Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-04-10
ANOTHER HOLOCAUST
Eight or Nine Lives Lost in Mil
waukee.
FIREMEN FLAME-ENT0MBED.
They Go Down With Sinking Roof Into
Burning Theatre-Their Rescue
impossible.

MILWAUKEE,. April 9.-The Davidson
Theatre. the finest playhouse In Mii"a"-
kee and one of the handsomest and cost
liest theatres in the country, was de-
stroyed by fire. which broke out between
4 and O'Clock. The valuable scenery
carried by the Lilliputians, whose ten
days engagement at the theatre was to
close on Wednesday night. is all gone.
Manager Rosenthal of the company, says
1t was worth $500.
Shortly after O'Clock. when tho fire
was seemingly under control, the theatre
roof. on which a score or more OF the
brave iiremen stood as they fought the
flames, went down and the brave men
were carried with it 20 the floor OF the
auditorium below. Some were extricated
from the furnace OF flames in which the
whole interior was now enveloped by their
brave and more fortunate comrades, VINO
rsked their lives TO drag OUT the pros
trate forms Of the dead and Injured
men. Six or eight men were soon brought
out, and those who were able 10 speak
said there must be ten or more in the
ruins. where living death awaited them.
For these poor fellows there was no
chance. The burning roof had fallen in
on them, and they were roasted to death
If they were not killed by the terrible
plunge from the roof.
\ cry Of horror went up from the fire.
men who saw the awful catastrophe. The
Of troll
covering up the seats in the parquet OF
the theatre when suddenly a light was
seen through the roof above. The men
In the theatre ran back just In time,
and the next moment the roof fell into
the parquet Of the theatre
Several Of the men in the theatre were
caught by the falling timbers. The scene
that followed is never TO b. forgotten by
those who witnessed IT, For a moment
all was dark. then suddenly a tremen-
dous sheet Of flame shot up. and with ii
came the cries Of the fremen who had
fallen through the roof to the theatre
below.
One man was heard to cry: MY God.
help me. am roasting to DEATH
The men were buried under the blazing
roof, and there seemed 70 be little hope
that any would come out alive There
which now rapidly made it's way through
the theatre and the scenery The water
was finally turned on. and several of
the firemen who had fallen nearest the
front door Of the lobby were dragged
from the burning debris more or less in
jured
The men were removed To the saloon
across the street and their wounds
dressed, while the firemen bravely kept
at work pouring deluge Of water on
the blazing wreck and trying To rescue
others OF the unfortunates. But soon no
more cries were heard. and it was evil
dent that all who had not been brought
out must now be past hope. The interior
of the auditorium soon became a mass
of seething flames. which the firomen
vainly endaavored to sublue in order to
save their doomed comrades.
RESCUE MADE IMPOSSIBLE.
While the frantic men We're at work
amidst the ruins on the floor Of the par
quet the gallery began to burn, and while
directing their attention To this blaze
another portion of the ROOF fell. making
the rescue OF the imprisoned men impos-
sibr and adding more fuel 10 the fire.
The first fatality happened before the
more awful tragedy on the roof Ollie
Refs. fireman. lost his life while trying
to reach the roof Of the theatre before
it fell. lie had put up a ladder from the
northern wing Of the hotel building.
which Is two stories lower than the the
atre proper when the ladder swayed and
he fol with 1t To the roof II the wing.
He was carried away and died In the
arms Of his comrades. lie was mem
Der Of Engine Company No. B.
Assistant-Chief Dever. who was among
those on the roof when the crash came,
said:
The members Of Engine Companies 3,
(. >. and II were on the roof where the
main portion of the fire was raging.
Suddenly. without moments warning
the roof gave way, and down 1t went
with all the men. Third-Assistant-Chiet
August Jansen was among those who
went down with the crash. lie managed
to catch a fire escape just AS the roof was
swaying and held on. We tried all we
could to rescue the men. but could not
reach them. Assistant-Chief Jansen Is
among those who are missing. l thinK ne
Is buried in the debris.
John Yeo, pipeman. Of Company No. 4,
WAS stretched out on one of the comforta-
bic cots at the Emergency Hospital at
$50 O'Clock frigh,fully injured, but as
calm and cool, apparently. as II he had re-
tired for a nights rest. Yeo said:
I'VE were all on the roof Of the build
ing, No. a. men. when she sunk with US
There were near me at the time captain
Linehan. Lieutenant Freeman. Pipeman
ONeil, and Pipeman Witte. on, but II
was awful | had a wonderful escape. Ii
seems almost impossible that | should be
alive here at this moment, bur, thank
God. | am, owing 10 the presence OF
mind 7 had when down in the ruins ana
the ouick work Of the relief party that
came after me. When | struck the bot
tom | was pinned down by bricks ana
timhers and wiggled around to get loose.
There were flames all around me ana
plenty OF smoke My clothing was tan
gled up with something. and so ] beg|n
to strip off my clothes and that's the way
T got loosened undressing myself there
In the flames with the ruins piled over me
and still falling Oh. man, but ii was Il
close rub for me, and II my back is NOT
broken | may be all right. Anyway.
hone shall be saved. Ny head is badly
burned and cut. How did ! finally reach
n place Of safety? Why. the boys got
line to me. I made il fast. and was
vanked over n wall into the alley or
somewhere"
THE VICTIMS.
Following Is a partial list Of the men
who were buried under the smoulderlng
ruins:
George Jansen, Company No. 2.
Captain Linehan, Company NO. l.
Assistant-Chief August Jansen.
Archie Campbell, fire-boat Cataract.
Thomas Morgan. Company No. !.
Frank McGuirk.
James Freeman, Company No. I.
- ONell.
- Crowley, Company NO. H.
The following were rescued and taken
to the Emergency Hospitals:
Lieutenant Curran, OF No. Central
Fire Station: probably fatally injured.
Frederick Marsh. OF No. .; foot crushed.
Frederick Schroeder.
John Yoe, pipeman. of No. 4; badly
burned and back hurt.
Captain Lnhan. OF No. 4; probably
fatally injured.
At the morgue: Ollie Refs. Company
No. &: fatally injured by fall of ladder;
died on the way 10 hospital.
The guests OF the Davidson Hotel. which
occupies a part OF the building, fled.
10 from their rooms when