The evening world., 1894-04-09
ten fIREMEN
KILLED.
At the Burning Of DaVidSon'S
Theatre in Milwaukee
This Morning.
THEY FELL WITH THE ROOF.
Liliputians Lose Their Fine Out
fit of Scenery and
Costumes.
FIRE CAUSES A HOTEL PANIC.
Guests Flee IN Their Night Clothes,
Though They Were in No
Danger.
FIRE CAUSES A HOTEL PANIC.


MILWAUKEE, Wis, April 9.-The
Davidson Theatre, the finest play house
in Milwaukee. and one of the handsomest
and costliest theatres In the country,
was destroyed by fire. which broke out
between and 3 o'clock this morning.
The valuable scenery carried by the Lili-
putians, whose ten days engagement at
the theatre was to close on Wednesday,
Is all gone.
Shortly after o'clock. when the fire
was seemingly under control. the the
atre roof. on which a score or more Of
the firemen stood as they fought the
flames. went down. and the men were
carried with 1t to the floor of the audi
torium below. Some were extricated
from the furnace OF flames by comrades,
who risked their lives to drag out the
PROSTATE forms of the dead and in
jured men. Six or eight were soon
brought out. Those who were able to
speak said there must be ten more in
the ruins. For those poor fellows there
was no chance. They were roasted to
death, II they had not been killed in
that terrible plunge from the roof
Following is n partial list of the dead,
including one fireman who had a fatal
fall before the roof crushed in.
The Dead.
GEORGE JANSEN. Company No l.
Capt LINEHAN. Company " l.
Assistant Chief AUGUST JANSEN.
ARCHIE CAMPBELL. freboat Cataract
THOMAS MORGAN. No. l.
FRANK MGURK.
JAMES FREEMAN. No T.
- ONEILI.
- CROWLEY, No II.
CHRIS REFS, No. . died way to hospital.
The following were rescued and taken
to the Emergency Hospital:
The Rescued.
Lieut. CuRRAN. OF Company No. l. central
fire station probably fatally Injured.
FRED MARSH, OF Company No, S, foot crushed.
FRED SCHROEDER.
JOHN VOC pircmnn, OF No. 4. badly burned
and back hurt.
The emembers fine insurance patrol
were covering up the seats In the par
uette 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 were caught b ythe
IaIIlAS unDerS. lne scene that followed
IS never TO be forgotten by those who
witnessed ii. For a moment all was
dark, then suddenly tremendous sheet
of flame shot up. and with 1t came the
through the roof to the theatre below.
one man was heard to cry: My God,
help me. l am roasting to death"
There was trouble in getting water on
the flames, which now rapidly made
their way through the theatre and the
scenery. The water was finally turned
81
fallen nearest the front door of the
lobby We're dragged from the burning
debris and carried out more or less in
jured.
The men were removed to the saloon
across the street and their wounds
dressed while other tiremen bravely
kept at work pouring a deluge of water
on the debris and trying to rescue others
OF the unfortunates.
The interior of that auditorium soon
became seething furnace The gallery
We're directing their attention to this
blaze another portion of the roof fell,
making the rescue OF the imprisoned
men impossible, and adding more fuel
Th" first fatality of the fire happened
before the more aNful tragedy on the
roof. Ollie Refs. u ~ man, lost his life
while tping TO reach the roof OF the
thedtr" before the 70. fell He had put
up 4 ladder from the northern wing OF
the hot-i building, which is two. stories
ia der swuyei and ne fell with il TO the
wing. He was carried away and died IN
the arms of his comrades. lie was
member of EE!ne Company No. g.
The guests of the Davidson Hotel,
which occupies Il part of lhe building.
He'd pantr-Stri1k2n from their rooms
when the alarm of fire rln through the
corridors. They were really IN no
danger and had ample time 10 &c. out.
None were injured.
The Lilliputians loss is heavy. Rosen-
field Brothers, of New York. own the
show. 1t was one of the most elabor-
atcly costumed productions on the road.
and its scenic property was generally
considered magnificent, All this Is gone.
L. j. RoderiEuez, of the Academy OF
Muslc said; Wr '.losI % MANAGER Lud.