The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-04-10

MILWAUKEE, April 9.
m AViDSON THEATER. the finest
II playhouse in Milwaukee, was
burned between 4 and . o'cloclS
" this morning, causing tho loss o.
a number of lives. Soon after 8 o'clock,
when the fire was seemingly under con.
troll, the theater room, on which
score or mora o. tiremen stood fighting
the flames, went down and the men
were carried within to the auditorium
below. Some were eXtricated from tho
mass of flames, in which the whole in
terror was enveloped, by their com.
rades, who riSked their lives to drag
out the bodies of the dead and injured
men.
Six or eight men were removed from
the building when the r5scuers were
compelled by the flames to abandon
the work. 1t was stated then that at
least ten of the i'll fated firemen were
still in the blazing interior.
When the roos of the theater fell, the
members of the insurance patrol were
covering up the seats in the parduet.
A light was suddenly seen through
tho roof above, and the men in the
auditorium ran back just as the crash
came Several of the men in the thea.
ter were caught by the falling timbers.
For moment all was dark, then sud.
denly greet sheet OF fame shot mp, and
with it came the cries OF the fremen
who had fallen through the roof to the
tEeater below.
There was trouble in getting the
water on the fire, which, ufter the fall of
the roof, rapidly made its way through.
out the building. The water was
finally got into tire auditorium, and
several of the tiremen who had fallen
nearest the front door of the lobby
were dragged from the burning debris
and carried out more or less injured.
The men were removed to the saloons
across the street, and their wounds
| dressed.
The guests Of the Davidson Hotel,
which occupies part of the building,
fad panic stricken from their rooms
when the alarm of fire was rung in the
hotel corridors They were really in no
danger and had ample time to get out
No one was injured.
The origin of the fire, as far as
known, was in the meat house of tho
hotel, which was on the top floor. under
the roof, near the auditorium and
stage.
MANY ACTS OF HERoISM.
There were many acts of heroisn
displayed, chief of which was the dar-
ing of Michael Dunn, captain of the
fire tug Cataract. He was on the ROOT
when it fell and seized the situation in
an instant. Other firsmen had rigged
a rope. making it fast to portion Of
the hotel building and dropped it over
into the awful hole through which sc
many Of their comrades had gone down
to death Seizlng the rope, Dunn
slipped down into the furnace. Soon
there was cry from below to pull the
rope up Dunn had found Pipeman
Yso helpless, tied the rope around and
ordered it raised. He found Fireman
O'Neill in the debris. Just at this
point delegation of insurance
patrol that had effected n,
entrance from below. joined Dunn in
the rescue. The case OF John Crowley
is terrible one. He lay buriei under
the debris from 3 a, IN. until 12 o'cloc h
noon. When first discovered he was
being flooded with water. He could
talk and begged them not to drown
him. Near him comrade was buried
who died before rescue. Crowley was
suffering for air. A rubber tube was
secured and inserted in his mouth and
attached to an air pump and he was
thus supplied with mir while the tasl
of removing the debris above him went
on as rapidly as possible, When taken
out he was alive. He was taken to the
hospital. He is seriously if not fatally
injured. There have been eight deat
recovered so far
Following is partial list Of the m er
who were buried under the fallen roof
George Jansen. Company No. O. Cap
tain Liuehan, Company 4 Assistant
Chief August Jansen; Archie Camp
bell, fire. boat Cataract Thomas Nor
gan, Company No. / Frank McGurk
james Freeman, Company No 4
-- O'Neill.
The following wero rescued ant
taken to the Emergency Hospital
Lieutenant Curran Of Company No.
central fire station, probably fatally
injured Fred Marsh OF Company No
3, foot crushed; Fred Schroeder, John
Yoo, pip'men of Company No. A. bGdl,
burned and back hurt.
Oliver Reis, Company No. 8. wa
fatally injured by u fall of ladde
when the firemen began their work
He died on the way to the hospital
The Davidson theatre WAS opened il
September, 1891. The manager Sher.
man Brown. said this morning, speak
ing Of the losses: THE original cos
to John and Alexander Davidson wa
between $3.50 600 and $l0O, 900. Tn
loss is mainly on the interior. Their
| 10 mn u,ay IN aatin ntn IL but II ,n,,, \,