Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-12-28
PANIC IN A THEATRE.

Twenty.three persons were crushed
and trampled to death in panic at the
Front Street Theatre, Baltimore, last
night; several others were injured, some
of whom, it is believed, will die.
The United Oriental Opera and ORA
matte Company was billed to present
the Jewish opera, Alexander" About
$500 persons were in the house when
the orchestra began to play the intro
ductory.
A strong odor of gas was noticed and
one of the attaches was seen hunting
for the leak with lighted torch. Sud
denly a jet of flame flashed out as the
torch came in contact with the punctur-
ed gas pipe.
Cries of "fre" were heard in the
upper galleries and in an instant the
excitement became intense. Some one
rushed TO the gas meter and turned of
the supply, plunging the main body OF
the house into darkness. The stage jets
alone remained lighted, being fed
through another meter.
Instead OF allaying the excitement
| caused by the sheet of flame from the
leaking pipe, the turning off of the gas
and consequent darkness only served
to add to the confusion. The audience
rose en- masse and made mad rush
for the exits.
The actors ran down to the foot
lights and shouted "Sit down, there's
no danger" but the excited thropg
paid no heed to the ADVICE but con-
tinued their wild scramble for the
| doors.
The gas was quickly turned on at
the meter and as the theatre again
became illuminated IN indescribable
scene of horror was presented. Men,
women and children, craZed by fear,
were fighting and struggling in the
aisles and on the stairways in their ef,
| forts to reach the open air.
The actors on the stage and few
cool heads in the audience added to
the turmoil by shouting their COM
mands TO "sit down" and cursiDg those
who were most vigorous in their efforts
to get out.
The struggling mass of humanity
made little or no Roadway for few
4 minutes. Every aisle was congested
and every doorway jammed with the
| frantic Poles and Russian Jews who
who mainly comprised gathering.
Strong men in the rear of the panic
stricken mob climbed upon theshoulders
| of those in front, crushing the weaker
men, women aud little children to the
| floor to be trampled to death by those
still further in the rear.
For several minutes the wild fight
continued. Then q few policemen
forced passageway to the main en-
trance and began dragging forth those
who were damned in tho doors. A
rushing stream of humanity flowed out
on Front street until all those who
were able to move reached the open
air.
/ A hurry call for policemen had
brought large squad TO the theatre by
this time and fire alarm had also been
sent in, bringing some engines on the
scene.
The excitement in the street was al
most as great as in the theatre, as
relatives began searching for those
from whom they had become separated
during the mad rush. Fathers and
mothers rushed about looking for their
children and attempted to re-enter the
theatre in their search for the missing
ones.
The crowd grew so great that the po-
lice, fearing riot, ordered the fire en-
CINE hose to be turned on and in that
way the struggling mass was driven
back from the theatre entrance.
| Meanwhile officers had entered the
theatre and encountered sickeniDg
sight. In every direction were founo
bodies from which life had been crush
ed and trampled.
A majority of the victims were young
men, girls and children. They were
tenderly carried to the front of the
house and taken to the City Hospital
and the morgue as fast as the ambu-
lances and patrol wagons could make
the trips. Great crowds followed the
ambulances and patrol wagons and
stormed the entrances to the hospital
and morgue in their anxiety to learn if
their relatives or friends were among
the injured or not.
Twenty-three dead bodies were final.
ly taken from the theatre. Ten per-
sons, more or less injured, are at the
City Hospital; two of them may die.
Several others were taken to their
homes in carriages, suffering Commissions
or broken bones. The death list will
probably exceed twenty-five.
|
B. & o. AND THE SOUTHERN.
The talk of consolidation of the B.
& o. and Southern railways con-
tinued to attract attention yesterday.
Some believed the deaf would be car
RED through. More believed that q