The record-union., 1892-04-29
BURNED TO DEATH.
NINE LIVES LOST IN THE PHILA-
DELPUIA THEATER FIRE.
Sixty-Three Stores and Dwellings De.
stroyed by Fire in the Town
of Chase, Michigan.
Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.

Special to the RECoRD-UNIoN.
PHILADELPHIA, April 2S.-The destruc-
ton of the Grand Central Theater by fire
last night proves to be far more terrible
in results than was anticipated. Six
members of the DEVILS Auction Com
pany lie beneath the fallen walls. and
there are nearly three score of people in
the hospital suffering from burns.
OF the men and boys in the hospital
seven are in such serious condition that
their recovery is doubtful. Of the mem
bers of the audience, beside those who
were seriously enough hurt to remain in
the hospitals, fully fifty others were
treated for minor injuries.
The members of the company who lost
their lives are: Thomas Lorella (grOtes-
que and his wife Flora ballet dancer),
Vincentina Chitten (premere danseuse).
one of the Chitten sisters; Fancheon
ConiterS Juvenile), Sarah Golden (ballet
dancer), William l.. Brooks leading
man.
The injured likely to die are: Harry
McCloskey, aged l6 years; James Pigeon,
son, 16; Albert Cleumbacker, 6; Thomas
Atchison, 81 Ralph Frazer, Is.
Samuel Wallace, a boy of IS. who at
tended the Devils Auction" perform
ance at the Grand Central Theater last
night, is reported missing and it is be-
lieved that he also was buried in the
ruins, making the seventh victim of the
fire.
Lorella met his death in a heroic at
tempt to save the life Of his wife. He s.
capped safely from the theater, supposing
his wife had preceded him. Not finding
her he returned to the theater, and with
out needing the remonstrances of those
about him, plunged into the dark, smoke
filled alley and did not reappear.
No attempt at recovering the bodies
has yet been permitted, owing to the dam
gerous condition OF the ruins.
Men are at work on the debris in front
of the Times annex night and day. and a
dangerous wall eight stories high, over
hanging the street, will be pulled down
and then the work of recovering the
bodies will be commenced.
None of the injured have died, and all
tonight are reported doing we'll
The Times loss is considerably smaller
than first reported, as the cellar had
double arches and preserved the presses
from the weight of hundred tons of de-
bris, SO the presses and other machinery.
valued at S20J,000, escaped with compa a.
lively little damage. The building, val
ued at Sl49,23f, is a total wreck. The
fixtures, which cost $4,000. are also
ruined. The building will be rebuilt at
once.
Proprietor Gilmore of the Grand Cen
trail Theater was overcome by the trag-
edy. He received a number of telegra,ns
from theatrical managers offering sym-
pathy. The Academy of Music this morn
ing rendered him its house for benefit
for himself and the DEVILS Auction Com
pany. 1t was accepted gratefully for the
company, but declined on his own be-
half. The theater will be rebuilt at once.
LATER-Two additional persons miss
ing were reported tonight, making nine
people who cannot be accounted for since
the fire. The last are George Z. Thatcher,
a machinist, and Frederick Ampher. u
years old, who left their homes to attend
the Central Theater last night, but failed
to return.
TWO PERSONS BURNED TO DEATH.
NEW YORK, April 2S.-A fire in Cayuga
flats. West Thirty-third street, this morn
ing, resulted in the burning to death of
man and woman. The bodies are un-
recognizable. Several others were badly
burned
SIXTY-THREE BUILDINGS BURNED.
REED CITY tMich.), April 2S.-The en-
tire business portion of the town of Chase,
consisting of sixty-three stores and
dwellings, was destroyed by fire last
night, causing an estimated loss of $780,
GO, with little or no insurance.