The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-05
.FR|GHTFUL!
Over 200 People
Were Burned
At a Charity Bazaar at
Paris Last Evening.
Place Transformed Into a
Gigantic Cemetery.
Dead Piled in Heaps at Main Exit OF
Films Structure.
- -
Dead Piled in Heaps at Main Exit OF
Films Structure.
The V'azlng Roof Crashed on the Mass
of STRUGGLING Humanity.
i blackened


..u.e buried i'm the
1~...- - ,-- liar building in the Rue
Jean Goujou--such is the awful record OF
the fire horror which has thrown all
Paris into mourning.
When to this is added the number of
injured. which will probably reach sew
eral hundred, and when IL is realized that
many OF them are likely to die of their
injuries, the full extent OF the awful ca
lamity may be better realized.
Fire broke out at o'clock yesterday
afternoon iE a crowded charitable
bazaar in the Rue Jean Goujon. at which
the Duchess D'Uzes and other we'll
known patronesses were present.
The bazaar in which the fire broke out
was temporary structure OF wood. The
flames We're first discovered above the
stall occupied by the Duchess Dues,
The place was densely crowded with
well-known society people, the holding
OF the bazaar in the cause of charity
being an annual function presided over
by the leaders of Partisan society.
There was a wild rush for the exits,
and the weaker persons We're trampled
upon after having been knocked down
in the stampede.
The inhammable nature OF the build
ding and its contents caused the flames
TO spread with great rspidity, and in a
very short time the bazaar was a mass
OF ruins.
The number OF dead taken out UP 10
this morning was 120. Ii is certain that
fully 100 more were burned TO death
Ambulances and undertakers' wagons
were moving all night in endless pro-
cession from the scene of the holocaust
AmonS' the dead were some Of the most
prominent society people OF Paris.
Enormous crowds of people gathered
around the scene of the fire. Among
them were large number of liveried
servants inquirinS for their mistresses
II is hoped the missing ones may be
found among the many injured persons
who are being cared for at tile hotels.
hospitals and other places.
Although an alarm was sent out with
reasonable promptness, the whole wood
en- structure was blazing before the
firemen could approach the bazaar.
When they were within a short dis
tance of ii, the roof ard almost the
whole building collapsed upon the un-
fortunate people who had been unable
to force their way out OF the building.
In spite of the efforts of the firemen,
some time elapsed before the charred
bodies could be pulled from the smok-
ing and burning mass of debris, where.
but short time before, had been so
much gaiety.
The building was erected in the finn
a..
ing inside being concealed by tapestry
hangings of the most inflammable ma
terial. The bazaar was in full swing
when suddenly the cry of fire rose in the
quarter where the kinematograph was
being exhibited.
Dead Piled Five Feet Deep.
The dead were piled in heaps, espe-
cially near the exit, where the charred re-
mains were five feet deep. arms, legs and
skulls mingled in inextricable confu-
sion. In some cases only the trunks re-
maiHed, with no vestige of clothing on
any of the bodies.
The firemen arrived at 6. and n COM
reny Of infantry followed to clear the
ruins and search for corpses. The news
spread like wildfire. All the cabinet
ministers, now i'm Paris, went imme-
pages streamed along the Champs
D'Elysees, their occupants with anxious
and tcar-stained faces inquiring for
their relatives. There were many
hcart-rending scenes OF grief and de-
spair. one lady rushed about franti-
cally calling her daughter by name.
Someone told her the girl was safe.
whereupon she jumped, danced and
screamed. then rushed TO the coach
man TO tell him TO drive home, and fell
IN dead swoon.
Another lady went insane. third
imagined, In her frenzy. that she recoE-
ni2Cd her daughters dress. and hys-
terically called upon her husband TO
tell the police TO prevent the child from
going TO the bazaar Cabinet ministers
ambassadors noblemen and members
or the highest social and financial cir
clcs were side by side with the lowliest
end the poorest. anxlously inquiring for
their missing relatives About 30 were
saved by Perc Ambrose and Pere Bailly.
who helped them over the wall with
ladder, To the printing room OF the news
paper La CroiX The STAFF of the Hotel
Du Paiais lent valuable assistance and
saved 100 through a barred window.
overlooking the bazaar where while the
hotel employees were carrying away the
bars. they saw three persons burned to
death beneath their eyes.
Gathering Up Remains.
Policemen. their hands covered with
gloves. were deputed by the prefoci
Of police 70 CtCE 0ut the portions Of re-
mains and to wrap them i'm pieces Of
cloth. to he transferred In the ambu.
lances 90 the Palais de L1ndustrios.
The remains presented "A horrible spec
.acle OF limbs burned and twisted on
all sides were stretche-s piled with mu.
tilated co-pses. skulls split open and
brains exuding. lust behind a heap Of
c-iSses was the body. Of woman, the