The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1894-04-12
THEATER FIRE.
Nine Brave Firemen Go to Their
Death at Milwaukee.
Without Warning the Roof Lets Them
Drop Through
Into the Settling. Roaring Flames Ge!o"-
The Famous Davidson Play-House ana
Hotel Destroycd-Iha LH.trut;nn
Theatrical Troupe Lose Heavily.

MILWAUKEE, Wis, April AT 4:20
o'clock Monday morning flames were
seen breaking out from the rear OF the
Davidson theater and hotel, IL struc-
ture valued at $500, 900. An alarm was
promptly responded to, but not until
the roof was 4 sheet OF flames. lmne-
diately on the arrival OF the fremen
ladders were run up and the men rushed
to the roof, six stories from the ground.
In doing so, Ollie Rese, one OF the
men. slipped and fell to the ground
icing killed by the fall. All the men
from engine-house No. were di-
rected to the rear portion OF the roof,
right over the stage, where the fire
was the worst These Greinen and
others took their stations and began
work, when, without warning, the
roof under the men gave way, precipi'
tutin2 nine OF the men 50 feet below
into the FIRE on the large stage OF the
theater.
All of them were either killed 5y the
fall or burned or suffccated to death.
The following arc missing, and it Is
certain they were burned to death or
killed in the fall:
George Jansen, Co. Nc /; Assistant
Chief August jansen; Thomas Morgan,
No. 1: Frank McGurl; James Freeman,
No. 4; - ONcill: - Crowley. No.
ID Capt. Linefam, Co. No. T.
The following firemen went down
Al, Al,
were taken 10 the Emergency hospital:
Lieut.. Curran, OF Company /, Central
Fire station. probably fatally injured;
Fred Marsh, Company No. 5, foot
crushed; Fred Schroeder, John feo,
pipcman No. I. burned and back hurt
The large building was used as a
,hcater on the ground floor and the
rear, while the portion above the
ground foor to the front was utilized
bv the .Iotc! 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 panic prevailed, many
OF them escaping in hastily-made tot
let's or scarcely none at ali, to the
Schiltz House, nearly opposite.
The fire started, apparently, on the
stage undar the roof. The stage was
very LARGE one In height it was about
so feet from the floor to the root, and
the fire had made great progress in the
oily scenery and was q perfect oven OF
flames when discovered. The Lilllpu-
tians, with an immense amount OF
scenery, were filine two weei;a' en-
-gagenent ina II lil'~ito%Ma.a' "a the
house and has for the engagement
drawn great house, ihe stationary
scenery. which VA large and 'hAt OF
the Lilliputians, gave the flames nnns-
ual advantage and tie thing weat Ike
finder
Treasurer Rodriguez, Of tho David
son, says that ih, ios:; OF Tie Lilli-
put;aa ca, al tod, en- moi fall below
i50o The nav.'.o7s. who own the
luilding, ana ". re -'9ciiholjers in the
thcater colnp;A'V. we'd here formerly,
but now live in Nh.caco
ria9nla, Y2o &c TIC Emergency
Hospital slcScr =. = fail as follows:
"iYe wey> al on i root Of The build
ins-No IS nlen-y.l-a sho sank with
rs. There we've uaar me at tee
time, Capt. Linrhan. / lieut.. freeman,
pineman ONciii AMI pipcnan Witte.
VIZ ""' II
Ei''io 80 0A '''''s,' !''o- 'N',o''s e "'s