Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-10-16
A TERRIBLE DISASTER.

About $50 o'clock last night, shortly
after the curtain rose at Robinson's
Opera House in Cincinnati, great
portion of the ceiling and part of the
huge dome fell upon the occupants OF
the orchestra chairs and parqnet seats.
Most of the lights were ex
tinguished in some way by the
accident. A sort of searchlisht
was then turned on the audience
from the stage. This caused the cry OF
fire" to add to the horror of the situa-
ton and q horrible panic followed
Many of the audience were seriously il
not fatally Injured by the falling cell
ing, but many more were crushed and
trampled under foot during the rush for
the doors.
1.-THE Dangers of a Great City" was
the name of the play being given. A
little girl, Alice 0pie, was singing a
yellow KID song with bass drum ac-
compartment when the crash came.
Besides the dome and ceiling, the i'm
mense central chandelier fell. All OF
the debris fell within circle of about
thirty feet in diameter in the parquet
| The crash was as loud as thunderclap
Great clouds of dust added to the dark
ness that quickly enshrouded all
Cries and screams of agony and terror
came from all parts of the house.
In the center was huge mound oi
wreckage that covered many MANNED
and bruised people. Several fire en-
gines and half dozen patrol crews
quickly responded to the alarm. The
firemen and police quickly began the
work of removing those too badly it,
jured to help themselves. The most
exaggerated reports soon spread, it be
ng stated that scores had been killed,
and many thousands of persons quickly
blocked the streets in the vicinity.
Very many persons had relatives and
friends among the audience. About %
badly, some of them fatally, wounded
victims were quickly taken out and
conveyed to the Cincinnati Hospital.
A large number Of those who were not
seriously hurt ran through the streets
all black with SCOT and with torn cloth
ing and some streaming with blood.
On account OF these quickly dispers-
ing to their homes, it was difficult to
get even tolerably accurate list OF the
wounded.
Three people were killed outright
One of these, an unknown old man, was
almost cut iu two By falling timber.
Another one, an old lady whose name
is also unknown. had her back broken.
The attendance was not very large.
Had it been a big house the results
would necessarily have been much
more terrible. None of the members ot
the theatrical company was injured
About twenty years ago there was n
similar calamity at this opera house, at
d holiday matinee, false alarm of fire
at that time causing stampede, dur
ing which about thirty FIVE lives were
crushed out. The house belongs to the
estate of the late John Robinson, the
noted circus owner. The latest returns
place the number of probably fatally
ipjured at twelve, and the more or less
severely hurt at thirty to forty.
Several women, after they got out
sat on the steps of the city hall nearby
and then tainted dead away. They
were revived by passers.by.
Archbishop Elder and Father Mackey
arrived at the hospital at 9:45 O'Clock
and ministered to the wounded and dy'
ing.
4 crowd of excited people surround
ed the hospital at midnight crying ior
their friends.
S rangely enough, the play that was
booked for next week is called "Under
| the Dome"