The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-05

been the scene of so much gaiety.
The prefeet, NJ Lepine, was one of the
first officials to reach the scene, and he
directed the operations for the recovery
of the bodies and distributed the injured
among the various houses of the vicinity.
In the meanwhile the pumps played on
the burning ruins. AS the work progress
ed and the inquiries became more numer-
Gus and pressing it was seen that the
death rate would be much higher than at
first estimated. The police officials this
evening say they believe it to be certain
that the number of deaths would exceed
100, recalling the terrible fire at the Opera
Corique.
Among the injured are the Duchess de
Latorre, the Princess Kotchenbuy, the
Viscontesse d'Avenul and Mesdames Mo-
reau, du Brouii, Malezioux Eugene Chal-
lemel, Recannier and St. Dider.
The missing who are supposed to be
dead, include Gen. Meunier, the Marchion-
ess de Gallifel, the Duchesse d'Alencon,
the Countesses de Nun and St. Perier. the
Marchioness de Flores, the Viscountess
Hunol Holstein, Baroness Mackan, wife
of the leader of the pro-Rallists. in the
Chamber of Deputies, and Nine. Morlaun-
elamon, her son and four daughters. One
hundred corpses have been laid out in the
Palais dIndustrie. 1t is believed that an
other hundred are beneath the ruins.
The building was erected in the aimsiest
side being concealed by tapestry hangings
Of the most inhammable material. More
over there was only one exit.
The bazaar was in full swing. when sud-
denly, about o'clock, the cry of fire
rose in the quarter where the cinemato-
graph was being exhibited.
one or the survivors tells the correspond
ent of the Associated Press his experience
as follows: The place Was crammed full
OF people and the heat was sitting Be-
ing very unfortunate, my friends and
determined to leave, but somehow we
could not make much headway trough the
throng toward the door. Jagged little
behind, when on a sudden the shout or
fire was raised and instantly all was
commotion.
I'VE tried to keep back, but the rush
from behind forced us forward, and we
were separated. Then I tried to work my
way back, but I was carried off my feet
| and carried backward and forward in the
swaying crowd. / lost my hat, then my
coat was torn off, and then my waist
coat. All this happened in a few Sec
onds.
Immediately the full extent of the ca
lamity dawned upon us ALL The flames
were spreading rapidly through the whole
building, which rumbled like a living furn-
ace, but the uproar of the conflagration
could not drown the groans and cries of
myself pushed back against the wall of
the building and finally succeeded in
scrambling through an opening made by
| some of those who were near me. Two
seconds later l would have been victim
for hardly had 4 struggled through the
hole before l heard a dreadful crash as
the blazing roof fell in.
4 cannot describe the struggle for life
which ensued. No words can depict the
horror of the scene. 1t seems as l look
| back upon it like a hideous nightmare.
The whole thing was over in twelve min
utes, and nothing remained but the char
red and blackened ruins of the bazaar"
The dead were piled in heaps, especially
near the exit, where the charred remains
were five feet deep Arms, legs and skulls
mingled in inextricable confusion. In
some cases only the trunks remained, with
no vestige of clothing on any of the
bodies.
The firemen arrived at g. and a company
of infantry followed, to clear the ruins
and search for corpses.
The news spread like wildfire. All the
cabinet ministers now in Paris went i'm
mediately to the scene. Hundreds of
equipages streamed along the
Champs dElysees, their occupants
with anxious and tear-stained faces inquir-
ing for relatievs. There were many heart
rending scenes of grief and despair
Cabinet ministers, ambassadors, noble
men and members of the highest social
and financial circles were side by side with
the lowliest and the poorest, anXiousiy in
quiring for their missing relatives. About
thirty were saved by Pere Ambrose and
Pere Bailey, who helped them over the
wall with a ladder to the printing room
Of the newspaper La Croix.
The staff of the Hotel du Palais lent
valuable assistance and saved $50 persons
through barred window overlooking the
bazaar where, while the hotel employees
were carrying away the bars, they saw
three person burned to death.
Policemen, their hands covered with
gloves have been deputed by the prefect
of police to pick out the portions of re-
mains and to wrap them in pieces OF
cloth, to be transferred in ambulances to
the Palais d Industries. The remains pre-
sent horrible spectacle of limbs burned
and twisted.
On all sides can be seen stretchers piled
with mutilated corpses, skulls split open
and brains eXuding.
Just behind a heap Of corpses lies alone
the body of a woman. The face is down.
ward the head burned, the brain exposed,
and from the empty socket of the right
eye the brains are slowly ozzing. The
arms and legs are burned off.
A little further off is the body of anoth-
er woman, nude, the entrails protruding
and the head missing.
1t Is a CHASTITY sight.
The building was constructed about six
months ago. At the time 1t was remarked
that It would burn like matchwood The
interior was divided into shops, a la old
Paris, constructed of prettily painted can
vas
The Duchess d'Alencon, sister of the
Austrian empress, Is among the injured,
the list of whom includes the Duchess
'Uzes, the Comtesse Savigny and Mile,
de La Boulaye.
In the streets adjacent to the bazaar
were long lines OF sumptuous equipages.
Most Of these returned empty-their own
ers were dead.
The others were seen moving or with
their occupants injured IN head or limb. in
many cases with their faces streaming
with blood.
The search IN the debris will continue all
night.
Il appears that the fire originated In
| the left side OF the bazaar. The illumi-
mating apparatus OF the einematograph
exploded and set fire to the Turkish cur
| tains and hanginga.