Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-04-28
FIRE In A THEATRE.
Blaze Started That Licked Up
$1,000, 900 in Property.
PANIC AMONG THE CHORUS GIRLS,

Frantic Rush for Safety by the Audience
Hundreds Trampied Under Foot and
$50 Injured, Few Severely-The Times
Newspaper Annex Building Destroyed,
Compositors and Editors Escaping
Win Ease-Wanamaker's Store Dam
aged and Whole block Devastated-
Eight Persons Reported Missing.
PHILADELPHIA, April 2s.-Fire last night
destroyed the Central theatre. Eight per-
sons, all members of the "Devil's Auction
company, are reported missing. They are:
Daniel Sweeny, Thomas Lorella, Mrs
Thomas Lorella, Miss Congers, Mr.. Brooks.
Miss Sarah Golden, Miss Valencia Chit
ten, and Miss Annie Stickney.
PHILADELPHIA, April 2S-A million dol
lars gone up in smoke and flames and
nearly an entire square consumed, is
The record of the fire fiend's work in Phila-
deiphia last night. The territory devas-
tated 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 theatre, now a
smouldering ruin and the historic old
Walnut Street theatre which was not
reached by the fire. The Times annex
which stood directly in the rear of the
Central theatre where the flames origi-
mated, is also in ruins. In addition to
The Times, which occu pied two floors and
the basement, the building was occupied
by number of business houses whose
losses will be heavily.
Estimate of the Loss.
The amount is impossible to give at this
hour, As the fire, which is under control, is
still burning. Taggart's Sunday Times
and Poulson's hotel, which stands on Wal
nut street above the theatre, are badly
gutted and the loss will be heavy. All the
buildings on Eighth street, between Wal
nut and SAMSON, are badly damaged by
fire, smoke and water, as are those 'front.'
ing on Walnut street. At this writing a
careful estimate places the entire loss at
over 81 ,000 600, and it is said that the in
surance will not reach 100000 The fire
was one of the most sensational which has
ever occurred in this city.
The Origin of the ConhagratiGn.
hands of the Central theatre had all the
preparations made for the performance Of
the Devils Auction" and one of the at
taches was in the act of lighting the gas
jet overhead known as the "border lights
While passing the torchlight along the
second row of lights a suspended scene be-
came ignited, and in an instant the entire
loft was an immense blaze. The alarm
was at once given, and all the stage hands
did their best to smother the flames but
the fire spread too rapidly. Charley Yale.
the manager of Mr.. Gilmore's enterprises,
was near the spot where the fire origi-
mated, and speedily threw open all the ex-
its of the auditorium and rushed to the Of
fee on the second floor en- the Walnut
street side of the theatre, and had lust
time enough to close the safe when the
smoke and flames drove him from the
room to the fire escape on the front wall.
Wild Times Behind the Scenes.
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 al
most at the cost of their lives and those
of their rescuers. All of them lost every
thing except the costumes which they
had on at the time the fire started. In the
front of the house the first warning re-
ceived was from the cries on the stage,
which was followed by burst of smoke
and tongues Of flames which swept
through the proscenium arch