Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1897-05-08
A PARIS HORROR.
Awful Results Of a Fire at a Chari-
table Bazaar.
OVER ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE BURNED
Belief That Fully One Hundred More Are
Still Buried in the Ruins-AIost of
the Victims Were Leading
Society Women.

PARIS, May 5.-Fire and a resulting
panic in a crowded charitable bazaar in
the Rue Jean Goujon at 4:3O o'clock
yesterday afternoon caused no fewer
than 100 deaths and the more or less
serious injury of 200 persons. Many
leaders in Partisan society are num-
bercd among the dead or wounded.
Most of the victims are women. At
midnight 100 corpses had been taken
to the Palais de PIndustrie, and it is
supposed that 100 more are still buried
in the ruins. The injured are known
to number at least $50.
The building in which the fire broke
out was temporary structure of
wood. The flames were first discov-
cred above the stall presided over by
the Duchess Dues, and while the
place was dense1y crowded. The bazaar
is an annual function, presided over by
Partisan society women. A terrible
panic and crush followed the alarm of
fire. There was a wild rush for the
exits, and the weaker persons were
borne down and trampled upon. The
1nf1ammable nature of the building
and con tents caused the flames to
spread with great rapidity, and in a
very short time the bazaar was a mass
of flames.
A policeman who was on duty at the
doors of the bazaar says that from !, 500
to 1,S00 people were in the building
when the fire broke out. He adds that
the alarm caused a general panic fol-
lowed by terrible crush for the doors,
which were soon cholled with people,
thus preventing the escape of many
who might have otherwise been saved.
Heartrending cries of fear arose on
all sides, soon followed by shriel1s of
agony, as the flames swept onward be-
hind the crowd struggling for the
doors. Before the firemen could ar
rive, the roof of the bazar crushed in,
burying numbers of those who had
been unable to make their egress from
the building.
In spite of the efforts of tie firemen,
some time elapsed before the charred
bodies could be pulled from the smok-
ing and burning mass of debris cover
ing the spot which, but short time
before, had been the scene of so much
gayety. The building was erected in
the himSieSt manner, the nudity of the
scaffolding on the inside being con-
cealed by tapestry hangings of the
most inf1amInable description. More
over. there was only one exit. The
dead were piled in heaps, and especially
near the exit, where the charred re-
mains were five feet deep. In some
no vestige of clothing.
Words would fail to describe the
horror of the scene of the Palais de
1Industrie, where the bodies are ex-
posed on the side next to the Avenue
Banton, in a portion of the building
oow in course of demolition. Here,
in a large room rudely covered with
rough plan5s, and On sheets spread
over planks, the bodies as they arrive
from the ambulances are being placed
in three long rows Here is ex-
emplifed death by fire with all
its horrors, bodies completely
nude, limbs twisted in the with
fngs of agony, some still having
shreds of clothing which assist in
recognition in spite of horrible disfg-
urement, bones visible through fire.
eaten flesh, some merely skeletons or
grinning skulls blackened with smoke.
A large force of officials is engaged in
the admission of friends at
the entrance, which is besieged by
crowds, shouting and fighting. Only
small groups are admitted at time,
and the visitors are supplied with can
dies to assist them in their lugubrious
search.