The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-05-04

PHILADELPHIA, April 27.-The most SEN
sational FIRE that has visited this city In
years broke out tonight on the stage of
the Grand Central theater and before it
was gotten under control nearly 81 ,000, 900
worth of property had been destroyed,
Including the massive eight story annex
building occupied by the Times news
paper. There was panic in the theater
and nearly fifty persons, mostly occupants
of the galleries, were hurt, none, however,
seriously.
The Devils Auction" was on the stage
Gust before o'clock, while the stage
hands were lowering from the flies por-
ton of the setting for the first scene, it be-
came entangied in the border-lights. In
an instant the fimsy canvas was q mass of
flames
The production requires the services OF
: q large number of female choristers and
ballet dancers. These stood in the wings
and on the stage in scanty attire waiting
for the performance to begin.
They were thrown into panic and
rushed about, scarcely knowing which
way to turn to avoid the quickly spread
ing flames All were, it is believed, got
ten safely out, although there is a report
that three ballet girls are missing. For
tuuately, the house was only partially
filed. The audience had Just settled down
In their seats awaiting the beginning of
the Performance, when they were startled
BY the fash that came when the scenery
caught. The next minute a bright white
fame shot through the curtain and the
audience realized that they were face to
face with that most awful OF situations-a
theater fire.
Everybody started for the exits. The
weaker ones were borne down and crushed
under foot. One individual, maddened
and brutalized by excitement, drew a
pocket knife, and with it cut his way
through the mass of people. Half dozen
or more people were found at the hos
pital who had been victims of his frenzy.
None of their wounds however, were of a
more than painful character. This man
was one of the first to reach the sidewalk.
Men and bows fell on the stairways lead
ing from the galleries and were bruised
and scratched under the heels of those
following them. In all ffty-two persons
were cared tor at the two hospitals near
the theater. Everybody was outside the
burning structure within two minutes
from the time the Ere started.
The widest excitement prevail ed on the
streets. Ballet girls IN gauze and tights
rushed bareheaded around, almost all OF
them in a hysterical condition.
Looming away up above the rear of the
theater was the Times annex building,
occupied on the seventh floor by the edi-
torial force and on the eighth by the com
posing and stereotyping forces.
An alarm was promptly given and ali
the OCCUPANTS OF the building got out in
Jafety. The first, second, third and fourth
floors were occupied by De Koskeno q
Hetherington, art metal workers. Their
plant was one of the most valuable of its
kind in the country.
The latter structure was on fire. BvS:5O
the entire interior had been Quilted.
At that hour the west walls and a por-
fion of the east walls fell, the former
crushing IN a large portion of the
one-story power house of the Philadel-
phia traction company, which contained
the two immense engines which pro-
PEELED the company's street cars over the
lower section of the city. The
east wall crushed the fOur-story
building occupied by Hamilton & Diesinger
manufactures Of jewelry, and a portion
of several buildings below it on Eighth
It. The front wall filled Samson-st. with
bricks and stone and damaged buildings
opposite. In the cellar were the new
presses of the Times, the pride of Owner
Frank Mclaughlin. These are ruined
beyond epair.
Poulson house. The roof was burned and the
building was soaked with water Above the
Grand central at Ninth and Walnut-sts. stands
The historic OLD Walnutst. theater. Sydney
ali Ira III
IL being produced this week and
the house was we'll filed. There was
great dsnger that this house would catch fire
and the performances was therefore stopped
and the audieuee quietly dismissed. Ii was
feared also that the Continental hotel would
catch FIRE. but the building escaped with
slight scorching
Col. A. X. Mcclure. editor of the Times, lost
his valuable political library which he has been
collecting during the past fifty years, and
which can never be replaced.
The losses as near can be estimated are as
follows:
Central theater and building $50 900; insur.
ance $40, 900. Costumes and scenery Devils
Auction" $4,000; insurance $500; Twelve
Temptatons," $4,000; insurance s., 800; Sea
King" $4,000; no insurance.
The Times estimates its loss at about $780,
900, exclusive Of its fles and of Col. A. K Nc
| Clure's library. The whole is insured at about
two-thrds OF its value. DeKosenko * Hather-
| ington's loss is at least 100000; Hamilton a.
| aggregate $4,000.
Mr.. Mclaughlin, the proprietor of the Times
was seen late tonight. He was inclined TO take
his loss philoso phicslly. he said the burning
structure would be built AZ once, and in the
meantime effort would be made to get the
paper from the "old Times building at the
corner Of Eighth and Chestnutsts.
As the confusion following the fire some
what subsidized the casualties were found to be
more serious than was at first supposed.
Forty-one persons admitted 70 the
Pennsylvania hospitals. Most of them
suffering from burns, and
OF the forty-one about twenty are in
serious condition. Their injuries mainly
sbout the face, and many, tits feared, have been
blinded for life by the fierce wall Of hre through
the fought. The Jefferson hospital attended
90 thirty of the injured, but OF this number
only nine were seriously injured. A number
Of people are missing. and il il not known
whether they have persisted or have remained
among the crowd around the ruins.