The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-05

though general alarm was sent out
with reasonable promptness, the whole
wood structure was blazing before the
almost the whole building collapsed,
falling upon the unfortunate people,
Many of them are supposed to have
previously succumbed to sitting smoke.
In spite of the efforts of the firemen,
some time elapsed before the charred
bodies could be pulled from the smoke
and burning mass of debris covering the
spot which but a short time before had
been the scene of so much gaiety.
The Project, NJ. Lepine, was one of the
fl. st officials to reach the scene, and he
directed the operations for the recovery
of the bodies, and distributed the in
jured among the various houses in the
vicinity
In the meantime the pumps played on
crossed and the inquiries became more
numerous and pressing, it was seen that
the death rate would be much higher
than at first estimated.
Among the injured are Duchess De La
Tore, Princess Kotchunbuy, the VS.
comtesse De Avrel, and Mesdames Mo
reau Du Brouit, MaleZeux, Eugenlo,
Challemel Recamier and St. Didier.
The missing, who are supposed to be
dead. include General Meunier the
Marchioness De Gallifet, the Duchesse
D'Alencon, the Countesses De Nun and
St Pierier, the MarchiOness De Flores,
the Viscountess Hunol Hulstein, Baron
ess Mackan, wife of the leader of the
Proratists in the Chamber of Deputies,
and Madame Northumberland, her son
and two daughters.
One hundred corpses have been laid
out in the Palais De L'Industrie. 1t IS
believed that another hundred are be-
meath the ruins.
The building was erected in the f1lm-
siest manner, the nudity of the scaffoid-
ing inside being concealed by tapestry
of the most inflammable description.
Moreover there was only one exit
The bazaar was in full swing, when
suddenly. about O'Clock, the cry of
fire rose in the quarter where the kline
tematograph was being exhibited
STORY OF A SURVIVOR.
One Of the survivors tells to the cor
respondent of the Associated Press MS
Experience:
THE place was crammed full of peo-
pie, and the heat was sitting. Being
very uncomfortable, my friends and L
determined to leave, but somehow we
could not make much Roadway through
the throng toward the door. L stayed
a little behind. as l was offered nose
gay by a stall holder, when, of sud
den. the shout of fire was raised. In
stantly all was commotion. We tried
to keep cool, but the rush from behind
forced US forward, and we were separ-
ated. Then 1 tried to work my way
back. but l was carried off my feet and
carried backward and forward in the
swaying crowd. I lost my hat, then my
coat was torn off, and then my waist
coat All this happened in few sec
onds
Immediately the full extent of the
calamity dawned upon US all The
flames spread with startling rapidly
throughout the whole building, which
rumbled like a living furnace, but the
uproar of the conflagration could not
drown the groans and cries of the
agonized crowd.
Gradually I found myself pushed
back against the wall of the building
and finally succeeded in scrambling
through an opening made by some of
those who were near me. Two seconds
later l would have been a victim, for
hardly had l struggled through the hole
before I heard a dreadful crash, as the
blazing roof fell in.
Il cannot describe the struggle which
followed. No words can depict the
horror of the scene. 1t seems. as 1
look back upon it, hideous nightmare.
The whole thing was over in twelve
minutes. and nothing remained but the
charred and blackened ruins of the
bazaar"
DEAD PILED IN HEAPS.
The dead We're piled in heaps and
especially near the exit, where the
charred remains were five feet deep. In
some cases only the trunks remained,
with no vestige of clothing.
The fremen arrived at 8 O'Clock. A
company of infantry followed to clear
the ruins and search for corpses. The
news spread like wild fire. All the
Cabinet Ministers now in Paris went
Immediately to the scene. Hundreds
Of equipages streamed along the
Champs Elysee their occupants all
anxious and with tear-stained faces
inquiring for their relatives.
There were many heartrending
scenes. One lady rushed about fran
ticaIly calling her daughter by name.
Some one told her the girl was safe,
whereupon she jumped. danced,
screamed, then rushed to the coachman
to tell him to drive home, and fell in
dead swoon. Another lady went in
sane. A third imagined in her frenzy
that she recognized her daughters
dress and Historically called upon her
husband to tell the police to prevent
the child from going to the bazaar.
Cabinet Ministers, ambassadors, no.
blemen and members of the highest
social and financial circles were side by
side with the lowest and the poorest,
anxiously inquiring for their missing
relatives. About thirty were saved by
| Pere Ambrose and Pere Baill, who
| helped them over the wall with a lad
der to the printing room of the news
paper La Croix." The staff of the
| Hotel Du Palais lent valuable assist
ance, and saved $50 persons through a
| barred window overlooking the bazaar
where. while the hotel employees were
carrying away the bodies, they saw
three persons burned TO death.
Policemen. their hands covered with
| gloves, have been deputed by the Pre-
| feet of Police to pick out the portions
! of remains and to wrap them in pieces
| of cloth, TO be transferred in ambu-
/ lances to the Palais De l. Industrie.