The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-05-05
MANY MEN, STILL MORE WOMEN
Scenes of Horror and PathOs Dur
ing the Awful Twelve MINI
utes and Later About
the Ruins.

Il
PARIS, May 5. 1Ss7.-The terrible fire
at the Grand Bazaar de Charlie, tenn
porary wooden structure about 100 yards
long and 60 yards wide, erected in the
Rue Jean Goujon. for the annual charity
fair of which all the most prominent So
ciety ladies of Paris are patronesses, has
thrown the French capital into mourn
ing. The confagration, which broke out
shortly after four o'clock yesterday after
noon in the Kinematograph Booth, near
the stall of the Duchesse d Uzes, while
from fifteen hundred to two thousand
people were present, is believed to have
caused the loss of over two hundred
lives. AS this despatch is sent, early
Wednesday morning, one hundred and
eleven charred corpses have been recov-
red, together with twelve portions of
bodies whose identity may never be estab-
lished.
Since five o'clock this morning crowds
of people have been focking to the
Falais de PIndustrie, where many of
the bodies and a large number of the in
jured were taken. At six o'clock de-
tachment of the Garde Republicaine
relieved the detachment of infantry
which had been on duty all night long
L
search of the dead continued in the
ruins. Quantities of coins, watches, neck
- and bracelets have been picked in
the charred mass of burned wood and
mud forming the foundation of the de-
bris.
At eight o'clock there was move
ment toward a corner of the ruins and
another body was slowly drawn from the
ma in + had
1t was little more than a black trunk,
headless and limbless. and little hope was
entertained of discovering whom it be-
longed to. In this case. as in all other
instances, the firemen and police, upon
discovering a body, carefully overhauled
everything near it and under it, in order
to discover, if possible, some piece of
Jewelry or other articles which may lead
to the identification of the remains.
AS soon as the bodies are claimed by
the anxious relatives and others who are
searching for the missing, and who have
throughout the night, they are placed
in carriages held in waiting and are TAX
en- to their former homes
The scene at night was remarkable
one. Long lines of infantry were drawn
L
bon5res and torches, electric lights and
gas jets used to illuminate the scene, re-
f1ected upon the bayonets and the accou-
trements of the soldiers and threw a
gAastly illumination upon the houses of
the vicinity, the windows of which were
crowded during most of the night with
. people watching the work of horror.
Every now and then a hearse would be
called from the line of vehicles stationed
in proximity to the scene of the fire, a
black mass of what was but so recent
ly joyous humanity would be tenderly
lifted into it and another unfortunate
victim of the confagraton would be TAX
en- to one of the temporary morgues, in
the Palais de PIndustrie or at the neigh
boring Hospital Beaujon. Frequently
many as a dozen hearses were gath
cred together in the Courtyard of the
Palais de pIndustrie, and opposite the
entran of that building hundreds of
collins plain, white wood were ranged
ready receive the bodies of those who
had umbed to the flames or to the
smolSs r who had been trampled to
death that terrible stampede and
who's bodies had subsequently been
charred beyond recognition.
The scenes witnessed among those who
remained about the fatal spot through
out the night, unable to tear themselves
away, Indifferent to the intreatjes OF
their friends or relatives, battle d frip
tion. Upon several occasions a di act-