The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-05-19
FIRE HORROR IN PARIS.
Leaders Of French Society Perish in a
FdghtfuI Disaster.
ALL EUROPE IS IN MOURNING.

| Flames Level wooden structure Betng
Used for a Charity Bazaar-scorcs OF
the Nobility and Wealthy, Mostly
Women, Among the Victims-A Hun
dred Bodies Taken Out-More in Ruins.
PARIS, France By Cable).-Not since the
terrible fire which converted the festivities
In connection with the marriage OF EN-
| peror Napoleon to Archduchess Marie
Louise into an epoch of grief and mourning
has so appalling disaster overtaken
Partisan society as the confagration Of the
Rue Jean Goujon Tuesday afternoon. The
flower Of Frances aristoeracy was as
sembled together for the purpose Of charity
In wooden building, constructed to rep
resent street Of Old Paris. A bazaar, or
fancy fair, was In full swing. The stalls
were occupied by royal princesses, by
! duchesses, countesses, and leaders Of
the great world Of the French metropolis,
the place being densely thronged with
visitors and purchasers, when suddenly a
fire broke out in the stall Of the DowaSer
Duchesse d'Uzes. A terrible panic ensued.
Those who did not perish in the flames
: seem to have sustained shocking injuries
during the struggle that followed at the
exits in the frantic efforts to escape. So
| fierce were the flames that, as in the case
| Of the fire at the Austrian Embassy at
Paris on the occasion OF Napoleon's we'd
, ding, the exact number Of the victims may
never be known with any degree Of GER
, tainty.
The latest estimate Of the dead Is that at
| least 100 bodies have been taken out, and
as many more may still be in the ruins.
| One report is that the disaster caused the
loss Of at least 200 lives and has thrown
many of the best-know,l families Of France
and other continental countries into mourn
| ing. Perhaps 200 Others were injured.
The bazaar In which the fire occurred
was temporary structure Of wood. The
flames were first discovered above the stall,
No. 13, occupied by the Duchesse Dues,
and while the place was densely crowded
with well-known society persons, the hold
ing OF the bazaar in the cause Of charity
being an annual function presided over by
! the leaders Of Partisan society.
A terrible panic and crush followed the
alarm OF fire. There was wild rush for the
exits, and the weaker persons were trampled
on after having been knocked down in the
stampede. The infammable nature Of the
building and It's contents caused the flames
to spread with great rapidity, and In very
short time the bazaar was mass OF flames.
A policeman who was on duty at the
doors Of the bazaar says that from 1900 to
1900 persons were In the building when the
fire started. He adds that the alarm caused
general panic, followed by terrible rush
for the doors, which were soon choked
with the crowd, thus preventing the es-
cape Of many who would otherwise
have been saved. The strong tram
pied upon the weak, the young crushed
the old to the floor and heartrending
cries of fear arose on all sides, soon fol-
lowed by shrteks OF agony, as the flames,
sweeping onward behind the crowd strug-
CLING for the doors, claimed victim after
victim and swallowed up stall after stall
with frightful rapidity until the whole
structure was roaring mass OF fire.
Further details show that before the fire.
men had time to arrive the roof OF the ba-
zaar crashed In, crushing numbers OF those
who had been unable to escape from the
building.
In addition to those who were crushed or
suffocated 1t appears that many others who
might otherwise have escaped were caught
minutes after the fire started, the uprights
supporting it having been burned away.
Many ladies whose dresses had caught fire
ran into the crowds near the exits, and In
this manner fire was communicated to the
clothing Of others, who either perished mis-
ersbly or were frightfully burned. It will be
impossible to identify many Of the bodies,
they being burned beyond, recognition.
Some Of them are completely carbonized,
while others are without heads or limbs.
SO far as can be learned about 500 persons
were enveloped in the flames, the others in
the building having managed to effect their
escape before the fire gained great head
way. One hundred and fifty seriously in
jured persous have been taken to the hospi-
tails or are being treated at their homes.
Nearly oil the dead and injured were ladies
/ who occupied high social positions, many
OF them being International aristocrats.
In some Of the corners, especially near
the main exit, were afterward found piled
heaps of dead and dying, charred remains,
arms, legs and skulls. Near the main exit
the pile was five feet deep.
A few minutes after the building was de-
stroyed the ambulance corps and police be-
gan the work OF removing the bodies. But
very few lives could then be saved. The
arms and legs Of the victims were in most
instances completely consumed. Their
skulls were fractured and the brains pro-
truded. There was no yestige Of clothing
on any Of the bodies.
AS the news spread rapidly hundreds Of
carriages came streaming along the Champs
Elysees conveying people with anxious and
tear-stained faces, coming to seek relatives
or friends. Within half an hour were wit
messed indescribable scenes Of grief. One
lady rushed frantically about inquiring for
her daughter. On being assured that she
was safe, she jumped, danced, screamed,
and then rushed to her coschman and told
him to drive home, after which she fell In q
swoon.
Another lady on reaching the scene went
mad Still another, imagining that she
recognized her daughters dress, called
: Historically to her husband to tell the po-
lice to prevent her from visiting the bazar
A majority Of the dead seemed to have
been mercifully suffocated before they were
burned. In the awful struggle to get out
Of the building most OF the ladies who es,
capped lost part OF their clothing. Some OF
them were almost nude, their skirts and
petticoats being'stripped off Of them. AS
they rushed out Of the burning structure
they fell swooning In the street, with their
hair dishevelled and their faces, In num-
Der Of cases, scratched and bleeding.