The age-herald., 1900-03-09
FAMOUS FRENCH
 THEATRE BURNED
Historical Playhouse is Now a
 Total Wreck.
WORKS OF ART DESTROYED
One Actress Noted for Her Beuty Per- ished in the Flames All Paris Grieved at the Loss of
 Theatre Francais"

Paris, March s.-11 p. m.-Theater Fran cags, the historical playhouse of Paris and the home of the world-famed Coanedie Francais, is tonight mass of shoulder ing ruins. Only the mere outside wall remains standing. The dome has col- lapsed and the interior is an utter wreck Tue magnificent ceiilng, bearing the alle- gorical painting by Mazerolle, the ceiling painted by Debufe, tine younger, of Truth Enlightening the World," which adorned the foyer and a number of mural tableaux and works of art, together with a portion of the invaluable library of manuscript, perished in the flames. Practically all the sculpture was saved and removed to the ministry of finance, which faces the site of the theater on the Ru de Rivoli. The priceless statue of voltaire by ,Houden one of the chief beauties of the foyer. escaped by being enyeloped in pdle of thick mat tresses.
 The only victim of the fire, so far as known, was Mademoiselie IHenriot, beau tiful young actress of 19, whose photograph has been displayed in the shop windows along the boulevards as type of beauty. IL was only matter of an hour that saved Paris a repetition of tine Opera Comique catastrophe, as a crowd of women and children had already gathered at the doors awaiting the opening for the matinee when the alam was raised. Had the performance begun, few, probably, would have escaped, owing to the rapidity with which the flames spread. settling the fate of the build ing before the ffremen even could get to work
 Actors Had Arrived
 The staff of the theatre and several act ors and actresses had arrived, and the scene shifters were busily preparing the stage for the matinee, when passersby perceived smoke curling up from the win dows near the roof. An alarm was given, and men rushed inside the building shout ing fire. A general scramble for the doors ensued among the staff and at first 1t was thought all had escaped. But it was found afterward that several persons in the up- per stories, including Madamoselles Hen riot and Dudlay, had been forgotten. Mean while the fire brigade had fbeen summoned, but twenty minutes elapsed before the first detachment arrived, and then only hand cups were brought in use. Finally steam pumps came, but 1t was then found that no water was to be had. 1t was 12:45 p. m., nearly three-quarters of an hour after the alarm was raised, before an ad- equate stream of water was poured into the burning building, which by that time was quite beyond help.
 The thick column of smoke which rose and formed heavy pail over the theatre acted as magnet to the Parisians who hocked to the scene in crowds.
 "Le Francais is In f1ames' spread from mouth to mouth until the news had reach- ed every quarter, and it was discussed as the home of French classical drama as familiar to Frenchmen as is the capitol at Washington to Americans. An immeolse concourse soon assembled at every point from which view of the fire could be ob- tained. The police being unable to keep back the enormous crowds the troops were called out, but all seemed eager to render assistance in rescuing valuables in the building. During the confusion thieves cut several paintings out of their flames and got away. In one case the police actually assisted them under the impression that the thieves were workmen of the theater
 The actual cause of the fire has not been determined as the alarm came from the out side, but the back of the stage was first consumed, the scenery burning like tender Owing to a Arrangement of the machinery, the iron curtain could not be lowered and the auditorium was quickly inveloped.