Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-05-05

nnsom, Eighth and Walnut Streets
he "Timesv Workmen Forced to Flee
Dr Their Lives--rhe Light of the Con-
agration Visible From Wilmington.
PHrLADELrHIA, April 2s.--A fire which
|t{Iginatcd in the Central Theatre, Walnut
|G<feet above Eighth, last night destroyed
|property estimated at S1,0O0,00O. and in
|IQred nearly 100 persons who were in the
|t1eatre. The latter building was destroyed,
nd set fire TO the Times annex, on Sansom
fTeet. in which the Times was printed, and
N>1npletely destroyed that handsome struc-
szre, in which pumber of business houses
I&0rc located.
The siiverware manufactory of Hamil-
ION 81 Deisinger was also destroyed, while
'the power house of the Traction Company
|Fas so badly damaged by tons of falling
|Pricks that the engines were stopped. -Four
Fores on Eighth street and two on Sansom
Erect were partially destroyed. as was the
ear of Poulson's Walnut street restaurant.
|& That there was not great loss of life was
lost remarkable The Central Theatre was
Iell filled, the galleries and balconies being
<pwded and scores were surging into the
|bby when the cry of fire was raised. AS
Is nobody can tell whether the ruins
1yer many or few victims Few believe
@iht it was possible for all to have escaped
bath, and policemen, firemen and theatre
X{Haches are convinced that u number of
Mople who were overwhelmed in the mad
HIsh to escape from the burning building
ere left to perish in the aisles and be-
yeen the rows of seats. Some few OF
ose who kept their wits about them
bile striving to gain the exits, reported
||2t they saw men pressed back or trodden
oder foot on all sides. A number of men
women were seen to faint, and
neither they were carried along with the
trcely pressing crowd to safety or left TO
Delr fate no one is yet able to say.
CAUGHT ON A BORDER LIGHT.
II was just before O'Clock when Mana
TN Gilmore, standing on the stage pre-
E&114fory to announcing everything ready
Iqr the opening OF the performance, saw u
flash OF fire at one Of the wings. A piece
Of fnncy scenery at the first entrance had
fallen into one of the border lights. The
material was one Of the flimsiest kind and
fhc blaze that shot up was like q flash Of
gunpowder. A number of employees were
IL the wings. Stage Carpenter Spillman
had Just been aloft to inspect the setting
md the scene shifters were at their posts
Below were the performers Of the big
company awaiting their calls and the or
chestra was about to file out to its quar-
Sters in front.
In moment the stage, wings and
dressing rooms showed scenes of the
widest confusion. The play on the boards
was the Devils Auction and the clabor-
ate scenery, property pieces and costumes
used in lis production were of the most
combustible material. All caught fire like
Issue paper and the whole was Il mass of
q flames in few minutes.
4 A wild rush was made through the stage
entrance and out along the narrow
I passageway that leads by the big building
of the Times annex TO SAMSON street. it
WAS the strangest looking crowd that ever
ISSUED from that passageway. and the many
people passing along the streets or lettering
lsat the corners looked on in amazement.
Men and women ran pell neil into the
streets, clad in the fantastic garbs they had
Just donned IN their dressing rooms. There
were gnomes, imps, clowns, fairies, cory
phees and ballet performers. shouting aud
gesticulating. Some of the orchestra men ran
out carrying violin bows and pieces of in.
struments. Mr.. Gilmore himself, pale and
bewildered, followed the throng.
Tur Rtisu FROM rur nAttpptps
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,, sud .1ad,a a ,ie ~ nu.,res. ~ .le hailery
tha h'Ia,, .,' , IN ssn,Ie.'su l9'u
s " otto w Usioy XXX ehes h ~, a,d Ioliea .e
. iio po'yoit' .iiua9 il neipiW l",iins pFel
,he .l,ei' ,;,.a aa. ni.u'eu q L,iio innsh. Ioi
.,nG ~ .aiiei;ss1oaius, III , anu ML'en tney WeIt
saTiiiuu ni, aiin ~, ~ eavl otner 70 'lie sIouiu
nc G"a,ei o'pMis ~ iiiut d no iess ~ 'icsi'er
ase ,l, .,lpo q. nc paiSiA s.aiis illrsu W.
Sno"ua S. uo'i,ihs .ose.ier III u iicrces.ru;sis
nol .ne s.aiLs .t iuiiheu ,nu iliust al,Ialliht
poeii1 ii u " wy iiisn., pnc pis lialii WI.
ian a1 peeh ai.unh ~ tne iioIt TOW ol w
epalcony urew iong,pilueu Khlle an.
iolueu -nis way tnrousl ahi over th'
swayiiS my, culiliis anu sls,siilS up an.
u.omn .. % a,ra " Ell S nll' ~ ~ w siiii'
uine u.'etils yells uliu CURSES Many O
apc iie.i anu npys Z, iii1 WY iiaue uesl,er
a.e piuIiges 10 arolu tle kH'Ie ana lel
an;n u,,uyi ~ Il, nie'VIipas ltee vi tie nl1
sH sssIicken ti..vns, eolhe oi tll9 boys llllitG'l
i.n, Lme inan' sl,raWlis anu IuiilnF OYER W ",
heaus Oh lhe er9Wu on lhe STAIRS; hhaill
fnife disannearad Il, thn cnnfusai ,n.,.s =,
spectators in the street
TA9 crowd in the galleries caused man,
to rush to the fire escanes. Here n terribl,
struggle took place. Men fought for place
upon the ESCAPES, and losing their hol,
pftched to the street below. Those wi,
fell first were speedily buried under thos
who fell on TOP of them. and The pnlite
who had gathered in front of tine building
ran forward TO lend aid, fully expecting |,
find many of the unfortunates killed.
Ii scenes almost a miracle that some d
them were not instantly killed, but al
pulled out Of the souirninr mass M lns
/. breathed and most we're soon resllscitnted
Meanwhile. those who could rencl
neither the stairs nor the fire escape wor