Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-04-20
8 FIREMEN KILLED.
Roof Of a Milwaukee Theater
Fell in With Them.
DEATH In THE FLAMES.
Preclpltated Eighty Feet in eeth-
Ing Furnace-FIVe of the Unfor-
tunates Miracu,ously Rescued,
but Some Of them In Dying
Condition.

At4.2O o'clock Monday. morning flames
we're seen breaking from the rear of the
Davidson Theatre and Hotel. at Milwaukee,
Wis, structure valued at 100000.
An alarm vas promptly responded to, but
not until the roof was sheet of fire. I'm
mediately on the arrival of the fremen, lad
ders were run up and the men rushed up on
the foof six stories from the ground. In do
ing so Allie Reese one of the men, slipped
and fell to the ground, being killed by the
fall.
Ali the men from Engine-house No. were
directed to the rear portion Of the roof, right
over the stage, where the fire was the worst.
These hremen and others took their stations
and begun work, when without warning tie
roof under them gave way precipitating nine
of the men 80 feet below into the fire on the
large stage of the theatre, all Of whom were
either killed by the fall or burned or suffo-
Gated to death.
The large building was used as a theatre on
the ground floor and the rear, while the por-
ton above the ground floor was utilized by
the Hotel Davidson, with an annex extending
to the north, which was not damaged by the
flames. The hotel portion was well filled
with guests, but they all were warned in time
and made their escape without injury, though
a panic prevailed, many Of them escaping in
hastily-made toilets, or scarcely any at all,
to the Schlity Hotel. nearly opposite.
The fire originated apparently on the stage
under the roof. The stage was very large
one In height it was about 80 feet from the
floor to the roof, and the fire had made great
progress in the oily scenery and was perfect
oven Of flames when discovered. The Lii
putians, with an immense amount of scenery,
were filling two-week engagement in "a
Trip to Mars in the house, and has drawn
great houses.
The stationary scenery which was large.
and that of the Liliputians, gave the flames
advantage and the things went like tinder.
It was about o'clock, when the fremen were
pouring great streams into the flames, that
the roof fell in. The members of the Insur-
ance Fire Patrol were covering up the seats
the parquette of the theatre, when suddenly
light appeared through the roof above.
They ran back just in time to escape the fall
ing roof, as portions of it dropped in the par
quette.
The scene to those who beheld it will not
be soon forgotten, as they saw the struggling
fremen and debris fall into the raging flames
on the stage, which grew more furious as the
opening in the roof gave more scope to their
fury. At the same time the agonizng cries of
he flremen could be heard for short space
Of time and then died away as their vitality
was overcome. There seemed no escape for
;he men who fell on the stage. They fell into
blazing pit, and were in turn covered by
he debris of the roof.
The entire interior of the magnificent
theatre soon became a furnace of flames.
Just how many fell with the roofs not known,
though John Yoe, pipeman Of No. 4. says
he thinks there must have been 20 who went
down. Of the number some were rescued,
but nine are known to be dead. Assistant
Chief Dever says:
were on the root where the main portion OF
the fire was raging. Without warning the
roof went in. Third Assistant Chief Jansen
went down. managed to catch hold Of
are-escape just as the roof went from under
my feet and held OH. Most of the men were
fighting the fire from the roof when it fell"
The loss to Rosenfeld Bros, proprietors Of
the Liliputians and of Miners Theatre, New
York, will be large.
Treasurer Rodriguez of the Davidson, says
that the loss to the Liliputians Company, all
told, cannot fall below $4,000. Manager
Brown, as he stood watching the elegant
playhouse go up in smoke, said: "The origi-
nal cost of the entire structure and contents
to John and Alexander Davidson was between
$3.50, 900 and 100000. The chief loss is, OF
course, on the interior, and will probably be
half the cost of the structure, or about $780,
900. have no doubt it will be rebuilt, but it
will take year to do it,