The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-05-19
BATTLEFIELD FIRE SCARE
UPSET FOR A N OMENT THE SEVENTY-
FIRST REGIMENT SHOW.
Photographer in the Armory Set n Curtain
Ahre with His FlashliEht - Spectators
Fled, and the Camp, Too, Was Dlsturbeh.

Photographer in the Armory Set n Curtain
Anre with His FiashiiEbt - Spectators
Fled, and the Camp, Too, Was Disturbed.
two companies OF the Seventy-nrst Regi-
ment were giving a reproduction OF their e1-
periences In Cuba in their armory at Thirty
fourth street and Fourth avenue. last night
when a cry Of FIRE was raised In the building A
photographer had endeavored to take II flash
light picture Of the scene from a window In
the room Of Company II In the second gallery
on the north side OF the armory. The burning
magnesium set fire TO q curtain. and although
the flames were extinguished at once It took
fifteen minutes to reassuro those who had
taken flight at the first cry. and the halls and
stairways were full Of struggling men and
women.
Elaborate preparations had been made for
the exhibition by the men Of Companies X and
T.. who we're the chief actors In tho sham fight.
The floor Of the armory had been transformed
into q Jungle. made Of ported palms and trees.
Several monkeys played among the trees.
while a donkey and a goat wandered around
the floor. San Juan Hill. with it's blockIhouse.
was at the east end. while on o knoll in the
southwest corner we're twenty-one men of the
Second Battery with two GatlinE guns. Major
Heck with Capt. Hill and Lieut.. Thompson
were in charge the Seventy-lrst men. while
Lieut.. Sherry was in charge Of the battery.
The two galleries were crowded. and there
were several hundred spectators ON the floor
at the south end Of the armory. The Seventy
FIRST men had marched in-the programme de-
pitched their, tents and gone through some
mannuvres. when the bugles sounded taps.
and the men lighted camptres and lay down
to sleep. The lights in the armory were turned
low and everything was quiet.
The, photographer In Company HIS room
thought this was a good time to get his picture.
The windows In this room are very high; being
The photographer had his apparatus in the
window. There was, a crowd seated in the
that the curtain had caught fire until the peo-
Pile In the south galleries saw the blaze and be-
There was a rush Of people for the stairs. and
seen ANYTHING Of the fire at all and had no idea
the south end could see the burning curtain
and understood how trihing was the danger,
places until the rush OF many feet and cries OF
women stirred them up. Then many of them
Tho soldiers. who were getting their last sleep
before ths eharg re- up san Juan MI: woke up
their camp. but they could see Other people
d% sctdeSS TO tor t tns doors TOO, T fPa a tb humber ss,d Of then then
They forgo, in their haste that wires: made to
represent barhed wire fences. had been run
realistic, and they. got tangled up and over
u ark StCllOl u lllt lUlklc.
In the meantime the, arinorers and police
men K Ksse h nMisi e a herd herd time hn"t Git ~ T99eTIF b cries
no danger p had no effect. -Major.Gen, Roe.
who with a number OF his staff and their wives
had an elevated platform on the floor. rose and
shouted to the people at the top of his lungs 10
sit down: Others did the. same, thing. and
Leader Fanciulli started his band going. All
this had the effect OF ~quieting those who had
not run. and many others returned to their
seats.
But the crowd In the halls and on the stair
ways wanted to get out. Several women went
into Mysteries and one or two men tried to fight
their way out. The armorerS and policemen
never stopped their reassuring cries for a mo-
ment. and suddenly. Just as suddenly as the
f Rsale h she sT,ssSn; a a, n nns eao s { and people
Somebody had turned in an alarm. however.
and three engines came whistling up Thirty
fourth street Firemen with pixies and axes
fire. In the meantime the show went on with
the attack on San Juan hill.
the blockhouse and almost deafening the spec
fire. Adozen seventy-hrst men erawled2 pot and
others crept through the jungle. and the firing
line was formed. The din was terrific. The
men kept their rifles and pistols going as fast
as fast as the artillerymen gould turn the
cranks, The nrmory was 80 full Of smoke that
one couldn't see half way across 1t.
The Spaniards returned the fire and q num-
Der Of American soldiers fell, to be ,luGged off
by the hospital corps. Finally. Major ,Keck
formed his men for the charge and; amid the
t trs a%as aRH 'H Hp 0' the kii r. O Tfke 's ssa !!"SH
% %ses a a s ssi,anfs a5ssis'n mSs s RH n esap' up tss
Spanish colors and nailed the Stars and stripes
!! n sae|l RIsisdi B nhs" 70 an 6in San p !IHs6 IN sHH
American history. It will be captured again