, on
the east by Eighth street and on the west
by Ninth street In the block were the
Central theater now smoldering ruin,
and the historic old Walnut Street theater,
which was not reached by the fire The
Times annex, which stood directly in the
rear OF the Central theater, where the
flames originated, is also in ruins In addi-
ton to The Times, which occupied two
floors and the basement, the building was
occupied by a number Of business houses,
whose loss will be heavy. Taggart's Sun
day Times and Poulson's hotel which stand
on Walnut street above the theater, are
badly gutted, and the loss win be heavy.
All the buildings on Eighth street between
Walnut and SAMSON are badly damaged by
fire. smoke and water, as are those fronting
on Walnut street.
The Loss 81, 100000.
ia careful estimate places the entire loss
at over 81, 600 900 and it is said that the in
surance will not reach $4OO,OOO The fire is
one Of the most sensational which has ever
NaI IA & afa
Central theater, the most popular variety
theater in the city, was crowded, the at
traction being 1.-The Devils Auction" While
the orchestra was playing the overture q
stage hand was startled by the discovery of
fire in the flies A sky border had swung
against one of the border lights, and in an
instant a sheet Of flame swept over the
stage. The inhammable scenery caught like
tinder, and almost before the alarm could
be given the stage was a mass Of FIRE.
A wild Rush for Life.
Half dressed chorus girls and actors made
a wild rush for life and sought to reach the
street Those on the stage easily escaped,
but those in the dressing rooms under and
above the stage had hard struggle for life.
AS they rushed from their dressing rooms
they were met at every turn by the flames
and many had narrow escapes. A number
of the women tainted and were carried into
| the street almost at the cost of their lives
and those Of their rescuers All of them
lost everything except the costumes which
/ they had on at the. moment the fire started.
! In the front Of the house the first warn.
ing received was from the crier on the
stage, which was followed by burst of
smoke and there was a wild rush for the
door Men, women and boys were borne
down and crushed to the floor in the fight
/ to reach safety. In the top gallery the rush
| was the worst as the staircase leading
/ down to the street is narrow and tortuous
/ At the Walnut street front were improved
! fire escapes and hundreds reached the street
/ by them. Hundreds more were, however,
I trampled under foot, crushed and bruised
into insensibility and left lying in the burn
ing theater The police and firemen brought
out those who had been injured and left 10
perish.
Ambulances from the jefferson, Pennsyl
/ vania, Hahnemann and University hos.
pitfalls carried about 100 injured TO the hos
pitfalls. In an incredibly short time the rear
of the theater was mass of seething
flames, which shot high into the air.
Directly in the rear of the Central theatei
and fronting on SAMSON street was the
eight story Times annex separated from
the theater only by a few feet OF space. As
the flames shot mp they burst through the
windows and the building was doomed.
When the alarm was given the whole force
OF The Times was at work, but every one
escaped.
The Times editorial rooms were elegantly
fitted up and a valuable library occupied a
section of the floor. Everything was eaten
up by the fire.
A Panic AVerted at the Walnut.
At the southwest corner of the square at
Ninth and Walnut is the historic old Wal.
nut Street theater, where large audience
had assembled to see a comedy. When the
alarm was given business Iuanager onmPsOn
decided instantly to have the announcement
made that no performance would be given,
and to dismiss the assemblage with the
assurance that tickets would be redeemed
Manager E. H. Price, of the comedy com
pany wishing 10 avoid panic announced
that on account Of the continued illness Of
one Of the actors no performance would be
given. The audience left the theater in or
der and no accident occurred
From the Central theater and The Times
building the flames spread to Poulson's res
taurant, and for time it looked as if the
whole square would go. SAMSON street il
narrow, and from the burning Times anneI
the flames swept across and set fire to the
fronts on Chestnut street The flames il
Wanamaker's We're finally extinguished, but
not until considerable damage had beer
done. The Times annex, however, coulC
not be saved, and by II o'clock was a mas
} Of ruins.
Scenes at the Fire.
In "The DEVILS Auction" company werI
forty people-eighteen men and twenty-five
} women. The stage manager Of the com
pany reports that all are accounted for.
The rush down the fire escapes was thrill
ing. Like rats the men and boys Of thl
galleries rolled and tumbled down, with al
occasional clutch at rod or support to sta!
their flight. Many fell with but very few
pauses in their journey and landed on the
z sidewalk with broken limbs and other in
juries. II is miraculous that no one wa
killed. The following is a partial list of tn
r badly burned and injured:
I John McConley, Harry McCloskey Rober
McGroarty, AbrRm Mullock James Pigeon
! Joseph PrettymAn, Rand Patterson, FrRnl
% Robinson, Cannie Ridley, James Rice, Patricl
sweeny James Scanlan, Charles ShArke,
, Joseph Silver, John Ward Charles Wordeu
- George Gantes and Felix Goldberg
Mr.. Mclaughlin, Of The Times, estimate
his loss at SS50,0OO; insurance, 100000
Colonel Mcclure lost many books valuabl
2 manuscripts and clippings.
This is the fourth FIRE that has visited tn
site where shoulders the remains of tn
{ Central theater. In 1861 thirteen bale
Q girls were roasted 70 DEATH although tn
D building OF that time was but slightly dan
aged Again in 1867 disaster came tn
house was then called the American Variet
theater. II was burned 10 the ground, an
{ seven men, four OF them hremen, wer
crushed under the fall Of the Walnut stree
wall.
d The Lehigh Valleys New Line.
] 10