The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-05-12
VICTIMS OF FIRE.
Many Members of the Partisan
Aristocracy Perish.
Over a Hundred Lives Lost by Burn
ing of Baxar I'm the French Cap
itaI-Administratiy Neg
ligence Charged.

well-known patronesses were present
The building in which the fire broke
out was temporary structure of wood.
The flames were first discovered above
the stall occupied by Duchess dues
and while the place was densely crowd
ed. The bazar is an annual function
presided over by the leaders of Paris
ian 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 trampled
upon.
The Dowager Duchess Dues is one of
the most prominent women in France,
and is said TO have provided 100000
francs for the propaganda of Gen. Bou-
LANCER. The young Duchess d. yes was,
before her marriage, Mime. Marie de
Luines, daughter of the late Due de
Chaulnes. She was married in Paris
on January 10, 1894, in the chapel of the
Convent of the Sacred Heart, where she
was educated. The Due d Uzes is the
premier duke of France, the creation
of the title dating back to 1865.
Escape Cut on.
Although an alarm was sent out with
reasonable promptness, the whole
wooden structure was blazing before
the fremen could approach the bazar,
the roof and almost the whole building
collapsed, falling upon the unfortunate
people, many of whom are supposed to
have previously succumbed TO the
sitting smoke.
Estimates of the Loss of Life.
Paris, May Ga somber feeling per
vades every class of society. The news
papers without exception describe the
disaster at the Grand Bazaar de Charlie
in the sober and simple terms BETTING
so appalling an event. The catastrophe
will always be remembered as one of
the most fearful that ever befell a Eu-
ropean city. Nothing comparable in
loss of life has ever occurred here, ex-
cept the fire which destroyed the
Opera Comiqne in 1887. SiDgularly
enough, that disaster happened in the
same month of the year. and so persons
were burned to death, while As were Of
fcially registered as missing.
1t is now estimated that there were
about ] 200 persons in the building when
the fire was discovered. about one-half
of whom escaped unhurt. Some esti-
mates place the number of dead at 143,
Others at still higher figure.
DR.. Nachtel, who has directed the
ambulance work. says that the num-
Der of bodies found gives a very made
quate idea of the number of victims. as
dozens were burned completely to
ashes
Vicounte Damas identified his wife's
body by piece of hair Goth which she
wore next her skin as member of the
Third Order of ST. Francis.
Able Marbol says that Comtesse Viii
leneuve returned to search for her two
daughters. but failed to find them and
persisted herself.
In aristocratic circles the numberless
dinner parties and other functions of a
gayly opening season have been sudden
" abandoned.
T. Faure has received kilograms of
coincidence from Queen Victoria, En-
peror Nicholas. Emperor William, King
Humbert and other sovereigns. all
couched in terms of the deepest sympa-
thy.
fatal negligence
The amount of administrative negli-
gence surrounding the catastrophe is
almost inconceivable. The structure
was so combustible that many of the
victims, If not most of them, must have
been burned alive without sufoca ton.
No sort of inspection seems TO have been
made in advance by the municipal or
police authorities or by the project of
police. NJ. Lepine, the project of po-
lice. who is severely eensured for lack
of proper supervision of the prepare
tory arrangements, says In excuse that
the patrons and petronesses Of the ba-
Ear were reactionists and he feared, if
he meddled with their programme, that
they would say he was trying to sup
press Roman Catholic enterprise.
Duchess' Body Identified.
During the afternoon the bodies of
Duchess d'Alencon and six others were
identified.
Duchess d'Alencon mot Alercon) was
the sister of the empress of Austria
and sister of the wife of Prince Fer
dinand of Orleans. She was duchess
Of Bavaria, and was born in 1s47 and
married in 1868. Her daughter. Princess
Louise, is married to Prince Alphons OF
Bavaria, and her SOD. Prince Philippe.
Is the husband of Princess Henrietfe OF
Belgium. The former queen of Naples
Is one of her sisters. The duchess was
woman of great wealth, and one OF the
most prominent ladies in France.
Nfnety-Four Corpses Identified.
At seven o'clock Wednesday evening
the police officials announced that %
corpses had been positively identified.
There are 19 bodies still unidentified.
emong which must be those of Com.
fesse de Lime and Nine Nitot,s second