The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-06
STORIES OF THE SURVIVORS
Graphic Word Pictures Of The
Panic.

Her to the Bazaar and Escaped
Identified Up to o'clock Last
Night and Nineteen StiII Unidenti-
fed-Ether Used in the Lamps of
the KinematOeraph Started the
Fire--GrOss CareIessness and Im-
prudence i'm the Arrangements of
the Bazaar.
Paris May 5.-A sombre feeling per-
vades every class of society. The news
papers, without exception, describe the
disaster at the Grand Bazaar de Charlie
in sombre and simple terms, behtting so
appalling an event. The catastrophe will
always be remembered as one of the most
fearful that ever befell an European city.
Nothing comparable in loss of life has
ever occurred here, except the fire which
destroyed the Opera ComiQue in 1887. Sin
gularly enough, that disaster happened in
the same month of the year, and eighty
persons were burned to death. while forty
five were officially registered as missing.
In aristocratic circles the numberless
dinner parties and other functions of a
gayly opening season have been aban-
doned.
1t is now estimated that there were in
the nelghborhood Of 1900 persons in the
building when the fire was discovered,
about one-half of whom escaped unhurt.
Some estimates place the number of dead
at 149, others at a stln higher figure.
The amount Of administrative negll-
gence surrounding the catastrophe is al
most inconceivable. The structure was so
combustible that many of the victims, II
not most Of them, must have been burned
alive, without suffocation. No sort of in
spection seems to have been made in ad-
vance by the municipal or police authori-
ties, or by the prefect of police.
Mrs. f. b. Gilmore Of New York had
narrow escape. She had consented to act
as a saleswoman at the stall OF Nine.
Costa Beauregard. She left the Hotel Ter
minus. where she was staying, about 1870
o'clock, accompanying the Vlscomtesse sa-
vigny The sale was going well, when sud-
denly her maid cried: Madame, Sauvus
vous. VOLTA lie feu." MADAM, save your
self: there's a fire.
Mrs Gilmore. with wonderful presence
of mind, rushed toward the main en-
trance. but seeing the danger of being
trampled to death, she ran back to The
rear OF the building, where she saw a
window that opened In the wall through
which she soon reached the street
Mgr. Clari, the papal nuncio. who had
attended to pronounce his blessing upon
the bazaar, says he was talking to the
Duchesse d'Alencon at $3.50 o'clock. He
adds: Around me was group of blind
children. Several OF these must have per-
ished. My heart II bleeding TO think Of all
those poor creatures. 1t Is too horrible
20 speak Of My nerves are in a terrible
state"
Dr. Nachtel, who has directed the am
bulance work, says that the number OF
bodies found gives a very inadequate idea
of the number OF victims, as dozens we're
burned completely to ashes.
The Vicomte Damas identified his wifes
body by a piece Of hair cloth which she
wore next 10 her skin as a member OF the
third order OF 81. Francis.
NJ. Jean Rafaelli. the painter. says: My
daughter had a mark OF a heel stamped
into her back; she was trampled In the
heap at the door near the main entrance.
Her mother tried TO pull 'er from the
blazing nre, but she said: II Ia useless,
save yourself as I shall die In any case
Her mother replied: i shall not leave you.
/ will take you or stay and die with you
Both escaped. though severely Injured"
The Able Marmot says that the Com
tesse Villeneuve returned 10 search for
her two daughters. Failing to fnd them,
she perished herself
NJ Lepine. the prefect Of police. who Is
severely consured for lack Of proper su-
peruslon Of the preparatory arrange
ments says IN excuse that the patrons
and patronesses OF the bazaar were react.
lonlsts and he feared. " he meddled with
their programme. that they would say he