Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-04-28
BIG FIRE IN PHILADELPHIA.
The Times Building and Theatre Con-
sumed-Ballet Girls Forced into the
streets i'm Gauze Tights.

The Times Building ana Aheado N
sumed-Ballet Girls Forced into the
streets I'm Gauze Tights.
PHILADELPHIA, PA, April 27.-Ihe
most sensational fire that has visited
this city in years broke out tonight on
the stage of the Grand Central Theatre,
and before il was gotten under control
nearly a million worth OF property had
been destroyed, including the massive
eight-story annex building occupied by
the Times newspaper
There was a panic in the theatre, ana
nearly fifty persons, mo tly occupants
OF the galleries, were hurt, none, how
ever, seriously.
The Central Theatre is located on
Walnut street between Eighth and
Ninth, i'm the most thickly settled por-
ton OF the city, being surrounded by
hotels, restaurants, boarding houses,
newspaper offices and business houses.
Immediately in the rear of the theatre
was the Times building, which faced on
Samson street.
The theatre was usually devoted to
variety performances, but this week
spectacular production, The Devils
Auction" was on the stage. Just be-
fore S o'clock, while the stage hands
we're lowering from the flies portion
OF the setting for the first scene, 1t be-
came entangled in the border lights.
In an instant the tlimsy canvas was
a mass of flames. Tongues OF lire
shot up to the roof and blazing scenery
fell to the stage, and in a short space Of
80 n
atre was mass OF fire, The production
requires the services Of large number
of female choiristers and ballet dancers.
These stood in the wings and about 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
spreading flames. All were, it is be-
lieved gotten safely out, though there
is a report that three ballot girls are
missing.
During the panic behind the scenes a
scene OF even more intense excitement
was being enacted before the foOtlightS.
Everybody was outside the burning
structure within two minutes from the
time the fire started.
Excitement prevailed in the streets.
Ballet girls in gauze tights rushed bare
headed around, almost all of them in a
hysterical condition. The fire spread
with marvellous rapidity and by the
time the fire apparatus reached the
scene the whole building was mass Of
flames.
The wind was blowing in direction
to carry the flames to the Times build
ing in a few minutes.
The latter structure was on fire. BY $3.50
the entire interior had been Quilted. At
that hour the west wall and a portion Of
the east wall fell, the former crushing in
"a large portion Of the one story
power house of the Philadelphia
Traction Company, which contained two
immense engines, which propelled the com
pany's street cars over the lower section of
the city.
The east wall crushed the four-story
building occupied by Hamilton & Diesen-
ger, manufacturing dealers and portions Of
several buildings below it on Eighth
street.
The front wall filed Samson, street with
bricks and stone aud damaged buildings op-
posite. In the cellar were the new presses
OF the Times, the pride OF owner Frank Nc
Laughlin. These are ruined beyond repair.
Col A. X. Mcclure, editor of the Times,
lost his invaluable political library, which
he has been collecting during the past fifty
years, and which can never be replaced.