The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-04-28
A PANIC IN A THEATRE.
Frenzled People Fought Their Way
to the Streets.
MILLION DOLLAR BLAZE.
Philadelphia Visited by . Most senss-
tional Fire-The Massive Eight-story
Building OF the .'Times" Destroyed
Fifty-two People In Hospitals.

khsy"s"o - SoRAo ~ AAosRht8hes
PHILADELPHIA, April 25.-The most
sensational dre that has visited this city
In years broke out shortly before o'clock
last night on the stage of the Grand Gen.
tral Theater, and before it was got under
control nearly million dollars worth of
property had been destroyed, including
the massive eight story annex building
occupied by the Times newspaper. In the
panic In the theater nearly fifty persons,
mostly occupants of the galleries, were
hurt, none, however, seriously.
The Central Theater Is located on Wal
nut street, between Eighth and Ninth, in
the most thickly settled portion of the
city, being surrounded by hotels, res
taurants, boarding. houses, newspaper
In the rear of the theater was the Times
building, which faced on Samson street.
The theatre was usually devoted to va
risty performances, but this week there
has been spectacular production, "The
DEVILS Auction" on the stage. Just be-
fore 8 O'Clock. while the stage hands
were lowering from the fiies portion of
the setting for the first scene, it beca ie
entangled in the border lights. In an
instant the himsy canvas was o mass of
flames. Tongues of fire shot mp to the
roof, blazing scenery fell to the stage and
In q short time the entire rear portion OF
the theatre was mass of fire.
The production requires the services of
q large number OF female choristers and
ballet dancers. They stood in the wings
and about the stage In scanty attire,
awaiting for the performance to begin.
They were thrown into q panic and
rushed about, scarcely knowing which
way to turn to avoid the quickly spread
ing flames. All were, it IL believed, got
safely out.
The police and the theatre people deny
the truth of the report that three women
are missing.
While the panic was In progress behind
the scenes . scene of even more intense
excitement was being enacted before the
foot-lights. Fortunately the house was
only partially filled. The audience had
just settled down In their seats, awaiting
the beginning OF the performances, when
they were startled by the fash that came
when the scenery caught, which could be
plainly seen through the lowered curtain.
The next minute bright white flames
shot through she curtain, and, realizing
that the theatre was on fire, everybody
In the audience started for the exits. The
weaker ones were borne down and crushed
under foot. One individual maddened by
excitement, drew pocket knife, and cut
his way through the mass of people.
Halt q dozen or more people were found
ut the hospital who had been victims OF
his frenzy. None of their wounds, how
ever, are dangerous. This man was one
OF the hrst to reach the sidewalk. Men
and boys fell on the stalrways leading
from the galleries and were bruised and
scratched under tho heels Of those follow
Ing Z. them; a;s e. r.,.o,. var. ,.,.a %, >, ~.
two hospitals near the theatre. Every
body was outside the burning structure
within two minutes from the time the
fire started.
The widest excitement prevailed on the
streets. Ballet girls in gauze and tights
rushed bareheaded around, almost all OF
them In hysterical condition. The fire
spread with marvellous rapidity, and by
the time the fire apparatus reached the
scene the building was mass Of flames.
Looming sN ay 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
department. Of the Times was in the rear
OF the building. A reporter saw from q
window the flames shoot through the
roof OF the theater. His cry of alarm
warned everybody in the room and all the
editors and reporters started for the ele-
vator. Nobody thought of stopping to
cry body got out safely.
The scenes in the composing room,
where about rs people were at work, were
Of tho same character. Printers rushed
from their cases, not waiting to gather
any Of their belongings. On the sixth
floor was the illustrating department OF
the Times and, too, the rooms of the
American Press Association. The fifth
floor was unoccupied.
The first, second, third and fourth
floors were occupied by DE Koskeno and
art metal workers. Their
plant was one OF the most valuable of its
kind in the country.
The wind was blowing in a direction to
carry the flames from the theatre to the
newspaper building, and in q few min
utes the entire interior had been gutted.
The walls fell and crushed adjoining
buildings, running several valuable power
plants, among them the engines propell-
ing street cars in the lower section OF the
city.
The new presses OF the Times are ruined
beyond repair. 1t will be two weeks be-
lore cable cars can be operated.
Col. A. X. Mcclure, editor of the Times,
ost his valuable political library.
number OF people connected with ths
theatrical company are reported missing
The NEWS is marching to the head OF
ha faf uroceasfan NTH CI.uf strta-.