Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-05-05
HORROR IN PARIS.
HIGHEST SOCIETY PEOPLE PERISH
IN FLAMES.
CHARITY BAZAAR TAKES FIRE.
1T BURNS LIKE TINDER, AND IN A
FEW MINUTES COLLAPsEs.
A PANIC At THE FIRST ALARM.
TERRIBLE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE
AMONG HIGH AND LOW.
OYER A HUNDRED LIVES LOST.
Nearly Two Hundred Persons In
iurcd-AwfuI Details of the Disas-
ter-Anxiety Throughout the City
Theatres Closed.

o'clock this afternoon I'm crowded
charity bazaar in the Rue Jean-Gogon.
at which the Duchesse dues and other
well-known patronesses were present.
Many people were burned to death, and
there was "A terrible panic. during which
a number of persons were injured.
The building in which the fire broke
out was a temporary structure of wood.
The flames were first discovered above
the stall occupied by the Duchesse dues.
and while the place was densely crowd
ed. The bazaar is an annual function.
presided over by the leaders Of Paris.an-
American society.
The managers of the bazaar had ar
ranged the stalls, etc, so as 10 represent
a street of old Paris. and 1t was opened
Yesterday. The proceeds Of the sales at
each were devoted to a separate charity.
The stalls were presided over by Nine.
Feyrier. the wife of General Fevrier, the
Marquise de rAigle. Nine. Macobs, Ba-
rome La Lucette, the Marquise de st.
Michel. the Duchesse Dues, Nine. lS-
notte. the Baronne de St. Didier. the Com
tesse d'Salaynska, the Marquise lie Coues-
tier the Marqu.se d'Argence. the Ouch
esse d'Alencon. member OF the Orleans
family: Nine. d'Arlu Nine. Bosseaux. the
Baronne de Schlckler, Nine. Moreau, the
Marauise Costa de Beauregard, her
Royal Highness tEe Duchess de Ven
dome the Marquise de Maison, and the
Comtesse de Grefful, nee La Rochefou-
cauld. Mile. de Flores presided over the
refreshment stand. These ladies were
assisted by many equally well-known
society ladies.
A somewhat remarkable coincidence Is
the fact that the stall presided over by
the Duchesse d'Uzes was mo. b."
over one hundred persons have been
conveyed to the Hotel du Palais, in the
Cour do la Refine but many Of the criti-
cal cases have been transported to the
Hospital Beaujon. A policeman who
was on duty at the doors of the bazaar
says that from 1900 to 1000 people were
in the building when the fire broke out.
a GENERAL PANIC.
lie adds that the alarm caused gene
raj panic. followed by a terrible rush
for the doors, which were soon choked,
preventing the escape az many who
otherwise might have been saved. The
strong trampled upon the weak, the
young crushed the old TO the floor The
bazaar was 300 feet long by $50 feet wide,
and constructed almost entirely or WOOL.
The DoWager Duchesse Dues IL one
of the most prominent women In France.
and is said TO have provided 3,OO0UoV
francs for the propa ganda OF General
Boulanger. The young Duchesse dues
is a daughter of tie late Due de Chalnes.
She was married in Paris on Janu-
airy 10, 1894, in the chapel OF the Convent
of the Sacred Heart. where she was edu-
Gated. The Due Dues is the Premier
Duke of France. the creation OF his tltle
dating back TO 1865.
Further details just obtained show
that before the firemen could arrive the
roof OF the bazaar crushed in, burylng
numbers of those who had been unable TO
make their egress from the building.
Very soon after the alarm was gwen
assistance was hurried 10 the burning
building, and effective help was rapidly
organized between the firemen and the
policemen.
Although an alarm was sent out with
reasonable promptness, the whoie
wooden structure was aZing before the
iremen could approach the bazaar. Tee
roof and almost the whole building col
lapsed falling upon the unfortunate
people many of whom are supposed 10
have previously succumbed to the stifllng
smoke In spite of the enorts OF
the firemen. some time elapsed before the
charred bodies could be pulled from the
smoking and burning mass of debris
covering the spot which but a short time
before had been the scene OF so mucn
gayety.
OVER A HUNDRED DEAD.
The Prefect, NJ. Lepine was one OF the
first officials to reach the scene, ana nt
directed the operations for the recovery
of the bodies and distributed the ihJur1u 80
among various houses in the vicinity. III
the mean while the pumps played on the
burning ruins. AS inquiries became more
numerous and pressing. it was seen tha'
the death-rate would be much higher thar
was at first estimated. The ponce ON
cials this evening say they believe 1t &c
be certain that the number or deaths
will cxceed 100, recalling the terrible hrt
at the Opera Comique.
Among the injured are the Duchess de
Ia Tore. the Princess hotShonpuy, tns
Viscomtesse d'Avenale. and Mesdames
Moreau, Du Brouil. Malezieuk, Eugene
Challemel, Recamier. and st. Didier. Tht
missing who are supposed TO be dead IN
clude General Meunier. the Marchioness
~de Galift. the Duchess Aiencoh, M .ns
Countesses de Nun and st. Perier, the
Marchionesse de Flores. the Niscountess
Hunol Holstein, the Baroness Mackan
wife of the leader Of the Progresslsts II
the Chamber of Deputies, and Nine
Morlaune .Lamon, her son, ana , ioul
been laid out in the Palais de rlndustrle
IL is believed that another hundred are
beneath the ruins.
The building was erected in the f1imsies'
manner the nudity OF the scaffolding in
side being concealed by tapestry hang
ings of the most inlammable material
Moreover there was only one exit. Tht
bazaar was in full swing, when suddenly
the quarter where the kinematograph was
being exhibited. One of the survivors
tells TO the correspondent OF the Asso
ciated Press his experience:
THE STRUGGLE FOR LIFE
."The place was crammed fun OF people
and the heat was sitting. Being very un'
comfortable. my friends and l determined
70 o leave. but somehow we could not make
much headway through the throng to
ward the door. ] Jagged little behind
when on a sudden the shout of fire Wa:
raised. Instantly all was commotion.
from behind forced us forward, and W,
were separated. Then / tried TO worl
INV way back. but / was carried of IN,
feet and carried backward and forward
in the swaying crowd. l lost my hat
and then my coat was torn of. and ther
my waistcoat All this happened In q
few seconds.
"ImmediateIy the full extent - tra "a
lamity dawned upon us all. The flames
spread with starting rapldity through lne
whole building. which rImbed like a
living furnace but the uproar OF the con-
dsyration could not drown the groans and
cries OF the agonized crowd, Gradually |
found myself pushed back against the
wall of the building. and finally succeeded
in scrambling through an opening made
r6f