The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-05-05
Social Leaders Of France and Europe Numbered Among
the Victims Of the Disaster
FIRE AT A FASHIONABLE BAZAAR.
Total Number Of Those Tramped or Burned Estimated
at Two Hundred Some Americans Probably
LostSTheir Lives in the Panic. -

PARIS, May "A disaster such as
the metropolis Of France has not seen
since the tragedy Of the Opera Comique
has thrown the city into deepest
mourning. This afternoon fire started
during the progress of charity ba-
Ear patronized by the most fashionable
people of the city, and in the wild panic
that followed it Is estimated that 200
people lost their lives, social leaders of
France and Europe being numbered
among the victims. The bazar was in
temporary wooden building which
burned like tinder, and the f1imsy dec
orations aided in the rapid spread of
the fire. The flames licked most of
those who escaped, and dresses were
burned from the backs Of their wear
ers, who tore off their blazing hats as
they rushed from the building, their
heads singed to the roots Of their hair.
The clothing not burned off was literal
ly torn off, No painter ever imagined
Last Judgment so appalling. One
girl who ran through the streets skirt
less to tell her mother of her safety
had charge Of the wooden horses in the
bazar. It is impossible to say how
many children were on them at the
time, or how many perished.
The flames rose to a fearful height.
The fire brigade came quickly, but
what could be done? The blockade in
front of the burning mass was simply
frightful and the hose was compelled
to play over the heads Of the multi
tude The scorched people cried for the
did. The cries from within were cries
never to be forgotten for intensity Of
anguish. The f1remen conrageously let
themselves down from houses round
about, but their efforts were too often
fruitless. Holes were broken through
the walls by navvies who happened to
be working near. There was one aw-
full procession of sixty eerpses= on the
stretchers formed with the handles of
spades and pickaxes with green can
vas. The prefect of police says that
fully 300 people are missing. The whole
center of the town forgot to. dine, and
the crowd in the vicinity was like that
on the Place die la Concorde on Sept. 4,
1870.
| The building in which the fire broke
| out was temporary structure OF WOOD.
| The flames were first discovered above
the stall occupied by the Duchesse
d'Uzes, and while the place was densely
| crowded The baZar is an annual
function presided over by the leaders
of Partisan society. 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 tramp1ed upon: The in
flammable naturei of. the building and
contents caused the flames to spread
with great rapidity, and in very short
| time the bazar was a mass OF names
The building was constructed ABOUT
six months ago. AT the time It was
remarked that it.. would burn like
match wood. The interior was divided
| into shops la old Paris, constructed
| of prettily painted canvas. ,.=q.-,....ee
A policeman who was on duty at the
doors of the bazars says that from
500 to 1900 people were in the build
| ing when the fire broke out He adds
that the alarm caused a general panic,
| followed by a terrible rush for the:
doors, which were soon .choked with
people, thus preventing the escape OF
many who might otherwise have been
saved. The strong trampled upon the
weak the young crushed the old to the
| hoe ~ cries of arose
on all sides soon followed by shrieks Of
agony as the flames, sweeping onward.
overlook the crowd struggling for the
doors.
The managers of the bazar had
arranged the stalls so as to represent q
street of old Paris, and it was opened
Yesterday The proceeds of the sales
at each stall were devoted to a sep
arate charity The stalls were presid :
ed over by, Nine. Fevrier, the wife of
Gen. Fevrier, the Marquise de PAigle.
Nine. Macobs, Baronne de la Lucette,
the Marquise de st. Michel, the Ouch
esse d'UZes, Nine Mignotte, the Ba-
rome de ST. Idier, the Comtesse DIAL
ynska, the Marquise lie Gousetier, the
| Marouise d'Argence, the MarQuise
de Pitt. the Duchesse d'Alencon, mem
ber of the Orleans family; Nine. d Ar
lu. Nine Boisseaux, the Baronne E. ID.
Schickler, Nine. Morau, the Marqu1se
Costa de BeduTeSdTu, uSAs 1Oyc'i Ai6iA-
ness, the Duchesse de Vendome, the
Marquise de Macon and the Comtesse
de Grefful, nee La Rochefoucauld. Mile.
de Florez presided over the refresh
ment stand. These ladies were as
sisted by many equally well-known So
eiety ladies.
The bazaar was in full swing when,
about o'clock, the cry of fire rose.
One Of the survivors tells the corre-
| spondent Of the Associated Press his
experience thus: 1.-The place was
crammed full of people and the heat
was sitting. Being very uncomfort-
able my friends and I determined to
leave, but could not make much head
way through the crowd. I Jagged a
little behind, as I was offered nose
gay by a stall holder when on sud-
den, the shout of fire was raised. and in
stantly all was commotion. We tried
to keep cool. but the rush from behind
forced us forward and we were sepa-
rated Then tried to work my way
back, but was carried off my feet and
backward and forward in the swaying
crowd. lost my hat, then my coat
was torn off. and then my waistcoat.
All this happed in a few seconds. I'M
mediately the full extent Of the ca
lamity dawned upon us all. The flames
| Sprpad with Of a rt1inr raniditv flr0l1 OH